Imoulding sales todaY

Morrison: One of the Problems is people aren't able to see it. TheY doft kno* how to use it. The key is the "in use" display. Moulding is not really an eye catching item for impulse buying. Traditionally, dealeri haue kept it in stacks or racks where it looks very unwieldy. Maple Bros.. for example, is offering a display showing mouldings in use from a profile and face look.

Also, dealers should show do-ityourselfers the middle length mouldings, the lengths that are harder to get rid of. but the ones that mom and dad can just throw in the back of the station wagon.

Q: Is there anYthing dealers are doing wrong?

Jim StrouPe, sales/marketing manager, Windsor Mill, Windsor, Ca.: In all the mailers that the home centers send out, like the 17-Page flYers from HomeClub or whomever' there are advertisements for everything from girdles to strawberry jam' But you never, never, never see anything on moulding. Moulding is such a high margin item, and theY are advertising WD-40.

Q: why is this so?

Heflin: This is a Product which has never really been merchandised like the other specialty products dealers carry. But it should be considered a decorator product like wallpaper and paneling. That's what we're trying ior through consumer publications, idea books, "how to work with the product" books, cross merchandising potters and sPecialtY racks, *liich the prefinished moulding people have used before but the unfinished moulding PeoPle have not' We're trying to get the idea across that they can take a rather bland room and bY just adding mouldings make quite a difference.