IFC & FCEF partner to launch Penny Donation Program
BY MALLORY CRUISE-MCGRATH
[Dalton] Beginning this fall, retailers that sell International Flooring Company’s (IFC) Canopy brand will have the opportunity to opt in to a Penny Donation program to help fund the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF). Canopy, which launched about two months ago, is an exclusive program to some 300 dealers across the country.
“We’re partnering with the FCEF to bring a protected market share to retailers so they and their RSAs can confidently sell to the consumer knowing Canopy is behind them to support their consumer and their business as a whole,” IFC president JulianDossche shared with attendees at a press announcement in Dalton last month. “For every square foot of Canopy product sold, we’ll be donating a penny and will ask the retailer to put a penny into that program so in essence it’s two pennies.”
The goal, he said, is to make supporting the program as simple as possible because “simple sells.”
Julian Dossche explained, “If you were to sell a product at $2.49 per square William Dossche, IFC; Kaye Whitener and Jim Aaron, FCEF; Julian Dossche, Piet Dossche and Greg Wrenn, IFC Continued on page 39 foot, we’ll push that product to $2.50. The retailer isn’t having to do anything but support the Canopy brand and those pennies then flow through us to FCEF. “
As the Canopy brand represents a better product, there’s opportunity for a retailer to sell it for a higher margin. “Retailers can mark it up and sell it at a higher price to the consumer,” added Piet Dossche. “At the end of the month, we look at how much a retailer sold of Canopy and, if they participate, take their penny [combine with] our penny and it goes to FCEF and funds the program. By doing it this way it’s a simple, easy solution.”
Don Roberts, president and CEO of Central Alabama Flooring, said Canopy has indeed made it simple for retailers.
“The cost of the program is built into the price of their product and the dealer has the choice to pay their penny or not; the company is paying their penny either way because they’re supporting this industry,” said Roberts, adding, “I don’t see any reason why a dealer would opt out. It’s just too easy to do and it really does benefit us all.”
Added Piet Dossche, “The consumer is the ultimate winner in this.”
And regardless of the size of your business, it’s crucial for the industry to come together to support the FCEF and address the installer shortage, said Piet Dossche. “Whether you’re a small or big retailer or a supplier, if you believe this is an issue that needs to be resolved in order to sustain and grow our industry in the long run you need to commit. This is an issue that has to be supported by a proper funding program.”
The FCEF exists to assist the industry in creating awareness around the career pathway of the flooring industry, to recruit new people into the career pathway of flooring installation, connect those individuals to training, scholarship that training and assist in job placement, stressed the Foundation’s executive director Jim Aaron who was on hand for the program announcement.
“This is a real issue whether it is today or on the horizon,” Aaron said. “Dealers, we know it’s an important issue for you and because it’s an issue for you, it’s an issue for us. We’re asking retailers to support those companies that are helping to support this Foundation and we ask retailers to support the Foundation.”
Added Julian Dossche, “When talking to retailers we hear one of their most challenging elements is installation. With the FCEF’s help, we wanted to create a program that is really focused and allows our Canopy partners to be part of this solution. The marketplace is tough and moments like this is where you build foundations and set yourself up for the future.”