Members got a sneak peek at the new Monarch lift chair model during Summit 2024.
FTS Direct readies lift chairs for Round 2
By Alan Wolf, YSN
Just six months after direct sourcing its first container load of furniture, FTS (Furniture Technology Source) is busy securing a second round of exclusive home furnishings for BrandSource members.
As a follow-up to its debut grouping of premium leather and fabric recliners, FTS Direct is securing a new low-cost, margin-rich series of high-quality lift chairs.
The announcement came during the recent AVB Summit, where COO Dave Meekings revealed next-step plans for the nascent direct-sourcing program. Under the new initiative, FTS selects, curates, imports and ships mixed container loads of factory direct products for BrandSource members only. By pooling their buying power, dealers can enjoy close to factory-direct pricing without committing to a full container of merchandise, while FTS negotiates ocean freight from Asia and drayage from ports.
What’s more, each imported product is accompanied by a complete package of merchandising and marketing material, including images and descriptive content, provided by FTS and plugged into AVB’s e-commerce and digital marketing platform for display on dealers’ websites.

“This solution leverages the buying power of the group to allow members to access goods and obtain pricing that might only be available at container quantities — all while purchasing only a portion of that container,” Meekings said. “This has opened up brand new product and margin opportunities for our members, and they are jumping on board.”
The new three-model lift chair line made its unofficial debut at Summit, where members got their first glimpse of the grouping. On site in the FTS Direct booth was an elephant grey floor model called Monarch, available in a variety of colors and fabrics, which featured a remote control lift and recline system and two hidden cupholders.
Meekings described lift chairs as “a booming category” and said FTS’s quality product line can provide members with better than 50% retail margins while still delivering value to customers. “This is a category that is growing at an exponential rate,” he noted, “and this program can allow all our members — furniture and appliance alike — to jump on.”
For more information on FTS Direct’s exclusive new lift chair series, contact FTS Vendor Relations Manager Luke Larsen at luke.larsen@avb.net or check out FTS Direct here.
YSN publisher AVB BrandSource is the nation’s largest merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, mattress, furniture and CE dealers.