By Chris Nicholls
BSR Group has announced plans to move into the furniture game, a move that would place it in more direct competition with rival Harvey Norman.
In a statement, BSR Group managing director, Ian Brown, said the company would launch a new brand to go along with the move, called Betta Home Living, and was soliciting furniture retailers who wished to join the BSR Group.
The company had also signed up existing retailers, the statement said.
“This strategic decision was made to ensure our members could service nearly every home living requirement of a customer when they walk through our doors,” said Brown.
“We have recognised the importance of enabling our retailers to offer complete solutions to our customers – the ‘one stop shop’ approach.
“If you are an existing furniture retailer, an existing member already selling furniture or an existing member interested in adding furniture to your retail offer, there are many great reasons to belong to BSR Group’s Betta Home Living furniture brand,” he said.
Opening dates and locations of these new and existing stores were not announced.
However, Brown said new furniture licensing agreements for new and existing retailers were “well underway”, as were preparations for the new section’s first national catalogue.
He said the new furniture team had already finalised negotiations with over 20 key furniture and bedding suppliers, and selected a core range of products in each category.
The Betta Home Living brand will be further supported by a national promotional program, said Brown, including adding the furniture catalogues to the BSR Group website.