At a time when it seems as if all you need is ".com" in your company's name to be a hit on Wall Street, Furniture Brands International is saying "no" to the Internet.
The largest US home furniture maker said Friday it would not sell its products on the Internet and wouldn't do business with any company that didn't have a real showroom. The maker of Broyhill, Lane, and Thomasville furniture said online retailers aren't always committed to customer service.
"We will not be doing business with 'virtual' retailers whose sole channel of distribution is the Internet, or who have established only a token retail presence to support an operation whose primary distribution channel is the Internet," Mickey Holliman, chairman, president, and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
"We believe the integrity of our strong brand names can only be maintained by the traditional retailer who has a demonstrated commitment to customer service," he said.
However, the company acknowledged that the Internet can be a powerful advertising tool, and encouraged its retailers to make full use of online publicity.
Furniture Brands (FBN) said it would review its Internet policy as needed, and wouldn't rule out changing it.
Shares of Furniture Brands fell 50 cents to $24 in early New York Stock Exchange trading.
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