Technology Stories - March 2007
Home Décor Products adding catalogs to Web business
Online housewares, hardware and home furnishings retailer Home Décor Products Inc. is making plans to launch its first catalog.
The company, No. 107 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide to Retail Web Sites, will publish a catalog for its HomeClick.com brand later this spring, says senior vice president of marketing Hope Wolman.
Home Décor still is deciding on certain details, including a specific launch date and the number of catalogs to be published. But the company sees a catalog and other upcoming direct mail campaigns as good ways to build awareness, especially with established shoppers. Home Décor plans on publishing at least three editions this year.
“Being a multi-channel retailer will help build more loyal customers,” Wolman says. “We’ve chosen HomeClick since it has the most history and greatest recognition.”
The retailer, which already operates 10 e-commerce sites, including its latest launch, ChristmasCatalog.com, a retail web site offering a wide range of holiday gifts and decorative items for the home, also plans to launch two more web sites this spring in the home furnishings and flooring space.
“We can launch more niche sites fairly quickly because we have a universal platform that can support these initiatives,” Wolman says.
ArtSelect.com debuting line of giclee canvases
ArtSelect.com, an online fine-art framing company, has released the largest line of custom-frameable fine art giclée canvases available, with thousands of titles that include many images not previously offered in the United States.
"When it comes to reproducing the elegant look and feel of an original artwork, absolutely nothing compares to the accuracy, richness of texture, and vivid colors of giclée on canvas," says Robert Reeder, VP of Operations and Merchandising at ArtSelect.com. "Yet no other online fine art distributor we know of offers giclée reproductions of this caliber on canvas for this many images, and with such a wide array of quality custom framing options. This makes ArtSelect.com's giclée collection truly unprecedented, and all the more exciting for art lovers and collectors worldwide who have eagerly anticipated its arrival."
The new ArtSelect giclée canvas line features an unprecedented one thousand-plus collection of the world's finest historic and contemporary artworks, from museum masters to modern artists. The new line also offers a wide range of titles in numerous art history styles, ranging from Abstract to Impressionist, and includes some exclusive images never before offered in the U.S., or never before offered as giclée on canvas in these sizes. Most titles will be available as standard and deep canvas.
The most sophisticated inkjet printing process today, the giclée process begins with an original piece of artwork, such as a painting or a photograph, captured digitally and converted into a high-resolution digital file. From there, extremely precise inkjets spray tiny pixels of ink onto paper or canvas for rich, long-lasting color.
ArtSelect's new line offers several features that enhance collector quality. The pigmented UV inks used are all fade-resistant and of archival quality, and boast an estimated longevity of over 100 years.
The canvases are made of richly textured artist-grade canvas of 100 percent cotton for an authentic look and feel. Each piece can be custom framed online using the highest-quality frames available, or left unframed for a contemporary look.
"At ArtSelect.com, we make it our mission to stay on top of the latest reproduction technologies, and deliver gallery-standard artwork that's as close as possible to the artist's original intention," says Reeder. "We only work with the most reputable vendors in the industry, and rigorously test all of our materials. The result: unmatched precision and quality at affordable prices, making these beautiful giclée masterpieces accessible for every art lover."
Boston designer Koplovitz debuts new blog: OnInteriorDesign.com
Ever wonder what a bathroom looks like stripped to its studs? The best height for a lighting fixture or chandelier? How to avoid the costly mistake of buying the wrong size furniture? Check out On Interior Design, the new blog authored by one of Boston's most sought-after interior designers, Abbey Koplovitz of AbbeyK Inc. With her no-nonsense style, Koplovitz dispenses plenty of insider's decorating tips, showcases ongoing projects and demystifies the process of a creating a home you love. Koplovitz illustrates her blog with photographs galore, including images of renovation projects as they progress. "I get interior design ideas from challenges my clients struggle with, projects I'm working on, and trends in design," said Koplovitz. "The blog is very interactive, with people sending in photos along with comments and questions about their own homes. I want people to understand that good interior design is attainable, whether your budget is modest or grand. Also, green design is a topic worth exploring in home design."