That’s an important tip for furniture companies exploring online or discount distribution channels that deliver products to consumers in a box marked, “Some assembly required.”

“Returns and service calls cost manufacturers and retailers money and customers,” says Kim Folsom, CEO of VuQuest, an AHFA Supplier Division member. VuQuest has developed a web-based, self-service customer support platform called ShowUhow. It includes step-by-step, easy to follow Video Instruction Guides that make product assembly easy for consumers. The platform also allows consumers to register their products for warranty purposes and order parts from their desktop. And manufacturers can survey customers, announce new products, issue consumer product safety information and offer coupons or other online promotions – all from the same platform.

Folsom says ShowUhow reduces product support costs by up to 30 percent for products that require assembly or installation. Further, their research shows that it reduces product returns by up to 50 percent.

“Many companies in the RTA furniture space are distraught with high product return rates,” Folsom points out. “They are fearful of escalating customer support costs.”

Yellin documents those costs in several ways. The average “wronged” customer used to tell 9 to 15 people, according to the now-defunct White House Office of Consumer Affairs, and 13 percent would tell more than 20 people. But in an era when bloggers can reach millions, those numbers barely scratch the surface of the potential damage today’s dissatisfied customers can do. Yellin’s book tells of several average consumers who became overnight television and Internet celebrities when they went public with their customer service tales of woe.

Since the mere words “Some assembly required” can cause stress to many consumers, the offer of a video instruction guide can remove a major impediment to buying, Folsom points out. And, for companies promoting their environmental stewardship, the online assembly instructions reduce use of paper and printing.

AHFA is using the ShowUhow video instruction guide for yet another purpose – communicating safety information. To reduce the number of children injured by furniture tipping over, ASTM International recently revised its voluntary furniture tip-over standard to require manufacturers to provide tip restraints with all clothing storage units more than 30 inches tall.

“Tip restraints attach the piece of furniture to an interior wall, the wall framing, or other support to help prevent the piece from tipping over,” explains AHFA Vice President Bill Perdue. “However, if not installed correctly, tip restraints can and will fail.”

Therefore, the Alliance is working with ShowUhow to produce a video instruction guide that demonstrates proper installation of a tip restraint.

“The video guide will be housed on our consumer website. It will spotlight several AHFA member companies that are in compliance with the voluntary tip-over standard,” Perdue says. “If consumers leave the tip restraints in the box when they purchase a new piece of furniture, the industry’s efforts to provide this safety device are for naught.”

AHFA members receive a 10 percent discount on ShowUhow’s setup and hosting fees.