Wholesale Furniture Brokers

Wholesale Furniture Brokers is a Canadian furniture retail brand and privately held company headquartered in Kamloops, British Columbia. Its business developed around online sales of furniture and mattresses, supported by warehouses, factory outlets, distribution facilities, and delivery arrangements in Canada. The company is associated with WFB Wholesale Furniture Brokers Group Inc., the incorporated entity created in 2008. The business began in July 2000 in Austin, Texas, where Canadian businessman Dave Zirnhelt operated a warehouse mattress outlet under the name Zirnhelt Wholesale. After its first year, the operation adopted the Wholesale Furniture Brokers name as a more marketable identity. Zirnhelt returned to Kamloops in June 2002 and recruited Sergei Tashlikowich, a fellow graduate of the University College of the Cariboo, now Thompson Rivers University. In August 2002, the two established a Canadian company using the Wholesale Furniture Brokers name to operate the online business. The company’s internet strategy became more visible with the launch of GoWFB.com in 2003. Initially, the website used independently owned furniture stores as fulfillment affiliates. These local stores handled orders and participated in sales generated through the site. As delivery capabilities improved, Wholesale Furniture Brokers reduced its reliance on that affiliate network and shifted toward local delivery agents and direct shipment to customers. The affiliate program was discontinued in October 2009, a decision described as an effort to simplify fulfillment and maintain greater control over the brand experience. Although online retail was central to the company’s identity, Wholesale Furniture Brokers also developed physical infrastructure. It opened a 300-square-foot warehouse outlet in Kamloops in spring 2004. In February 2008, it moved its headquarters to 103–1366 Hugh Allan Drive in Kamloops and opened its first factory outlet store. The same year, in June, the business became incorporated as WFB Wholesale Furniture Brokers Group Inc. In August 2012, it opened a 9,500-square-foot distribution centre in Langley, British Columbia, expanding its logistical presence in the province. The company formalized its brand protection in September 2009, when Wholesale Furniture Brokers became a trademark registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. It also commissioned Convert Marketing to redesign its websites, with the updated sites launched in January 2010. In April 2014, the Canadian website removed restocking fees from its returns and exchanges policy, representing a customer-policy change intended to reduce an additional cost associated with returns. Wholesale Furniture Brokers received public recognition for growth in 2013. It was ranked 421st in Profit 500’s list of Canada’s fastest-growing companies, measured by five-year revenue growth, and ranked 17th among 21 companies in the list’s retail category. The business was also nominated for the Premier’s People’s Choice Award in the 2013 Small Business BC Awards. These rankings and nominations provide evidence of the company’s expansion during that period, although no current revenue, market-share, ownership, or operating-scale figures are established in the available source material. The available reference material does not identify a current chief executive, a current official website, operations outside Canada, or a publicly traded listing. Wholesale Furniture Brokers is therefore best characterized as a Canadian, privately held omnichannel furniture retailer whose principal proposition combines online ordering with outlet, warehouse, distribution, and delivery capabilities.

Wholesale Furniture Brokers originated in July 2000 as a warehouse mattress outlet in Austin, Texas, operated by Canadian businessman Dave Zirnhelt under the name Zirnhelt Wholesale. After the first year, Zirnhelt changed the name to Wholesale Furniture Brokers to make the business more marketable. He returned to Kamloops, British Columbia, in June 2002 and recruited Sergei Tashlikowich, a fellow business-administration graduate of the University College of the Cariboo, now Thompson Rivers University. In August 2002, they established a Canadian company with the same name to operate the online business. The online model expanded with the launch of GoWFB.com in 2003. At first, independently owned furniture stores joined as affiliates, fulfilling orders and sharing in sales generated through the website. As the company's delivery network developed, it moved away from this arrangement and increasingly used local delivery agents and direct shipping. The affiliate program ended in October 2009, with fulfillment simplification and brand-control considerations cited as reasons. Wholesale Furniture Brokers retained a physical and logistical presence alongside its online operation. It opened a 300-square-foot Kamloops warehouse outlet in spring 2004. In February 2008, the company moved its headquarters to 103–1366 Hugh Allan Drive in Kamloops and opened its first factory outlet. WFB Wholesale Furniture Brokers Group Inc. was incorporated in June 2008. The Wholesale Furniture Brokers name was registered as a Canadian trademark in September 2009. The company later engaged Convert Marketing for a website redesign, launching updated websites in January 2010. In August 2012, it opened a 9,500-square-foot distribution centre in Langley, British Columbia. Ownership changed in September 2013, when Tashlikowich acquired Zirnhelt's shares and became the sole owner. That year, the company ranked 421st in Profit 500's ranking of Canada's fastest-growing companies, calculated using five-year revenue growth, and ranked 17th among 21 companies in the retail category. It was also nominated for the Premier's People's Choice Award in the 2013 Small Business BC Awards. In April 2014, the Canadian website removed restocking fees from its returns and exchanges policy. The available source material does not establish a current executive roster, current ownership beyond the 2013 transaction, a current website, or operations outside Canada. It does establish a business history centered on online furniture sales supported by outlets, warehouses, distribution infrastructure, and delivery operations.

• 2014

  Restocking fees removed

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  The Canadian website removed restocking fees from returns and exchanges.

• 2013

  Ownership transfers to Sergei Tashlikowich

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  Tashlikowich purchased Zirnhelt's shares and became the sole owner.

• 2012

  Langley distribution centre opens

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  The company opened a 9,500-square-foot distribution centre in Langley, British Columbia.

• 2009

  Trademark registration and affiliate-program closure

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  The brand was registered as a Canadian trademark, and the affiliate program was discontinued later that year.

• 2008

  Headquarters and factory outlet expansion

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  Wholesale Furniture Brokers moved its Kamloops headquarters and opened its first factory outlet.

• 2008

  Corporate incorporation

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  The company incorporated as WFB Wholesale Furniture Brokers Group Inc.

• 2004

  First Kamloops warehouse outlet opens

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  The company opened a 300-square-foot warehouse outlet in Kamloops.

• 2003

  GoWFB.com launches

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  The online retail operation launched with independent furniture-store affiliates supporting fulfillment.

• 2002

  Canadian company established

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  Zirnhelt and Sergei Tashlikowich founded a Canadian company in Kamloops to operate the online business.

• 2000

  Business begins in Austin, Texas

  [1]Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org

  Dave Zirnhelt started a warehouse mattress outlet under the name Zirnhelt Wholesale.

A value-oriented Canadian furniture retailer combining online purchasing with warehouse, factory-outlet, distribution, and delivery operations.

• Home furnishings · 2002

  Furniture

  Furniture is the company's principal product category. The available reference material describes Wholesale Furniture Brokers as an online furniture retailer supported by warehouse, factory-outlet, distribution, and delivery operations. Specific furniture collections, manufacturers, materials, and current product names are not identified in the source material.

• Bedroom furnishings · 2000

  Mattresses

  Mattresses formed the basis of the original warehouse outlet launched by Dave Zirnhelt in 2000. The available material identifies mattress retailing as part of the company's origins but does not provide a current mattress assortment or named product lines.

• 2014

  Removal of restocking feesStrategy

  Background

  The Canadian website's returns and exchanges policy included restocking fees before the policy change.

  Action taken

  In April 2014, the company removed restocking fees from returns and exchanges on its Canadian website.

  Aftermath

  The change reduced an additional return-related charge for Canadian customers. No financial impact is reported in the available source.

  Source

• 2010

  Website redesignOther

  Background

  The company sought to update its online retail presence after moving away from the earlier affiliate-centered fulfillment model.

  Action taken

  Wholesale Furniture Brokers hired Convert Marketing to redesign its websites and launched updated versions in January 2010.

  Aftermath

  The source confirms the launch of the redesigned websites but does not report performance metrics or customer-response data.

  Source

• 2009

  Discontinuation of the affiliate fulfillment programStrategy

  Background

  The online business had used independently owned furniture stores to fulfill orders and participate in sales generated through its website. As delivery options improved, the company reassessed the model.

  Action taken

  Wholesale Furniture Brokers ended the affiliate program in October 2009 and moved toward simpler fulfillment involving local delivery agents and direct shipping.

  Aftermath

  The stated objectives were to simplify fulfillment and protect the brand's image. The available source does not provide subsequent financial results.

  Source

1. 1Wholesale Furniture Brokersen.wikipedia.org