According to this report(always biased trade mag), the pig virus is spreading to furniture retailers
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HIGH POINT MARKET: Occasional furniture still in demand
Stores want standout product from solid sources
By Heath E. Combs -- Furniture Today, April 29, 2009
HIGH POINT —
Occasional vendors are reporting a good market this week across a broad spectrum of product.
They also say that retailers are continuing to demand product that stands out from the pack, and add that retailers want to know not only about the product, but also about the supplier.
Stein World says this No. 80880 two-tier, two-tone stack table, with a traditional look and inlaid veneer, is one of its market winners.
Stein World says that its well-received items here include wood veneer accents, Chippendale cabinets, animal prints, nesting tables inlaid with dark rubber tree leaves, and chests with metal door-edge accents.
Company President Richard Olmeda said retailers have "come with an appetite for good, viable vendors." They want to know about their suppliers' business structure, whether they have quick-shipping programs, whether they offer good value and whether they can work together to minimize inventory risk, he added.
Retailers are looking for a fourth-quarter bounce and are optimistic, he added.
"Everyone could stand some improvement, but there's lot of optimism. There'll be some bad weeks sprinkled in, but lots of the fear is behind us," Olmeda said.
For Stein World, strong price points for cocktail tables are in the $249 to $299 range, but the $349 to $399 price point also is working with the right execution and looks, he said.
At Magnussen Home, function and style at a value price point is doing well, according to Nathan Cressman, vice president of merchandising and marketing. Strong cocktail table price points are falling in the $199 to $249 range, he said.
Seven-day delivery from the company's warehouse in Riverside, Calif., also has been a strong selling point for Magnussen, he said.
"This has been a very successful market in terms of customers who are here, but there is no question traffic is down between buildings," Cressman said.
At Hekman, buyers are purchasing the lift-top cocktail trunk tables and nightstands, along with entertainment pieces in a variety of sizes, said Neil McKenzie, vice president of sales and marketing. Hekman's strongest retail price point for cocktail tables is $450 to $499, and up to $699 for those with a lot of look, he said.
"They're looking for products and items that will enable them to stop the consumer and talk to them for a while. Programs like this help," McKenzie said.
Like Olmeda, he said retailers also are asking "who owns you, whether you're structurally stable, and how long are you going to be here, who handles your credit and can you deliver?"
Nova is reporting a strong reception to its Jon Gilmore Collection Infinity line, which includes two contemporary cocktail tables with LED lighting in the center that adds depth. Retailers are searching less for commodity items and are looking for "wow" and whimsical touches, said Daniel Edelist, president.
"Everyone chased the same stuff for so long. There wasn't a lot of innovation. Now we're being pushed in a different direction," Edelist said.
He said $599 is a strong cocktail table price point for the company. Nova's end table floor lamps, introduced this week, also have been well received, he said.
"The big message here is that there's a lot of uncertainty, especially with trade shows and where will the buyers go," he said. "You have to make choices. There's just a lot of uncertainty about the future." |
