Enhanced values prove popular in case goods
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, February 16, 2009
LAS VEGAS — LAS VEGAS — At a time when retailers and consumers alike are cautious about making big-ticket purchases, new value-added product proved popular for case goods vendors at last week's Las Vegas Market.
While expectations coming into market were low, exhibitors said they were pleased by traffic, commitments and written business in bedroom and formal dining.
Storage continued to be a big selling feature in platform beds, as did docking and charging stations and built-in electrical outlets on case pieces such as media chests and nightstands.
On the dining side, features such as self-storing leaves and drawer storage for silverware remained popular. Pieces such as curio display cabinets, and servers and buffets with wine storage, also continued to supplant larger china cabinets.
Collections here tended to be smaller in SKU count, but there were exceptions.
Lexington Home Brands brought out the 50-piece Cimarron collection of bedroom, dining, occasional, home entertainment and upholstery. The company said dealers responded well to the collection, which has English traditional influences and a 22-step, hand-rubbed and hand-waxed Chatham finish that gives it a casual relaxed look.
Traditional and updated traditional looks also did well at AICO. Officials there reported positive response to Lavelle, an urban French style group with a black finish accented with silver/gold tipping and crystal details, and also to Beaux Ville, a country French-influenced collection featuring an oval dining table and ladderback chairs.
Universal Furniture reported success with large-scale traditional footprints, including its new Casa Verona collection. Dealers liked the Italian-influenced nature of the group, which includes four-piece bedrooms retailing at around $4,000.
“We've had dealers asking us to do this look because they know we are great at it,” said Dave Pinamonti, senior vice president of marketing and sales.
Universal also received strong orders and commitments for a new 16-SKU transitional solid-birch bedroom and dining room sold under its Pennsylvania House brand. It has four-piece bedrooms retailing at $2,499 and a leg table and four chairs retailing at $1,299.
Beds with storage continued to do well at companies such as Universal, Broyhill, Coaster, HomElegance and Fairmont Designs. Coaster reported a strong response on a $1,499 American traditional-style wall bed with matching lingerie chests on either side of the headboard.
Somerton Home Furnishings said it did well with new pieces added to existing groups. The company also placed orders on its new Manhattan dining room, occasional and entertainment collection, made with walnut and prima vera veneers in a starburst-match veneer pattern.
Vendors also launched programs and tools aimed at improving service and helping buyers in their decision making process.
Broyhill said it got good reviews for its new consumer-tested marketing approach. The company did consumer research on topics like which finishes on certain bedroom groups would work best in various markets, and shared the information with dealers.
“The research gives them something else to sell other than price,” said company spokeswoman Kristin Hawkins.
First-time exhibitors pleased with traffic during the first two days included La-Z-Boy case goods resource Hammary and Furniture Brands International companies Drexel Heritage, Thomasville, Henredon and Maitland-Smith.
“We have been a little surprised by traffic in a positive way,” said Dan Bradley, president of Henredon and FBI's Designer Brands Group. Still, he said retailers were cautious with their orders.
“Nobody is backing up stock,” he said, adding that dealers are relying on the manufacturers to warehouse the goods for them. “They are putting it on the floors and not backing it up.”
Hammary President John Labarowski said the Las Vegas appearance was timed to follow the recent opening of its West Coast warehouse. He said the company expected to open at least 30 new accounts during the week.
Function a plus in wood at Las Vegas Market
02/10/2009Fresh faces exhibiting case goods in Vegas
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