Sofas with no motion
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, February 24, 2003
Stationary sofas will be one of the most-shopped-for furniture products this year, behind mattresses and master bedroom. The 5% of U.S. households, or 5.5 million, with sofas or loveseats on their shopping lists plan to spend well over $8.5 billion on these items.
The usual suspects make up the most likely buying groups: parents, young couples and young singles. Sofas also are high on the lists of African-Americans, who plan to spend a median of $800 on sofa purchases this year.
The two age groups with the highest plan-to-buy indices (that is, who plan to buy at a rate exceeding their proportion of the population) are those under 25 and those between 25 and 34. Under-25 households have set a median budget of $600 for a new sofa, while those between 25 and 35 plan to spend a median of $800.
Planned spending amounts on sofas and loveseats do not vary much by lifestage. Only young couples, not yet facing the expenses associated with parenthood, and working older couples, who don't have children living at home, plan to spend significantly more than other groups — a median of $1,000.
The budget for sofas does rise with income, with the median hitting $1,000 as incomes top $75,000. At incomes of $125,000 and above, the median reaches $1,200.
The potential for add-on sales is considerable. A sizable number of those shopping for sofas already have a related purchase on their minds: 20% plan to buy accessories; 18%, an occasional table; 18%, a lamp; 18%, an area rug; 16%, wall décor; and 14%, decorative pillows and throws.
| Age | % of the 4.6% of households that bought in 2002 | % of the 5.0% of households that plan to buy in 2003 |
| a stationary sofa | ||
| Under 25 | 4% | 3% |
| 25–34 | 19% | 19% |
| 35–44 | 25% | 24% |
| 45–54 | 24% | 27% |
| 55–64 | 16% | 16% |
| 65 and over | 12% | 11% |
| $ plan to spend | % of the 5.0% of households that plan to buy in 2003 |
| a stationary sofa | |
| Under $300 | 7% |
| $300–$499 | 10% |
| $500–$599 | 13% |
| $600–$799 | 14% |
| $800–$999 | 13% |
| $1,000–$1,249 | 21% |
| $1,250–$2,499 | 16% |
| $2,500 or more | 6% |
| Percent of households that... | |
|---|---|
| Shopped for a stationary sofa in 2002 | 7.8% |
| Bought a stationary sofa in 200 | 24.6% |
| Plan to buy a stationary sofa in 2003 | 5.0% |
| Income | % of the 4.6% of households that in 2002 bought | % of the 5.0% of households that in 2003 plan to buy |
| a stationary sofa | ||
| Under $20,000 | 12% | 17% |
| $20,000 – $29,999 | 8% | 11% |
| $30,000 – $39,999 | 10% | 10% |
| $40,000 – $49,999 | 9% | 9% |
| $50,000 – $59,999 | 11% | 10% |
| $60,000 – $74,999 | 13% | 12% |
| $75,000 – $84,999 | 7% | 6% |
| $85,000 – $99,999 | 10% | 8% |
| $100,000 – $124,999 | 9% | 9% |
| $125,000 or more | 11% | 8% |
| Lifestage | % of the 4.6% of households that in 2002 bought | % of the 5.0% of households that in 2003 plan to buy |
| a stationary sofa | ||
| Young singles | 4% | 4% |
| Middle singles | 9% | 12% |
| Older singles | 3% | 3% |
| Young couples | 11% | 9% |
| Working older couples | 15% | 13% |
| Retired older couples | 9% | 8% |
| Young parents | 16% | 16% |
| Middle parents | 12% | 11% |
| Older parents | 19% | 22% |
| Roommates | 2% | 2% |
