Reclining chairs
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, February 24, 2003
Kick back and relax. That's the plan for the almost 5.5 million households that have recliners on their shopping lists this year. Their budgets put the total planned spending for the category at over $3.5 billion.
Seen as a boon to aching bodies, recliners are particularly popular with the 35-and-over set. They comprise over four-fifths of the households looking for recliners this year, and they plan to spend a median of $400, matching the national plan-to-spend median. In particular, working older couples and older parents are more likely to be in the market for a recliner.
Recliners continue to be popular with mobile home households. They have a plan-to-buy index of 133, which means they plan to buy recliners at a rate 1.3 times their portion of the population. These households have smaller budgets, planning to spend a median of $300.
Household incomes of those in the market for a recliner are relatively low. Almost one-fifth have incomes of under $20,000, over two-fifths have incomes of less than $40,000, and three-fourths have household incomes of less than $75,000. While the price they plan to pay rises with income, the differences are not great. Even households earning $125,000 or more anticipate spending only a median of $500 for a recliner. That compares with the median of $300 budgeted by households with incomes under $40,000.
Overall, consumers planning to buy a recliner in 2003 indicate the most-shopped price points will be between $300 and $599. Almost one-fifth of households plan to spend $500.
| Recliner budgets for 2003 | |
|---|---|
| % of households that plan to spend | |
| Under $200 | 7% |
| $200–$299 | 15 |
| $300–$399 | 22 |
| $400–$499 | 19 |
| $500–$599 | 19 |
| $600–$799 | 9 |
| $800 or more | 9 |
Among the least-likely recliner shoppers: Hispanics, African-Americans, households with incomes of $85,000 or more, young singles and households living in condos.
| Income | % of the 3.9% of households that bought in 2002 | % of the 4.9% of households that plan to buy in 2003 |
| a reclining chair | ||
| Under $20,000 | 19% | 19% |
| $20,000–$29,999 | 11% | 12% |
| $30,000–$39,999 | 11% | 12% |
| $40,000–49,999 | 8% | 10% |
| $50,000–59,999 | 8% | 10% |
| $60,000–$74,999 | 12% | 12% |
| $75,000–$84,999 | 7% | 6% |
| $85,000–$99,999 | 11% | 7% |
| $100,000–$124,999 | 6% | 6% |
| $125,000–or more | 7% | 6% |
| Percent of households that... | |
|---|---|
| Shopped for a recliner in 2002 | 6.9% |
| Bought a recliner in 2002 | 3.9% |
| Plan to buy a recliner sofa in 2003 | 4.9% |
| Age | % of the 3.9% of households that in 2002 bought | % of the 4.9% of households that in 2003 plan to buy |
| a recliner | ||
| Under 25 | 1% | 3% |
| 25 – 34 | 9% | 12% |
| 35 – 44 | 17% | 19% |
| 45 – 54 | 24% | 27% |
| 55 – 64 | 22% | 19% |
| 65 and over | 27% | 20% |
| Lifestage | % of the 3.9% of households that in 2002 bought | % of the 4.9% of households that in 2003 plan to buy |
| a recliner | ||
| Young singles | 2% | 3% |
| Middle singles | 10% | 13% |
| Older singles | 9% | 7% |
| Young couples | 6% | 7% |
| Working older couples | 20% | 16% |
| Retired older couples | 16% | 13% |
| Young parents | 9% | 11% |
| Middle parents | 8% | 9% |
| Older parents | 19% | 20% |
| Roommates | 1% | 1% |
