Thinking outside the box
By Tom Edmonds -- Furniture Today, November 4, 2002
High Point — When business is strong and product is flowing out the factory doors and through the stores, manufacturers know which categories, styles and price points are working.
They focus on fine-tuning rather than overhauling their assortments.
But for two full years, ever since a tire blew on the SOHO category, business has not been good in ready-to-assemble furniture, and major manufacturers describe their sales momentum with rationalizations like, "Flat is good."
A byproduct of these tough times is increased creativity in merchandising. Poor sales trends force producers to develop new categories, try different materials and deploy fresh marketing hooks, all with an eye toward somehow getting retailers and then consumers excited about flat-pack furniture.
This increased creativity has never been more evident than at the October market in High Point, where a number of companies spread their wings with new ideas.
Promotional houses were going upscale; office specialists were making forays into bedroom; panel processors brought in solid-wood components; and storage was suddenly the hot category. On top of that, several RTA sources brought out products designed for new or neglected channels of distribution.
It's too early to say how all this will play out at retail. Undoubtedly, a lot of the new product, creative or not, will never make it to a store, and some will be given a fighting chance with a placement or two.
While the jury's still out, it might be useful to review the latest attempts to win floor space for flat-pack furniture. Presented here are highlights from the latest market.
