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Upholstery buying trends

By Dana French -- Furniture Today, October 2, 2005

The stationary sofa consumer
The recliner consumer

More than 20 million U.S. households bought upholstery in 2004, adding more than $22 billion to furniture retail coffers. This year, more than 25 million households plan to buy upholstery, with one-fourth saying they'll buy more than one piece. If all consumers purchase what they say they will and spend the maximum amount they've budgeted for each product, sales for the six upholstery categories included in Furniture/Today's exclusive Consumer Buying Trends survey will top $25 billion.

Stationary sofas and recliners are the top two upholstery pieces households plan to buy this year. More than 9.8 million U.S. households plan to buy a stationary sofa and if they follow through with their plans, the sales potential for the category totals $10.1 billion. Approximately 8.3 million households plan to buy a reclining chair in 2005, making the sales potential for the category $4.4 billion.

The number of households planning to buy other upholstery products and sales potential for each:

Number of U.S. households planning to buy	2005 sales potential
Motion sofas ... 5.6 million	$6.8 billion
Glider rockers ... 3.3 million	$1.4 billion
Stationary chairs ... 2.7 million	$1.2 billion
Futons/sofa-sleepers ... 2.3 million	$1.1 billion

The stationary sofa consumer

Generations Y and X consumers are excellent prospects for stationary sofas. Gen Y'ers, adult members currently between 18 and 29 years old, plan to buy one at a rate 1.7 times their presence in the population, spending a median of $500. X'ers, currently between 30 and 40, plan to buy one at a rate 1.2 times their presence in the population, spending a median of $900 on their sofa purchase.

Sofas are also high on the lists for African-Americans, who plan to buy one at a rate 1.5 times their presence in the population and spend a median of $700.

Children and pets are important considerations for households shopping for a sofa this year. One-third of those households planning to buy have children under the age of 18 living at home. And, more than three-fifths own either a dog or cat, with 23% owning both a dog and a cat. Results from Furniture/Today's 2003 Consumer Buying Trends Survey showed that 56% of households buying upholstery purchase fabric protection treatments.

Households in the West, who say they will spend a median of $700, are more likely to shop for a sofa this year than households in other regions of the country. Northeasterners and Southerners plan to spend the most though, a median of $800, while households living in the Midwest plan to spend a median of $750.

Nearly two-fifths of consumers planning to buy a stationary sofa in 2005 have household incomes of less than $40,000 and nearly one-third have incomes of $75,000 or more. Budgets rise with income — a median of $500 for household with incomes of less than $40,000; a median of $750 for households making between $40,000 and $74,999; and a median of $1,000 budgeted for households earning $75,000 or more.

The recliner consumer

Baby Boomers account for about one-half of those planning to buy a reclining chair this year. Older Baby Boomers, currently between the ages of 50 and 59, are the best prospects, planning to buy a recliner at a rate 1.3 times their presence in the U.S. population. Younger Baby Boomers, currently between the ages of 41 and 49, have budgeted a median of $300 for their recliner, while Older Boomers have budgeted a median of $800.

Retired consumers are also likely prospects, planning to buy at a rate 1.4 times their presence in the population. Retirees have budgeted a median of $400.

Regionally, households living in the Midwest are the best prospects. Midwesterners have budgeted a median of $350 this year, while households living in the Northeast, South and West each plan to spend a median of $400 on their 2005 recliner purchase.

As with stationary sofas, recliner budgets rise with income. Households with incomes of less than $40,000 plan to spend a median of $350; households with incomes between $40,000 and $75,000 plan to spend a median of $400; and households earning $75,000 or more have budgeted a median of $475.

The fur and spill factor is also crucial to recliner shoppers. Three-fifths of households planning to buy a reclining chair own either a dog or cat and 25% own both a dog and a cat. In addition, 22% of potential buyers have children living at home.

Stationary sofa	% of U.S. households that ...	Recliner
7.9%	Purchased in 2004	5.9%
8.8%	Plan to buy in 2005	7.5%
% of the 8.8% of households that plan to buy in 2005 a stationary sofa ...		% of the 7.5% of households that plan to buy in 2005 a recliner ...

Budgets
stationary sofa		recliner
Median $750		Median $400
Under $300	10%	Under $200	8%
$300 – $499	14%	$200 – $299	18%
$500 – $599	12%	$300 – $399	17%
$600 – $799	16%	$400 – $499	20%
$800 – $999	11%	$500 – $599	18%
$1,000 – $1,499	21%	$600 – $799	10%
$1,500 or more	16%	$800 or more	9%

Generation
	stationary sofa	recliner
Generation Y Born 1976 to 1987	10%	4%
Generation X Born 1965 to 1975	23%	14%
Younger Baby Boomer Born 1956 to 1964	18%	20%
Older Baby Boomer Born 1946 to 1955	23%	28%
Happy Days Generation Born 1936 to 1945	24%	30%
Senior Senior Born 1935 or before	2%	4%

Generation
Household income
Under $30,000	25%	34%
$30,000 – $49,999	23%	25%
$50,000 – $74,999	20%	17%
$75,000 – $99,999	16%	13%
$100,000 or more	16%	11%

Home ownership
Own or are buying	62%	71%
Rent	30%	23%

Source: Furniture/Today Consumer Buying Trends Survey, 2005

Buyer characteristics

Stationary sofas

Consumers aged 34 and younger plan to buy a sofa this year at a rate 1.7 times their presence in the population.
Members of Generation Y (adult members currently between ages 18 and 29) plan to spend a median of $500 on a sofa this year and Generation X members (between ages 30 and 40) plan to spend a median of $900.
Nearly half of the households planning to buy a sofa this year have incomes under $50,000.
About one-fifth of households planning to buy a sofa this year live in an apartment.
African-Americans are likely buyers of sofas this year, planning to buy at a rate 1.5 times their presence in the population. They plan to spend a median of $700.
One-third of the households that plan to buy a sofa this year have children living at home.
More than three-fifths of the households planning to buy a sofa in 2005 own either a dog or a cat.
One-fifth of stationary sofa shoppers also plan to buy an occasional table this year.

Recliners

Two-thirds of consumers planning to buy a recliner this year are 45 or older.
Younger Baby Boomers (currently between ages 41 and 49) plan to spend a median of $300 on a recliner this year, and Older Baby Boomers (currently between ages 50 and 59) plan to spend a median of $400.
Retired consumers plan to buy a recliner at a rate 1.4 times their presence in the population and plan to spend a median of $400.
About one-fourth of households planning to buy a recliner this year have incomes of $75,000 or more. These high-income households plan to spend a median of $475.
One-fifth of households planning to buy a recliner have children living at home.
Two-fifths of households planning to buy a recliner in 2005 own a cat and nearly half own a dog.
Nearly one-fourth of 2005 recliner shoppers also plan to buy a stationary sofa this year, and 18% plan to buy a motion sofa.

By region
Percentage of households in each region that plan to buy in 2005
	stationary sofa		recliner
		$ median plan to pay		$ median plan to pay
Northeast	6.6%	$800	6.8%	$400
Midwest	9.1%	$750	9.2%	$350
South	9.0%	$800	6.5%	$400
West	10.5%	$700	7.8%	$400

By generation
Percentage of households in each generation that plan to buy in 2005
	stationary sofa		recliner
		$ median plan to pay		$ median plan to pay
Generation Y	15.8%	$500	4.8%	$400
Generation X	10.5%	$900	5.4%	$325
Younger Baby Boomer	8.4%	$550	7.8%	$300
Older Baby Boomer	9.4%	$800	9.8%	$400
Happy Days Generation	7.8%	$800	8.2%	$400
Senior Seniors	2.2%	$1,250	4.4%	$475

By household income
Percentage of households in each income group that plan to buy in 2005
	stationary sofa		recliner
		$ median plan to pay		$ median plan to pay
Under $40,000	8.6%	$500	8.8%	$350
$40,000 – $74,999	8.0%	$750	6.7%	$400
$75,000 or more	10.2%	$1,000	6.5%	$475

Source: Furniture/Today Consumer Buying Trends Survey, 2005

About the survey

This exclusive consumer data originates from the responses of 2,500 households to a survey conducted in January 2005. Furniture/Today had National Family Opinion poll 7,500 U.S. households via an online survey to examine home furnishings shopping and purchasing patterns in 2004 and buying plans for 2005, as well as how much consumers spent and plan to spend for each product category.

Because of the sample size and a respondent profile closely matching the demographics of all U.S. households, survey data can be projected nationally with a margin of error of plus or minus less than 2%.

The research was analyzed by Furniture/Today's research department, led by Senior Research Specialist Dana French and Director of Market Research Kay Anderson.

The sponsor of the published report, England, had no involvement in the collection, analyzing or reporting of the data.

Terms Households: All those living together in one housing unit, including family members or unrelated individuals.

Household income: Combined income of all household members.

Median: Divides the responses into two equal portions, half above and half below the median amount.

Sales potential: The 2005 sales potential assumes all households planning to buy actually make a purchase and spend the maximum amount planned. Actual sales figures in 2005 may be higher or lower.

Generation Y: Born between 1976 and 1994. Survey data is for those 18–29, born between 1976 and 1987.

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