Upholstery buying trends
By Dana French -- Furniture Today, October 2, 2005
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.
F/T Web exclusives
11/02/2008Occasional, entertainment buying trends
11/26/2005U.S. factories seen as viable
06/15/2009Lamps
02/22/2003
