Buyers pulling the trigger on dining orders
Buyers ready to commit
Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, February 1, 2006
AT THE MARKET -- The furniture market here is still in its infancy, but already some dining sources say they’re writing many more orders than at the High Point market.
It’s hard to call it a trend after just two shows, but manufacturers are pleased at the way buyers are committing here.In High Point, exhibitors said, many retailers don’t place orders, preferring to shop the market, gather information and go back home to talk things over before committing. In Vegas, they seem more willing to pull the trigger.Casual dining source Pastel Furniture was crowded on opening day and steadily busy Tuesday, said Lee Honigsfeld, vice president and director of sales and marketing. He said the company wrote as many orders last July as it had in the past three years in High Point, although orders usually come later there.At Klaussner, more than 300 accounts signed in on opening day and most retailers had three or four people in the group, so there were probably a thousand people who came in, according to Todd Campbell, national sales manager for Klaussner’s Hard Lines division, which includes dining. About the same number showed up on Tuesday, he said.Klaussner appeared to be writing a little more business this show than in July, said Campbell.Pulaski Furniture also said it was writing more case goods orders this week than in July, both with its formal and casual dining collections.Opening day also was busy for Douglas Furniture in the Pavilions. CEO Rick Parker said the space had more traffic in a single day than the company had for the whole week at the October High Point market.Also in the Pavilions, GS Furniture said it had strong traffic the first two days. And, said General Manager Dana Steele, every retailer placed an order. GS had shown in San Francisco, and Steele used to show with A-America years ago, but the veteran said this has been one of the best markets he has seen.Attendance and orders were up from July numbers for APA Marketing’s Entrée Casual Dining. The company has kept its farmhouse and promotional Malaysian rubberwood lines, but wants to diversify with more upscale styles, featuring a lot of face and function, said Bob Lephart, sales and marketing manager for the eastern United States.Saloom Furniture is pleased with traffic here as it works to build its West Coast presence. The company used to show in San Francisco, but didn’t get enough bang for the buck, said Becki Gould, marketing manager. Saloom showed here in July, and Gould said there’s an improvement in the number and quality of buyers here this time. The sponsors deserve praise for drawing so many high-quality buyers and exhibitors, she said.Two companies with blended sourcing are finding success this market with goods made in their Mexican factories. Douglas and Good Cos. import some goods from overseas, but put more emphasis this time on groups made in Tijuana. Douglas said about 75% of its production comes from its 600,000-square-foot plant in the city just south of San Diego.Manufacturing and labor costs in Mexico are lower than in the United States, yet it costs less to ship from Mexico than from Asia, said Robert Josephs, Good Cos. Northeast sales director. For heavily carved groups, however, the company still sources from China.
