Bedroom sources roll out wave of fresh product
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, February 20, 2006
Las Vegas — Bedroom manufacturers, looking to keep the excitement going, brought more new product here than to the first Las Vegas market in July.
Without the novelty of the first market, manufacturers said they felt like they needed to offer more new pieces to keep buyers happy. Also, with one market under their belts, designers and merchandisers were better prepared for the sophomore event.
Everything in the Sandberg showroom was new, said President and CEO John Sandberg. Not to neglect the current line, the company showed the nightstand from each of several best-selling groups, with large suite photos mounted above them.
Sandberg also expanded its imported Platinum line, which "jumped up two steps" in quality and price points, he said. The step-up line has suites from $1,999 to $2,999 rather than $999. Both Platinum and Sandberg ship in the same truck.
"We had high expectations for this market, and we exceeded them," said Sandberg. Traffic was up over July, he said, and orders were way up, making this perhaps a record market for the company.
About 95% of Broyhill Furniture's showroom was new, including its first whole-home group in Mission style, featuring a flaky oak veneer. The sales team showed sketches and photos of the new designs to dealers before market so they could offer feedback.
The new bedroom goods show off quality standards implemented by Michael McCollum, who recently joined Broyhill as senior vice president of case goods merchandising. McCollum said he wanted to standardize furniture coming from various source plants.
Some of the changes implemented were dust-proofing cases, finishing drawer interiors, screwing on the back panels and using English dovetailing on drawer fronts. McCollum said he got a good response on the changes from retailers here.
When Magnussen Home entered the bedroom category a couple of years ago, the company targeted medium-upper price points. That was well received, but some dealers needed midpriced and lower-medium goods, the importer said, so it sharpened its bedroom pricing. New beds this market hit $499 to $599, with the Joplin bed retailing for $399 and possibly promoted at $299, said Ron Carpenter, vice president of marketing and business development. This is well below the bed offered in its licensed Biltmore Estate collection, which is $999.
Adding new categories and hitting many price points has helped Magnussen grow from $25 million five or six years ago to $113 million last year, according to Carpenter.
Bedroom sales have grown steadily at Fairmont Designs , and last year topped dining sales for the first time, said Ken Fonville, vice president of merchandising.
