Wood sources offering deals, fresh goods
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, September 14, 2009
LAS VEGAS — Case goods buyers shopping market here this week will find numerous deals, promotions and products geared at spurring business in a still-slow economy.
Alongside new product, there also will be a ready supply of inline merchandise launched at the April High Point Market that is in stock and ready to hit floors by mid- fall.
AspenHome's “Sweet Spot” promotion offers a wide mix of case goods priced based on research that shows what consumers are willing to pay for different categories. “Sweet Spot” bedrooms are available from $1,499 to $1,999 retail, while select informal dining sets range from $699 to $999. Select entertainment consoles are priced from $149 to $499, while select executive desks and occasional tables are priced at $999 and $299, respectively.
AspenHome's “Other Bedroom” promotion offers scaled-down versions of five best-selling bedrooms — Young Classics, Chateau de Vin, Cambridge, Origin and Centennial. Offerings include new twin and full-sized beds with optional storage as well as scaled-back nightstands, dressers and mirrors for smaller rooms.
Cresent Fine Furniture also is devoting an area of its showroom to smaller-scale bedroom pieces such as media dressers. Priced from $999 to $1,099, these solid-wood pieces will be available in its Modern Traditional, Casual Living, Modern Shaker and American Classics collections. This compares to a $1,399 price point on a larger dresser.
“We have had a request for smaller-scale dressers,” said Richard Tomkins, vice president of sales, noting that the company has scaled back 64- to 68-inch dressers to about 48 to 50 inches. “The consumer doesn't want to give up a media-friendly dresser. They like it but want it in a smaller footprint.”
Magnussen Home is showing eight consumer-tested bedrooms launched in April priced from $1,299 to $1,499. Bedrooms in its line typically are priced as high as $1,799 to $1,899.
All eight of the April intros are in production, and 90% of these will have shipped before the Las Vegas Market, said Nathan Cressman, senior vice president of marketing and merchandising.
This market, the company also is lowering its minimum order for container-direct pricing from 500 cubes to about 250 cubes, meaning the dealer only has to order roughly three bedroom groups to take advantage of the pricing.
“We are minimizing their risk,” Cressman said. “Given these days when people are trying to secure capital and flow goods, it's a solution to a lot of their problems…It makes it easier for them to build their assortment.”
Case goods importer Star International Furniture has a promotion called Star2go that showcases its best-selling, in-stock items. These are in an area of the showroom separate from other new items in the line.
The goal is to provide items readily available for the fall selling season, said company owner Anders Johnson, noting that consumers are more likely to purchase goods that are in stock and ready to ship.
“We provide that service every day, but think this is a great way to communicate that message,” he said in a statement.
Coaster Fine Furniture will be showing slightly modified bedroom and dining room sets launched in High Point in its Generations by Coaster line. The line features products geared to four different and distinct age groups with queen beds targeted to retail at $299 and five-piece dining sets at $599.
In hopes of addressing low inventories, Coaster also is touting its container-direct business.
“If you view that as a barometer, dealers have shied away from purchasing large containers,” said Toby Konetzny, marketing director. “Now we definitely see the interest coming back in the promotional price points.”
Howard Miller plans to show roughly 12 room settings covering a mix of bedroom, dining room and living room products available in its Signature Home Furnishings by Ty Pennington Collection launched in High Point.
But the company will pitch more than 60 total room settings through a mix of marketing materials, including 24 by 36-inch, full-color posters showcasing all the rooms. Retailers also can print off DVD images of the various room settings from a computer set up in the showroom.
“That's the message — 'come in and see over 60 rooms,' ” said Mark Siciliano, director of marketing. “This is an innovative way of in-store selling and merchandising over 10,000 square feet of merchandise in 1,800 squarefeet.”
Howard Miller also is offering four Ty Pennington videos highlighting the product line. Other in-store marketing tools available to retailers include brochures, hangtags and counter cards.
Pulaski and SLF parent Home Meridian International have expanded their showroom by about 50%. The new space in WMC C-1401 enables both companies to increase the amount of product they show.
In addition to inline goods, SLF will showcase four $999 bedrooms launched in April in its SLF Direct program. Pulaski will showcase nearly 90% of the product it will have available out of Home Meridian's newly expanded Phoenix warehouse this fall.
For SLF President Greg Noe, the expanded showroom is a way to make the company's investment in Las Vegas pay off.
Home Meridian President and CEO George Revington agreed.
“The showroom allows Greg to show the new SLF Direct product for the first time in Las Vegas,” Revington said. “Without the additional space, it would have been impossible to do that.”
Pulaski president Page Wilson was optimistic that the moves were well timed.
“Retailers seem to be planning for a good fall,” he said of business. “It's coming back.”
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