HIGH POINT MARKET: Efforts pay off in case goods

Retailers replenish inventories, add fresh items

Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, October 21, 2009

AT THE MARKET — Case goods vendors who came to the High Point Market with a bullish mix of product, pricing and promotions say they are seeing a positive return on their investment in commitments and written business.

This massive poster bed is a winner for Lifestyle Enterprise. The bed, which has a bycast leather headboard and footboard, retails at $799.

This display china cabinet is part of Hooker Furniture’s Abbott Place collection. Made with cathedral cherry veneers, it comes in the natural cherry finish shown here and a darker cherry finish.

As expected, promotional pricing is drawing crowds. But upper-end vendors also report significant interest and order writing, signaling a demand among retailers to replenish inventories and add fresh, distinctive items to their floors.

Many came to market with relatively short bedroom and dining groups aimed at providing essential pieces in packages that are easy to stock or show on the floor.

Lifestyle Enterprise has 18 new bedrooms priced to retail between $699 for a wall bed with headboard storage to a $2,499 European traditional set featuring a massive $799 four-poster bed.

Based on early response, the company will produce as many as 14 of the groups.

"Traffic has been off, but it's been a banner market for us," said James Riddle, CEO.

"It's difficult for dealers who come in our showroom to walk past the best values in High Point. Thank goodness we are a promotional house."

Magnussen Home also has an aggressive bedroom launch this market with 17 new groups, 12 of which are expected to go into production. They cover a mix of styles from contemporary to European-influenced traditional, with four-piece groups in the $1,299 to $1,699 retail range.

The company also says it is taking the "fear factor" out of the equation for dealers with a display in its showroom that shows what a minimum 250-cubic-foot order would look like to allow them to participate in the company's QuickFlex 250 quick-ship program.

New lines with fairly high piece counts also are scoring big with retailers.

Schnadig is drawing crowds with Caracole, a mix of eclectic bedroom, dining room, occasional and entertainment products in more than 42 finishes and materials. There are 65 case goods pieces, and line also includes upholstery.

Buyers placing commitments and orders like the unique looks in the line, as well as the ability to order individual pieces versus a full-scale collection, company executives said.

Other large whole-home collections doing well include Stanley Furniture's European Costa del Sol and Modern Craftsman groups, the latter a contemporary take on Arts & Crafts.

"Traffic has built every day, and we are seeing people we haven't seen before," said Adam Tilley, vice president of product management at Stanley. "There is a lot of strong product out there, so people are getting excited about being in the business again."

Hooker is reporting a good reaction to its 70-plus-piece Sanctuary, a casual traditional collection with European design influences. Dealers like the style and scale of the pieces along with five key finishes available on individual items, officials said.

"We got major representation in every market in the country," said Bruce Cohenour, executive vice president of marketing.

Hooker also said it is doing well with Abbott Place, a 35-piece collection of bedroom, dining room, occasional and home entertainment in two finishes and featuring four piece bedrooms at $2,600, placing it at the mid-range of the company's line. It also plans to produce four new Envision bedrooms at its starting points, with four-piece groups retailing from $1,699 to $1,999.

Licensed lines also are making headway here. Chromcraft Revington reports strong reaction to two new whole-home lines in its Southern Living lineup as well as a third Southern Living line with casual dining.

"The sense I hear from the sales force is that retailers that got the first goods in from April are pleased with the quality," said Sean Slack, executive vice president of CR International, a new division. "And since we got it to them before market, they are placing orders right away."

American Drew also is receiving strong interest and orders on its new Jessica McClintock collection as well as its Nickelodeon line. As of Tuesday afternoon, some 1,000 dealers had been in to see both lines, compared with 700 or so at a typical market.

More High Point Market October 2009 Coverage