Unique occasional ranks high on buyers' lists
By Heath E. Combs -- Furniture Today, February 1, 2010
LAS VEGAS —
Price is important, but occasional sources say buyers continue to look for unique items that will draw consumers to their stores.
This week's market features several exhibitors hoping to make a big splash in occasional. They include Magnussen Home, which is featuring 17 new occasional groups that span a broad range of styles and materials.
Several other sources, including Orient Express Furniture and Asian Art Imports, are featuring goods made from reclaimed wood. And Palecek has new offerings using different species of plantation woods.
Others, like Armen Living, plan to draw attention with unusual design. Among Armen Living's eye-catchers are tabletops that showcase exotic materials such as onyx on tabletops. Hand-painted flower motifs also continue to be popular.
Dan Sumner, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Butler Specialty, said his company is focusing its attention this market on traffic-driving price points —- offering many occasional items that fall into the $399 or below retail range.
The company is debuting 60 new items across nine collections with nine new finishes.
The company also is working to expand the audience for its Butler Loft line of transitional pieces, Sumner said. He added said that while Butler is known for focusing on traditional styles, the Loft program is helping to expand its customer base. The Loft line includes more than 100 SKUs.
“We're going to have lots of Butler Loft. We had some pieces last market that seemed to do well,” said Sumner. “One of our dealers said transitional is the new traditional for a lot of retailers who are lifestyle oriented.”
Sumner said business definitely saw an uptick in late 2009 versus the fourth quarter of 2008, when the stock market was tanking and consumers — and then dealers — quit buying.
“Road indicators have been very positive. We're very optimistic. One thing we're doing for Las Vegas, we're trying to position ourselves as more value-oriented,” Sumner said.
He added that having unique items gives retailers the opportunity to improve margins.
To generate additional interest at market, Butler also is offering special incentives, including a free netbook with a $5,000 purchase or a digital picture frame with $750 purchase.
Butler is also seeing more retailers who'd turned to ultra-low priced product return to the company after facing quality issues with shipments, Sumner said.
“As sales have fallen, we've seen many competitors lower quality to hit particular price points,” he said. “We have not done that.”
Magnussen's extensive set of introductions aims to provide dealers with a one-stop-shopping destination for all of their occasional needs, said Nathan Cressman, senior vice president of merchandising and marketing. The product offerings are tied into the company's quick-ship program.
Cressman said that Magnussen is introducing tables with style and functionality, and combining unique materials to meet consumers' lifestyle needs.
“So you'll see larger tables and tables with features like lift tops, casters and basket storage and mixed media that work in a variety of settings,” Cressman said.
Magnussen also is showing plenty of traditional styles and upgraded finishes in a variety of colors to meet a range of tastes, he said.
He added that customers are again requesting higher price points “so we are increasing the scale and function for the market.”
The company is targeting a retail range for occasional that runs from $249 to $349.
“Over the last few markets, we have had a lot of success with starting price points, so it is encouraging to see retailers looking for higher price points again,” Cressman said.
Coast to Coast Imports is debuting 50 new items at this week's market. David McIntosh, chief administration officer, said retailers want fresh looks and finishes along with product they can get right away.
“For this reason, we will be able to ship our new introductions in the next four weeks. Some of our competitors have yet to ship their October introductions,” McIntosh said.
Retailers are hungry for fresh accent items that they can use to draw traffic to their stores. The sweet spot as far as pricing for occasional right now is $99 to $499 retail, he added. Traditional and transitional styles continue to be hot sellers.
Wally Stryk, owner of Asian Art Imports, said he is seeing a move to more unique products. This week, the company is featuring several items made of reclaimed and recycled eucalyptus and teak.
A solid market in September here helped allay concerns about prospects for recovery, Stryk said, and reinforced his belief that retailers, especially at the high end, are looking for something different.
Retailers are also finding growing consumer interest in placing organic elements in contemporary settings.
“I see people are going to design-oriented, unique pieces,” Stryk said. “We sell design. The sustainability is kind of icing on the cake.”
Stryk said he is expecting another successful show this week.
“In the last four or five months, we're back to where we were a couple of years ago,” Stryk said.
Christian Cousins, national sales manager for Orient Express Furniture, said the company is expanding its reclaimed wood program this market.
“What we're hearing more than anything is that retailers want something special. They're less concerned about price points, definitely want value and are also willing to focus on style and luxury for the first time in quite a while,” Cousins said.
Cousins said consumer optimism is rising, as indicated in feedback from buyers, sales associates and retail stores. Sharp merchandising of product should help good product remain successful on store floors.
Ralph Orozco, president of sales and merchandising at Artisan Home, said the company is continuing to expand its solid iron table collections. New offerings include tables with copper tops, wood storage bases, forged iron and marble tops and forged iron and leather tops.
Mixed-media occasional tables have been selling well since September, so the company also is expanding these designs to other categories such as entertainment and bedroom.
“We want to be recognized as a source of mixed-media occasional tables, and we retail price points from $299 (for a cocktail) on up,” Orozco said. “When you get a fresh new look, people want to expand on a retail level.”
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