High Point Premarket off to strong start
Suppliers report good commitments on product
Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, March 16, 2010
HIGH POINT — Suppliers open for this week's Premarket here reported good attendance on Monday's opening day, a sign they believe bodes well for next month's High Point Market and the industry's slow, steady recovery.
A number of companies said they have placed early cuttings in order to flow product as soon as possible after the upcoming market, which runs from April 17-22.
Todd Hady, Kincaid Furniture vice president of sales and marketing, said the company had more appointments planned for this week than it did at the two previous Premarkets, last March and September. He said the company is receiving good commitments on new product it is showing here this week, including two case goods collections and eight upholstery frames.
"Business has gotten better and attitudes are better," Hady said. "People are more receptive to looking at product and letting you come in."
Kincaid will start producing its new groups right after Premarket, with the product shipping in August.
Bernhardt Furniture has precut two new case goods collection it is showing this week, which are expected to ship in July. New upholstery is expected to ship as early as June.
"The (High Point) Market Authority has done a good job of drawing more people here" for Premarket, said Alex Bernhardt Jr., the company's vice president. He said the company expects to see about 60 accounts this week, compared with 54 in September. "We have more of our major customers in for early shipment."
Case goods manufacturer Vaughan-Bassett said that based on Monday's traffic, attendance for this week's event would be the strongest since the event has been rejuvenated in recent years.
"We have seen as many people today as we typically see during an entire premarket," said company President and CEO Wyatt Bassett. "This is a very well-attended event."
He said Premarket is important because it allows dealers to spend quality time with manufacturers. Those same dealers also can see new product early in the market cycle.
"When you put this and September together, these are the most valuable four days of the year," he said, noting that a number of retailers that attend Premarket will place orders in the next 30 days.
Those who place orders can benefit from early cuttings of groups such as Vaughan-Bassett's Bedford Falls bedroom group, which ships in May.
"Once we look at samples and are satisfied with where we are, we place the cutting," Bassett said. "We will not make the store wait to get it. It is very typical for us now because speed is so important.... When you order product, you get it quickly."
More High Point Market April 2010 Coverage
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High Point Premarket has busy opening day
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