New entertainment sports step-up features
High Point Market Guide: Product strategies
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, April 7, 2008
HIGH POINT — Hoping to capitalize on the continuing popularity of flat-panel televisions, entertainment furniture sources are unveiling a wave of new products aimed at increasingly sophisticated consumers.
Executives say the industry’s current sales slump has clearly hurt the category, but they believe it is still a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy sales picture.
Consumers who remain in the market for televisions are insisting on furniture that includes ventilation for components, media storage and improved wire management — features once reserved for step-up models designed for audiophiles.
Executives say that means furniture-makers must develop products with high-end features, but not high-end prices.
“We have to make it so it holds all their home theater stuff, and make it look good at the same time,” said Hank Long, senior vice president of merchandising and design at Hooker.
At market, the focus will continue to be on television consoles, which have replaced the large wall systems that were a staple of the category before flat-panel televisions dominated the consumer electronics business.
In that vein, many producers have expanded the number of corner consoles, and most have made hutches with rear panels available as an addition to their consoles.
The rear panels allow a plasma TV to be mounted directly on the furniture instead of on the wall — an option retailers say is losing favor among consumers.
But the most noteworthy trend buyers will see this week is the proliferation of tall consoles that often are designed for bedroom use.
Executives say the tall models, typically 32 inches to 42 inches high, are replacing armoires in many bedroom collections.
“Height is a factor that is not going to go away,” said Rob Halsten, vice president of product development at Peters-Revington, which is expanding its entertainment furniture assortment with nine new styles.
Broyhill, Magnussen Home, New Classic and Prestige Furniture are among the companies that are unveiling collections whose bedroom groups include a media chest — which combines the functions of a television console and a chest of drawers.
Sunrise Home Furnishings, on the other hand, is unveiling its first tall unit, a model with Country French styling that is suitable for bedroom use, while Riverside has a new media dresser called Romantique that includes a glass door covering its component shelves.
Hooker, meanwhile, is one of several producers displaying new corner units in its showroom, while high-end specialist Hekman and ready-to-assemble heavyweight Sauder Woodworking are among those showing new consoles with rear-mounting panels.
“Dealers are looking for new things and novel things that they previously had not taken seriously,” said Eric Shupack, president of Furnitech, an importer of Brazilian-made consoles.
“It should be a very interesting market.”
Shupack and other executives said that several non-product issues — not the least of which is pricing — also could make market very interesting.
U.S. resources, most of whom get their products from Asia, are facing price increases from their factories as well as the shipping lines that bring the goods here. And that makes it even more difficult for small and mid-size dealers who can’t afford to buy an entire container of a particular item, and thus pay higher freight charges.
That dilemma has led many resources to stock best-selling goods in Asian warehouses and then fill containers mixed with a variety of goods. Signature Home Furnishings, for example, is offering a mixed container program for the first time, while resources such as Magnussen and Kathy Ireland Home by Martin are hoping to build on similar programs that were introduced last year.
“For most dealers, buying a whole container of something just isn’t worth the risk in today’s environment,” said Don Essenberg, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Magnussen.
“And you can never guess (inventory levels) correctly.”
Other key product introductions this week can be found at Hooker, whose introductions include seven corner consoles and five wall systems, and Bassett Mirror, which is debuting three consoles with matching pier units.
In addition, Furnitech is unveiling consoles in Brazilian teak and ironwood that will retail for about $2,000, while upper-end specialist Sligh has four new consoles retailing for $829 to $1,799.
Sligh also is adding a seven-piece entertainment center to its popular Tahoe collection that will retail for about $4,549.
Also, Kincaid’s new American Journey collection includes 54- and 60-inch television consoles, while Sunrise has four consoles retailing for $999 to $1,999 that have motorized lift mechanisms.
Sunrise is one of at least three entertainment resources welcoming buyers to new showrooms this week. Sunrise is now in space M-630 of the International Home Furnishings Center, while contemporary specialist BDI has moved to space D-523 of the IHFC.
Aspenhome, which had been in two IHFC locations, has moved to a single, 40,000-square-foot showroom in space C-1258.
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New entertainment sports step-up features
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