Bedroom: A case of survival of the fittest
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, April 20, 2008
High Point — Traffic was down overall this market, but several bedroom exhibitors saw increases in visitors and commitments.
This industry has always come down to survival of the fittest, but the rule applied even more so here as sources with the strongest reputations stole business from their weaker competitors.
"When times are difficult, retailers shy away from risk," said Harvey Dondero, CEO of Paul Maitland International. "One way is to go with your tried-and-true vendors."
Cost hikes on raw materials raised prices this market, but since the increases were so widespread, many bedroom manufacturers said the issue wasn't what causes a buyer to choose one company over another.
Gene Clark, Ligna's vice president of sales and marketing, said no one wants to see a furniture company in trouble, but one company's struggles can open up opportunities for others. Is the quality good on imports, and if there is a problem, can the importer fix it in a timely manner? Does the shipment arrive on time? These are among the questions that retailers factored into their sourcing decisions.
Stickley, which opened a store in North Carolina this week, played to its strengths of quality product, 30 years of family ownership and 150 years of proven designs.
"Not all of our dealers came to High Point," said Aminy Audi, Stickley president and CEO. But, she said, "it was one of our best markets ever." She noted that nearly every customer in town rode to Charlotte to tour the new store (119 people total) and came away impressed with the style direction taken.
Klaussner said it signed on several mid-sized and smaller retailers during the week thanks to a new less-than-container program that goes hand-in-hand with its quick-ship program out of Vietnam. Customers now can consolidate orders from multiple factories into one container or even into a partial container as small as 200 cubes. Goods will reach either coast in less than 50 days.
The year-old quick-ship, mixed-container program also received a tremendous response, said Darren York, vice president of merchandising. Many of the retailers who hadn't signed on to the program did so at the market.
Being a successful bedroom importer today demands that the company have strong inventories on both sides of the Pacific, said Ken Fonville, Fairmont Designs' vice president of marketing. Fairmont is beefing up inventory abroad and at its three U.S. distribution centers to handle its growing demand, a gradual process that could take three or four months, Fonville said.
In addition to great response to its new Dominique collection, Fairmont was pleased with orders on last October's Caprice group.
At the high end, many consumers are asking where products are made and are avoiding China, said Bob Cattich, national sales manager for Italian importer Francesco Molon. Wealthy clients want high fashion and quality construction, and they don't trust Chinese imports, in his opinion.
That backlash against imports — and recent price hikes — has the remaining domestic producers like Vaughan-Bassett, Stanley and Kincaid optimistic for a little bounce in orders despite the slow sales conditions. These producers are looking for ways to take advantage of their domestic factories by offering fast delivery and multiple options such as finishes and hardware.
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