High Point Market Fall 2008: Entertainment sources banking on TV sales
Flat-panel TVs drive sales
Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, October 20, 2008
HIGH POINT - Although admittedly uneasy about this week's High Point Market, entertainment furniture sources are counting on brisk television sales to give the category a much-needed lift through the holiday selling season.
Producers believe the continuing popularity of flat-panel televisions also will drive entertainment furniture sales, especially as the Feb. 17 switch to digital television signals gets closer.
"With the lowering of flat-screen TV prices and the coming of digital, this is a category that shouldn't be missed," said Eric Shupack, president of Furnitech, an importer of Brazilian-made consoles.
Consumers with older TVs that aren't connected to a cable or satellite service won't really need a new TV after Feb. 17 - a digital-to-analog converter box will suffice - but electronics and furniture resources are both hoping the event will simulate their sales, even as the economy suffers.
"Right now, everybody is kind of in a survival mode," said Ed Marshall, president of Orleans Furniture. "We really don't know what to expect."
Marshall and other executives said the uncertainty also applies to this week's market. He said a number of small- and medium-sized dealers have told Orleans sales representatives they probably won't be here, and he's concerned that those who do visit his showroom won't be in a buying mood.
"We know the big (retailers) are going to be at market, but their ‘open-to-buy' may not be very big," he said.
Those who do attend will find an array of aggressive product introductions at virtually all price points.
Promotionally-priced products always attract attention when business is tough, but buyers seeking upper-end products shouldn't be disappointed, either, as key sources such as Sligh, Harden, Habersham, Marge Carson and Hekman are among those with entertainment product roll-outs.
Producers focusing on lower-priced goods are unveiling plenty of new product, as well, and many are focusing on ways to accommodate today's high-tech gear - in some cases blending home office and entertainment functions.
"As multi-tasking becomes a way of life on the American home front, we're responding to consumer demand for furnishings geared to a host of technology needs," said Kevin Sauder, president of Sauder Woodworking.
Among the most sought-after technology needs is a docking station for iPods and other MP3 players. Resources Aspenhome, Austin Gray and Orleans are among those unveiling entertainment units with docking stations - most of which allow the unit to play a video or music through the TV.
In addition, drawers for storing video game consoles and related equipment are all but standard these days, and a shelf for a center-channel speaker or sound bar is rapidly becoming a must-have option.
Other key trends buyers are likely to spot include consoles attached to a hutch with a rear mounting panel, and an array of entertainment units designed for bedrooms - often dubbed media chests or media dressers by producers.
Broyhill, Hooker and Kincaid are among those with new bedroom entertainment pieces, while Guildmaster, Riverside, Sauder, Stanley and Hooker are among those showrooms featuring units with back panels suitable for TV mounting.
The mounting panels enable consumers to hang the TV without drilling holes in the wall of their home.
Consoles with electric fireplace inserts also are generating more interest. Orleans, for example, is unveiling a lineup of nearly a dozen such units, while Buhler, Concordia and Twin Star are adding them to existing lines.
Interestingly, Twin Star, which markets the Classic Flame line of fireplace consoles, also is debuting a line of traditional consoles that don't have fireplace inserts. The non-fireplace line, called Tresanti, includes more than a dozen consoles at $499 to $999.
Other key introductions can be found at BDI, which has re-designed its swivel-based Revo console, and Cresent, which is unveiling a collection made of solid plantation-grown mahogany.
Furnitech, meanwhile, has a pair of consoles with drop-down leaf storage compartments, while Kathy Ireland Home by Martin is showing new collections of consoles with Mission and modern styling.
Also, two of Magnussen Home's three new consoles are available with matching occasional table groups, while case goods resource John Thomas is making its debut in the category with three credenza-style consoles and a corner console.
In addition, Klaussner is adding a wall system to a successful lineup of modular home entertainment systems introduced earlier this year. The newest system features Mission styling and includes a console, hutch, pier units and speaker stands.
