Leather vendors sell more at medium price points
Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, February 11, 2011
LAS VEGAS — Leather upholstery resources were uplifted by last month's market here as buyers shopped aggressively for sofas and seating groups that could hit middle and upper-middle price points on retail floors.
Executives said such products employ better grades of leather covers and eschew bonded leather and vinyl, which typically are used to hit promotional price points.
They also deliver better margins for retailers and manufacturers.
"People were very upbeat. It had been a while since we had heard that," said Lance Foster, president of Sofitalia, the leather upholstery division of Lacquer Craft. "I was pleasantly surprised."
Foster and other executives said the interest in midpriced goods, which began gaining momentum at the October High Point Market and continued here, is a sign that consumers may have a bit more confidence in the direction of the economy.
"As consumers start spending more, we're trying to position ourselves with better product," said Toby Konetzny, director of marketing at Coaster, which rolled out a lineup of sofas with all-leather covers retailing for about $999. "We're using more top-grain leathers and trying to hit some higher price points."
Parker Living, the leather upholstery unit of case goods resource Parker House, targeted retail price points of $1,299 to $1,499 for sofas with hand-wiped and handrubbed covers with leathers that were developed exclusively for the company.
"There was tremendous acceptance of these products," said Mark Parris, vice president of sales and marketing. "We need to broaden our appeal ... and the higher-end goods continue to sell."
Similar feedback was reported at Comfort Design, a mid-priced to upper-end resource that's a unit of Klaussner. Executive Director Phil Cooper said he was especially pleased with response to a new home theater group and a reclining chair with Mission styling.
"This is not a high-end market, but the designers who came to see us loved the line," Cooper said. "And they especially like our three-week shipping."
At Leather Italia, the focus was on a new collection of casual contemporary seating groups featuring sofa price points of $899 to $1,199. Dwight Hardison, vice president of merchandising, said the collection diversifies a product lineup that is heavy on traditional styling.
"The consumer is seeking more of casual contemporary look," Hardison said. "The response from retailers was very positive."
Also receiving positive responses from buyers was a line of leather "sound chairs" at Premier Furniture. The chairs, which feature a pair of speakers in the back, can be controlled wirelessly with any phone that has Bluetooth technology, said Heath Corso, vice president of U.S. sales and marketing.
"This has been the most compelling thing we have done," Corso said. "It's priced about the same as a reclining loveseat, but has more features."
Making its Las Vegas Market debut was upper-end resource Elite Leather. Vice President of Marketing Gabrielle Galardo said the California-based company opted to take a showroom here after its acquisition last year of Hyatt Upholstery, a longtime Las Vegas exhibitor.
"We hope this works out because it's essentially a local show for us," she said, adding that the company has no plans to leave the High Point Market, where it has exhibited for years.
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Better leathers a hit at Las Vegas Market
Jan 25, 2011
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