On our industry’s most critical issues

The easiest way to find out what issues are most important to our readers is to ask them. Which is what I did recently when planning our next Leadership Conference.

I posted a question on the Furniture|Today Web site that asked you to tell me what you thought our industry’s most critical issues are. I now am staring at a thick stack of your responses.

While the responses are diverse, it’s easy to spot top-of-mind issues. One issue, mentioned by as many retailers as manufacturers, is profitability.

A number of you said that, in the face of ongoing deflation, you are spending more time than ever attempting to formulate strategies that will allow you not merely to make ends meet, but to meet your goal of operating an ongoing, profitable business.

Another key concern is the consumer. As the market comes to realize that she often is a question mark wrapped around a paradox, many of you are justifiably investing as never before to understand who she is, what she wants to buy and how she wants to buy it.

The president of a large case goods company hit the nail on the head when he wrote, “We have to fight to turn furniture into a want and not just a need. We must add excitement to the shopping experience and make purchasing easier and more comfortable for the consumer.”

A number of you said the best way to do that is to attract bright young minds into our industry. One reader underscored the challenge when he wrote, “This can be a difficult task as we are not seen as a glamorous or high-tech industry.”

Finally, many of you wrote that we need to have more credibility, particularly at retail. “I think today’s consumer thinks all sale prices are gimmicks,” one reader said. “We do so many things right. We’ve just got to find better ways to communicate those things to the consumer.”

Please keep the letters, calls and emails coming!  (to view or add public comments click on "Add your Comment" below, or to email Ray directly click here.)