A consumer’s view of RTA

Nearly nine out of ten consumers have bought furniture they assembled themselves at some point. And, 82% of those consumers have been satisfied, with 80% stating they would buy RTA again. That’s the word from nearly 5,000 consumers answering Furniture/Today and HGTV’s exclusive 2009 Consumer Views Survey.

There’s no question RTA furniture sells. Take Wal-Mart, the No. 1 furniture retailer. Much of its $2.02 billion in furniture sales last year were RTA. The same is true with the $1.49 billion worth of furniture sold through Ikea in 2008 and the $1.18 billion sold at Staples.

Which RTA pieces sell the most? Case goods, with home office and entertainment furniture as the leaders, are the most-purchased RTA pieces, according to our survey results. The following table lists RTA product categories bought by consumers:

Furniture/Today also asked consumers why they bought RTA. Price was the No. 1 reason, with 61% stating the product was less expensive. About half said they bought it because it was good quality for the money and 21% said it was what they liked best. Another 14% said they couldn’t find anything else they liked and 11% didn’t plan to own the furniture for long.

Several common problems were cited by consumers after making a RTA purchase. Two-thirds of consumers said the product wasn’t sturdy and 39% said it fell apart. Another third had difficulty understanding the assembly directions and 23% complained about missing parts. Only 15% of consumers stated the RTA product lacked style and looked bad.

All age groups have purchased RTA furniture, with buyers skewed towards younger consumers. Here’s a snapshot of buyers, based on our survey data:

• 90% of consumers under age 25 have bought RTA furniture
• 93% between 25 and 34
• 91% between 35 and 44
• 87% between 45 and 54
• 85% between 55 and 64
• 76% of consumers ages 65 or older have bought RTA