The spring High Point Market was later than usual this year, but the conversations were no less interesting in key bedding showrooms across the city. There’s a lot going on in the not-so-sleepy mattress business, and it’s more than tariff talk.
Memorial Day, which remains one of the bedding industry’s primary sales holidays, is right around the corner, and retailers shopping mattresses at the Market were gearing up with product and promotions to help capture the elusive consumer.
In addition to that conversation, here are a few takeaways from the Market.
Bedding’s return to High Point
For the first time since the early 2000s, High Point Market saw a lift in bedding representation. Key brands, including Purple Innovation, Serta Simmons Bedding and Tempur Sealy, set up showrooms in the International Home Furnishings Center looking to connect with the army of Ashley Home dealers.
It’s always newsy, of course, when those companies make moves; however, the expansion wasn’t limited by those three. Independent, family-owned Heritage Sleep Concepts made its debut, as did Purecare. Therapedic International returned to High Point, and Customatic Sleep Technologies was back in town for its second consecutive showing.
Other brands took to sprucing up and expanding showrooms. Paramount Sleep Co. renovated the look and feel of its space, while Kuka Home created a dedicated 2,000-square-foot space for its Kuka Sleep division. Meanwhile, Mlily USA and Bedgear expanded showrooms to offer broader product lines.
See also: Bedding players swell ranks at High Point this spring
Tariff tensions anchor conversations
Despite the optimistic expansion, conversations throughout the Market dominated by concerns over tariffs. With the Trump administration’s 90-day pause on global tariffs set to expire in July, manufacturers are bracing for potential impacts.
Domestic producers expressed cautious confidence in their ability to manage possible increases on raw materials and components that may be sourced outside of the U.S. Steel (for springs) and lumber, will likely face increased costs based on tariff plans. The other biggie? Cut-and-sewn covers from Asia.
Most executives put on brave faces on the topic of tariffs and believe their domestic footprint will benefit them.
Ideasharing fuels optimism
No one can argue that business across the home furnishings industry is in a dip. Consumers are hibernating at the moment, and it’s hard to say when they may emerge again to shop our categories. The noise, chaos and inflation is a lot to bear, and those things tend to make for a skittish consumer base.
While the brain trust of the industry may not be able to pull consumers out of hiding, they can come together to commiserate and share ideas on how best to reengage with them once they’re paying attention again.
Several retailers who made the trek to High Point share that while their inventories were at peak levels, they still felt it was important to be with others in the industry to brainstorm and know they weren’t slogging through the challenges alone.
Yes, it’s bumpy and lumpy and messy right now, and the industry may look a lot different on the other side of the mess. There’s just something uplifting about knowing you’re not alone in tough times.