AT THE MARKET — Buyers visit the High Point Market for a variety of reasons.
With around 2,000 vendors at the market, there’s something that will check the boxes on most any retailer’s shopping list, including those technology and transportation providers who want to showcase their wares. There’s also plenty of networking opportunities and educational sessions.
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With that in mind, Furniture Today asked retailers what their top priorities are at this week’s market.
Matt Pridemore
Badcock Home Furniture &more dealer, Valdosta, Ga.
I expect stationary living room to be a main priority for High Point Fall. We have started to see a small trend away from reclining lately, and we are extremely heavy in reclining, so I want to stay ahead of that curve and focus on stationary and dining room.
Alex Rubin
Bernie & Phyl’s, Norton, Mass.
Our main priorities at the upcoming High Point market will be focusing on upholstery. With the downfall of Klaussner, we are looking to shop new and existing vendors with a special focus on special orders in the stationary and motion categories, as well as fabric and leather.
Robert Van Hoose
Big Sandy Superstore, Franklin Furnace, Ohio
We’re looking for custom order capabilities at a value price to replace Klaussner.
Bill Flansburg
Dunk & Bright, Syracuse, N.Y.
Our strategy from market to market is pretty consistent. Identify trends, look for value in existing trends, and question vendors on their ability to ship promptly and consistently.
This market will have many teaching moments as most of our team is new to the industry — anywhere from one to four years’ experience.
Becky Greene
Furnitureland South, Jamestown, N.C.
One of my strategies will be to prioritize the bedroom category. During the past year or so, vendors really slowed up on new product development in bedroom while they seemingly focused on answering anti-tip requirements.
I’m hoping now that this issue has been resolved to see some exciting new product. Especially needed is compelling product at the mid-price point.
Motion continues to be an important category, and I’m hoping to see not only great shapes, but also some exciting new fabric covers. There’s a lot more acceptance of motion upholstery, but our customers want it to be special.
Finally, I see the continued influence of worldwide design and there’s a lot of buzz from consumers about higher end, Italian-inspired furniture. I would be really happy to find product that answers the scale and storage needs of the domestic customer.
Aaron Fisher
Furniture Mart USA, Sioux Falls, S.D.
At the fall High Point Market, we will be looking for stationary upholstery that has a focus on budget friendly, modular and small scale. We feel there is a larger void in our stores for apartment size dwellings at the moment, and that is where a lot of the housing market is moving to in the very short term.
Colors that have mass appeal are always an interest and a fun hunt. Finding the right colors for volume is always an imperative on our market wish list.
Value and price will be the biggest interest at this market. Entertainment and occasional are high on our wish list. After years of struggling to source consistently, we are in a position to revamp our assortment.
Lael Thompson
Home Collections Furniture, Aurora, Colo.
At the upcoming market we will be focused on upholstery, accents and lighting.
We see a big opportunity to go deeper in these categories. Our customers really enjoy the ability to personalize items to match their tastes and lifestyles. Upholstery is a great tool to allow us to interact and accommodate customers.
The home accents are an affordable way for us to help update rooms and meet the needs of multiple decision makers in a home. The accessories allow us to have a big impact on a budget. This will help customers who are doing an entire home and those who just want to freshen up what they have.
The last category that is always important but not often called out is RELATIONSHIPS! We will spend time making our partnerships stronger, adding additional depth to our industry relationships and making sure we are a value to our vendors. It is important to provide feedback, referrals and insights to vendors as well as getting those thing from them. We don’t only want to be on the receiving side.
Eric Easter
Kittle’s, Indianapolis
Stationary upholstery and motion will be our focus since we lost Klaussner. We have replaced the slots (we had the replacements for 85% of the frames selected and shipped before Labor Day Weekend) but need to do some refining.
We’ll also be looking to bolster our mid-price bedroom.
Gentry Prestwood
Miskelly Furniture, Pearl, Miss.
Obviously, we will see some new upholstery vendors to get options on Klaussner replacements. That will be a priority for (upholstery buyer) Anna (Lucovich). We have filled some of the gaps on some of the frames we lost. We will shop some people we don’t normally shop.
In general, as far as stationary and upholstery and bedroom, and dining to a degree, we’ve been able to find replacements for dead groups from COVID. Our main vendors are a lot more settled vs. ancillary vendors.
I spent the past couple of markets trying to get bedroom corrected. Even some of the accents I’ve been running, we want to refresh that. The vendors have dropped a lot, and we’ve kept some things we’ve had for a while, so I think it’s time for a refresh on some of that product.
With bedroom and motion and stationary, over the past couple of years, we’ve looked at a lot of re-looks (from past markets). It’s so much to comprehend, because you’re looking at three markets’ worth of stuff in some cases.
I’m going to tell everybody the bedrooms I want and get them on order so I don’t have to look at any re-looks. My main focus is on showing me the new stuff; I can’t keep looking at two or three years’ worth of product. It’s too much to take in.
Scott Bowman
Zak’s Home Furnishings, Johnson City, Tenn.
Personally, I am looking for goods that are a true value and not necessarily promo, low quality or simply “cheap.” There are plenty of people dropping the bottom out of cheap goods just to hit low price points, but nobody is focusing on quality items that are a true value compared to maybe Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel, etc. that are selling quality goods at huge markups.
In my area, we are pretty much the only retailer that actually focuses on better quality goods. Everyone else, predominantly chains, focuses on promo items, door busters, financing until you die offerings that certainly appeal to younger adults, but older adults want something that will last, looks good and makes a statement. For example, Amish furniture is very expensive, but solid wood case goods that are built in the U.S.A. and simply finished by the Amish are considerably less expensive than pure Amish furniture, look the same, built the same and appeal to this type of customer just as 100% Amish furniture does. Archbold furniture is a great example of this.
Buying quality goods via container still allows me to offer unbelievable pricing on the higher-end goods. Container rates have come down and the turnaround time is now back to normal. I do this for Flexsteel, Man Wah Home, Napa, Bramble and a host of others which allows me to sell the quality pieces at almost half what others charge.
I will also be looking for styles that deviate from the worn and tired Farmhouse look. Customers are off this style and ready to see something else. I am also looking for finishes and colors that are different than the usual grays and creams. Customers are now wanting something else and looking for anything that pops, but not too far out there in terms of pizazz.
Digital marketing is also becoming more and more important to retail furniture success, and I plan on learning whatever I can in the services section of the market. This area of our business is constantly changing, and I need to keep abreast of these changes a little better.