AT THE MARKET — When Chris Pelcher accepted the role as president of Legacy Classic|Modern in March of this year, it came with a mandate: Get the long-time case goods specialist into the motion upholstery segment.
The task, while straightforward on the surface, was complicated by Legacy’s established position as the case goods complement to sister company and upholstery specialist, Craftmaster.
The task of differentiating a new line was made even more complex by the recent industry-wide explosion of long-time case goods specialists pursuing similar diversification strategies in response to changing market demands.
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Over the past several years motion has become one of the fastest growing furniture segments in terms of retail floor space and the number of players competing for share. At the same time, some of the largest and most established players in the category have looked to leverage their experience, scale and resulting pricing advantages to both fend off interlopers and capture share from other established competitors.
It was in this environment that Pelcher and his team looked at carving out space for Legacy’s motion launch.
“We knew from the outset we didn’t want to go head-to-head with the (big players) in the segment,” Pelcher told Furniture Today. “We also knew that we wanted to focus on the core of what people expect from Legacy, and that’s a more substantial footprint, great finishes and strong service levels supported by operational excellence.”
With more than 30 years of retail experience, Pelcher wanted to work from the perspective of the RSA, looking to craft a story that would make it easier for sales associates to embrace the line and present it effectively to consumers. “Ultimately, who we’re selling is the woman of the home,” he said. “How do you have success doing that?”
His answer was to look at how RSAs would sell the product on the retail floor and how they would be able to differentiate it from company x, y or z. “What I’m thinking about is the story the RSA wants to be able to tell and to provide them with the elements of that story.”
In the case of Legacy’s first three motion collections, that story includes heavily featured products encompassing myriad charging options, both wired and wireless, extensive storage and the kinds of adaptability that fits the way consumers live today.
Examples include work surfaces on the arms and center consoles that rotate to allow consumers to simultaneously charge and work on their laptops. It also included employing eMoMo grommet systems to provide interchangeable light and tablet holders, allowing users to swap accessories as their needs change.
“It comes down to the person that’s going to pitch this thing,” said Pelcher. “We have to think about this RSA. There’s a ton of stuff on these products: invisible chargers, storage, work surfaces. This is the Swiss army knife of motion furniture.”
At the same time, Pelcher and his team were conscious of Legacy’s, well, legacy and wanted to develop products that played to the brand’s strengths.
“The question we asked ourselves is what do we do best,” Pelcher said. “The answer is wood.”
Every piece in the three initial collections the company is showing here at the market incorporates wood elements in some form, from decorative accents and legs that give the look of stationary upholstery to tray tables and even a bookcase built into the arm of a sofa.
While building on Legacy’s established reputation, the unique use of wood as both a decorative and functional element within each of the collections also serves to erect barriers to entry for potential competitors, according to Pelcher.
“From the manufacturing perspective, this is not an easy product to duplicate,” Pelcher said.
That’s an advantage Pelcher intends to maximize as long as possible. He noted that the initial three collections, currently targeting key price points of $1,199 and $2,999, will grow to at least 11 collections, all built around the same identity. All incorporate power foot and head rests and feature JBS leather match covers. Wood elements are designed to coordinate with matching Legacy occasional offerings, enabling consumers to create a cohesive look for their homes.
“There will be at least 11, and everything will have some tasteful wood element,” Pelcher said.
Legacy Classic|Modern is exhibiting at its showroom, 2622 Uwharrie Road in High Point.