Consumer panel shares views on casual furniture shopping experience

A revealing consumer panel discussion during the International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market offered retailers and vendors insights to keep their businesses going in the tough economic climate.

The panel of six local consumers immediately broke into halves with vastly different outlooks. Robert Gibbs and Noel Ross, a pair of thirtysomethings living in downtown Chicago, were diligent and studious shoppers holding out for the perfect look, while Pamela Preschlack, Leigh Moss, Mary Kay Ryan and Ginny Wells, four stay-at-home mothers from the tony Lake Bluff suburb, had more bottom-line demands.

Both Ross and Gibbs expressed frustration over finding the right kind of furniture for their limited outdoor spaces.

“I'm looking for something different,” Ross said. “Comfort is my biggest priority, but I want to create an oasis by the grill. I've been searching for a long, long time.”

She added her shopping efforts were so fruitless in Chicago-area stores that she considered buying online, a prospect Gibbs said he was open to from the start. The moms, however, said they use the Internet strictly as a research tool.

“I definitely do my initial shopping online so I can narrow my choices to store A or store B,” Preschlack said. “But in the end, I definitely want to see it first hand.”

When she does visit stores, Preschlack said she looks for durability first. She said she was willing to pay more for a chair, table or chaise that will last at least five years, and she wasn't alone.

“I want my furniture to be able to handle the harsh elements we have here in Chicago,” Wells said. “I expect to have it for at least 10 years. I also want to know the cushions will still be available if I need replacements in the meantime.”

The only shift in allegiances on the panel came when the participants discussed their in-store shopping habits.

Gibbs, the lone male, said he preferred to be left alone.

“I find it irritating when people try to sell me something,” he said. “I don't want to get trapped. I'd rather just take my time browsing without having to worry about that.”

The other panelists valued the customer service experience.

“When I'm at a specialty store, I'm willing to spend more because the people there are knowledgeable and are willing to deliver the furniture,” Wells said. “They're also local, so I know they'll be there for me if I have any issues.”

“I like talking with someone back and forth,” Ross said. “It's like having my own interior designer to help me make decisions. They have to understand me more than sell me, though. If they make that effort, I can talk to them forever.”

All six panelists said they enjoy planning their outdoor spaces on their own.

“It starts with me looking through interior design magazines, although now more and more I get inspiration from the design shows on television,” said Preschlack. “But I still like print. I tear out photos of what I like.”

When retailers offer interior design services, the panelists balk. Gibbs said he is wary of the cost. Even if such services are free, he said, charges will probably be incorporated into the price of the furniture. Other panelists said they simply don't need interior design help.

“With the amount of space I have and the amount of time I use my casual furniture, it's probably not worth me using a designer,” Ryan said.

The most valuable insight may have come from something the panel couldn't discuss — flow-through cushions. When moderator Cinde W. Ingram, Casual Living editor-in-chief, asked the consumers if they value such new technologies, they were baffled — and thrilled.

“I've never heard of flow-through cushions,” Preschlack said. “In fact, I never put my cushions out this year because I kept having to put them up and take them back out again every day.”

Although aware of performance fabrics, panelists agreed there are plenty of new features and technologies in outdoor furniture they were unaware of. And that extra bit of knowledge would probably go a long way toward selling them.

“Flow-through cushions sound great,” Wells said. “I definitely want that for next year.”

Tips for creating holiday retail vignettes

Regardless of whether you greet customers with a hearty “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” make sure your retail vignettes and merchandise put shoppers in the mood to leave a little green this holiday season.

www.midwestofcannonfalls.com

Oversized ornaments, tabletop decorations, and holiday dinnerware and textiles can be used to dress up even the most basic home furnishings––a white dining table, charcoal Windsor chairs and a burgundy rug––and create dazzling retail vignettes. Shown here are a few items from Seasons of Cannon Falls’ Christmas Glitz Collection: large, metal ornaments; Star topiaries in metal planters; and metal Christmas trees with whimsical polka dots, stripes, glitter and sequins. The collection's dominant colors are red, lime green and white.

www.annieglass.com

Decorative accessories, tabletop products and textiles with seasonal designs (think snowflakes), rather than holiday-specific designs (Santa Claus), may appeal to more consumers because these nondenominational items can be used well after Christmas. Annieglass’ limited-edition, 12-inch-round snowflake cookie platter, for instance, has fine gold detailing, and is signed, numbered and registered. It’s also available with 24 karat gold or platinum detailing.

Scented candles and diffusers that emit fragrances associated with Christmas—sugar cookies, pine trees, bayberry—are a great way to get customers into the holiday mood. Illume’s Balsam & Cedar Collection features pillars, votives, classic jar candles, reed diffusers and more in a variety of sizes and styles. www.illumecandles.com

www.extraweave.com

Extra Weave USA's Peppermint doormats come in six red-and-white designs, including a stripe that conjures up images of candy canes. Each measures 18 by 30 inches and is slip-resistant. Consider placing an assortment in your rug gallery or in one of your retail vignettes.

GIFT-SELLING TIPS

Design, lifestyle and gift expert Tara Riceberg, owner of Tweak in Beverly Hills, CA, has studied the art of gift buying, merchandising and giving from the inside out. Here are her top tips for furniture retailers looking to cash in on the lucrative gift business during the upcoming holiday season.

1. Shop for gifts that offer a big bang for the buck, especially this year. Consumers are exhausted by the rising cost of living.

2. Buy items that are fun and functional, such as decorative trays, vases, bowls and candles. Search for multifunctional gifts—a champagne bucket that could serve as a cachepot for an orchid or a waste basket in the powder room.

3. Remember that most people shop by price for Christmas gifts, so try to offer something for everyone by merchandising at a variety of price points. The most logical breakdowns are under $35, $35-$60, $60-$100, $100-$200 and more than $200.

4. Pre-wrap gifts using beautiful paper, ribbons and clever embellishments. While it’s more expensive and time-consuming to prep gift assortments this way, customers will be delighted when they see gift-wrapped gems.

5. Buy from vendors that ship items packed in gift boxes. It will make gift wrapping easier.

6. Limit your purchase of holiday items to avoid having to hold an after-Christmas sale.

10 Tips Furniture Shopping On The Cheap

With gas and food prices rising and the economy stalling, it can be hard to keep up with routine bills and expenses, let alone expenses that are extra or unexpected. But what if you really need to furnish a room or section of your home at a time like this?

It’s easy enough to find yourself in such a predicament whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been established for years.

Don’t worry, though – the following tips can help you consider your options and save some of your hard-earned cash.

1. The Internet is your friend. Rather than blow hour after hour of precious weekend time visiting furniture stores on a potentially fruitless search, do some shopping around online first. You could compare the prices and details of similar pieces of furniture at 10 to 12 different stores in a matter of minutes.

2. Reflect on ways to spend nothing, or almost nothing. Don’t necessarily turn your nose up at the idea of scoring free or low-cost pieces of furniture from other people who live in your area. You could find exactly what you’re looking for via Web sites such as Craigslist (check out the “free” link under “for sale”), The Freecycle Network, Sharing Is Giving, Freecycleamerica.org, ReUseIt Network and FreeSharing.org. Here’s something to remember, though: When visiting all of these Web sites with the exception of Craigslist, try to have an eye toward giving as well as receiving. Also, don’t try to trade or swap through these sites; the idea is to give stuff away with no strings attached.

3. Check out the goods in person. As convenient as it can be to shop at home, it’s still important to be careful about buying furniture solely on the basis of a tiny thumbnail image on the Internet. If at all possible, try to inspect the actual furniture before you buy so you can see its overall finish and appearance. Another benefit of examining the furniture in person: You could avoid exorbitant shipping fees that way.

4. Remember warehouse stores. Places like Costco and Sam’s Club aren’t just for bulk purchases of dog food, diapers and artichoke hearts, you know. You often can find surprising deals on high-quality furniture at warehouse stores and literally save hundreds of dollars on the purchases you make.

5. Be alert for deals. If you’re in the market for furniture, get in the habit of scanning the ads in your Sunday paper, in your mailbox and in the windows of stores in your area. Stay on the lookout for going-out-of-business sales and same-as-cash financing deals with zero-percent interest for six to 12 months. (Note: If you finance a furniture purchase in this way, be absolutely sure to pay it off in full in the time you’re given to do so.)

6. Think ahead before you buy. You may fall in love with the look of a certain piece of furniture, but take a moment to read the care instructions. Reflect on how the piece will hold up after a few encounters with your small children or pets. If it’s likely to be trashed in mere days or weeks, don’t buy it.

7. Examine the construction. For units such as bookcases, tables and entertainment centers, determine whether the items are prefinished or made of unfinished wood. Bear in mind that sanding and finishing a shelving unit can take a great deal of time and effort. Also think twice before buying “wood grain” laminate or particle board that looks fake, and watch out for sloppy corners on moldings and doors that don’t align properly.

8. Measure, measure, measure. Before you do any shopping – and certainly before you bring a piece of furniture home – be sure to measure the area where you want the furniture to go so you can be confident that it will fit well and it won’t overwhelm or underwhelm the room. With shelving units, remember to write down the dimensions of the items you want to store on the shelves.

9. Plan ahead for transportation. Make sure you have the capacity to transport big, heavy items home or have the store deliver them for you – hopefully for a fee that isn’t too hefty. Also, if you decide you don’t want to keep the item, will you have to lug it all the way back to the store yourself?

10. Eyeball the warranty carefully. Make sure you understand what it does and does not cover, and get the details of any agreement in writing. For instance, if a salesperson verbally raves about a fabric-guard guarantee that sounds fabulous, make sure the details of that guarantee are clearly spelled out in writing.

Furniture Shopping Guide Part 2

Once you've decided exactly what you need, how big it should be, how much you can spend on it, and gotten all the information you can on companies, finishes, styles, and fabrics, it's time to see some pieces in person.

• Go to a Furniture Store
  It's almost impossible to determine if you'll like a piece of furniture from a picture. You'll want to see it first-hand. If the store you visit doen't have the exact piece you've found on-line, at least you ean evaluate the quality of the line, see the different finishes available, and determine if the company makes things that have a look you like. If you're looking for a coffee table, you might be able to see a side table. You'll get an idea of how your piece will look and you'll feel more comfortable about ordering the piece at the store or on-line if you've seen it in person first.
  
  
  
• Visualize All the Elements
  Fine furniture stores use professional decorators to create fully-decorated rooms. In these settings, the merchandise is shown at its best. You can get an idea of how the piece you want will look in a real room. You might get ideas for other decorating, too. If the walls are painted an interesting shade of a warm mocha, you can ask the exact shade if you think it would look good in your home. It can be almost like going to a decorator showhouse, and you can buy anything you like.
  
  
• Get Things in Perspective
  Remember that furniture show spaces are spacious with high ceilings and no side walls. You have to keep the size and scale of your own rooms in mind. A piece that looks great in a cavernous showroom might be too large for your living room.
  
  
• Get Decorating Ideas From the Pros
  As you walk through the showroom, look around you. Do you see interesting accessories? Do you have some pieces at home that could be used in the same way? Is a picture placed in an unusual way that would add interest to your space? Does a mirror reflect a beautiful view or add depth to a space? Is the furniture arranged in a way you hadn't thought of? Without buying a thing, you can get lots of ideas to take home.
  
  
• Talk to the Sales People
  A furniture showroom will not have every piece that a particular company makes. If you don't see the item you want on the floor, inquire about placing a special order. Be sure that you feel comfortable with the sales person and get someone who is knowlegeable about your chosen company. Some stores have specialists for each line. Inquire about the availability of different wood finishes, sofa skirt options, or alternative arm styles.
  
  
• See the Fabric Choices
  Each company that builds upholstered furniture supplies their showrooms with fabric samples. You can choose from a full array of colors, patterns, and textures. If you're not sure about colors, ask to check out fabric samples or a matching pillow. You'll be ablet o live with the fabrics for a day or two and see the different choices in changing lights.
  
  
• Place a Special Order
  If the store doesn't have the piece you need, place a special order. In many cases, you will not be able to take advantage of special sale prices, and you might have to pay additional shipping charges. But it will be worth the price to get just the piece you want.
  
  
• Take the Piece Home
  Some furniture stores will allow you to take a piece home "on approval," meaning that you can see how it will look in your home, but return it if you don't like it. After all, you're making a big purchase and should have a right to change your mind. Make sure that you can return even a special order piece if it is not right for your home. You might be asked to pay the charges the store incurred to get the piece from the factory to their store.

Buying a piece of furniture can be a big expense and you should end up with just the right piece. If you follow our guidelines, the shopping will be easier and you'll end up with just what you want.

Furniture Shopping Guide Part 1

Shopping for furniture can be a difficult task or an exciting adventure. It's up to you. If you follow this advice, you're more likely to enjoy shopping and find the right pieces of furniture to fit your home and lifestyle.

1. Ask your family members(including all kids), close friends who spend a lot of time with you and your designer (should you have one) for their input regarding how the particular area you're furnishing needs to look and function prior to going shopping. Have a "room visioning" party (fun!) and serve food and drinks, have lots of magazines around and ask people close to you to bring favorite colors, materials, etc. to help all of you visualize what your finished room should look like and how it needs to function in order to be most useful to each of you.
   


2. Take digital pictures of all of the furniture you currently own and are going to keep in the room-prior to shopping. Also, take pictures of each wall area so you can remember door swings, windows and window treatments. Try to get paint chips, fabric swatches and/or wood stain finish samples to match what you already have.
   


3. Take measurements of every part of your room-not just a floor plan, but also a plan for every wall in your room. Measure out fireplaces, built-in's, area rugs, artwork, accessories and every aspect of your TV, sound system, etc. Note every cable connection and electrical outlet and EXACTLY where they are on the wall. Put this information into 1/4" scale. If you don't know how to do that, there are many books and online furniture resources to help you learn-it's easy. Many retailers also have trained sales consultants to help you do this, too. You just have to provide the measurements and they will put it in scale for you-this is complimentary with no strings attached-just ask!
   


4. Now, you're ready to decide how much you want to invest in your room PRIOR to going shopping for furniture. Make that decision with the relevant decision makers in your household, and give yourselves a RANGE and decide ahead of time if there is ANY room for fudging or not. There are always new ideas and new products that might be perfect for you that you might not be aware of. Don't lock yourself in or you might lock inspired ideas out!
   


5. Do your research online. Use furniture manufacturer's websites to find out all you can about their company, their philosophy, their products, etc. It's so much more fun and empowering to be informed prior to stepping foot inside that retailer's door. The sales consultants appreciate it more, too, as it's much easier and more creative to work with an informed, engaged consumer than one who is "just looking."
   


6. Be prepared to have a good time! Wear comfy shoes, clothes that are easy to bend over in and bring a sandwich - although many retailers offices have snacks and coffee for their hungry customers...just ask!
   


7. Let the sales consultant help you. They are the product experts and, many times, excellent with creative design ideas, too, and are there to assist you - within the parameters you've set - find the perfect pieces to make your room come alive with your personality.
   


8. Once you've made your decision, make sure to get all of the delivery, financing, and customer service contact numbers in writing. Make sure to take home pictures and swatches / samples of all you've purchased. If you're buying a piece that is directional, make sure you sign a drawing so that you know it's being ordered correctly.
   


9. Have a "delivery" party to celebrate your newly purchased furniture and get ready to enjoy the feeling that goes along with knowing you've created a comfortable, warm and inviting home for your family and friends to enjoy for many years to come.