The Furniture Retailer Association has delivered it annual report on annual shopping trends for the furniture industry. This years report is especially vital, as it is a bench mark for , where we are now in the current economical climate. the information comes from as many shops as possible,the smallest through to the largest. New shops as well as established larger stores and super stores.
Trends,styles, and fashions change, basic needs stay.The general feeling is, that the new designs, and updated color ranges have meant greater competition for market share,but have not increased the total amount of furniture sold.This is the normal pattern for a country in recession, the best designers with the best price policies wins.
Despite the fact that UK Ltd. has crashed and burnt its credit card, and credit rating,the amount of furniture sold on interest free credit, especially in the lounge furniture section was still high. The sales figures might not have been anything like as good, if it was not for credit available in this way.The same did not apply for bedroom furniture,as he individual items were often not bought on credit.
Beds were actually the largest selling items. These ranges, from divan beds made by the market giants,to the creative hand made pine bed accounted for a massive 24% of the whole furniture market.Bedroom furniture generally came second, but individual items like pine wardrobes only accounted for 4% specialist products,such as small wardrobes for small bedrooms came in at .2 %
Downstairs furniture as it is known did okay ,suites were down a little in sales volumes, which means people were prepared, to use what they have for another year. Lounge furniture, suck as oak coffee tables and dining sets, were strong, and held their own,pine too was good, farmhouse tables sold very well, as they normally do, even though the sales often do not come from the high street.