Furniture News 375

#375 December 2020 www.furniturenews.net

DREAM WEAVER Orbital redefines the fabric of reality

French connection Sixty years of Roche Bobois CGI MARKETING LIVING / TRADE SERVICES

Arlo & Jacob at Islington Square What do the no-shows mean for the future?

EDITOR’S COMMENT 3 EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paul Farley 01424 776101 paul@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @FurnitureNewsED

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WITH SUPPLY CHAINS BROKEN AND CONSUMERS BUYING MORE ONLINE THAN EVER BEFORE, THE PANDEMIC HAS PROVED A PERFECT STORM FOR CGI TECHNOLOGY Are things looking up? With all the nation’s shops given the green light to re-open this month, and news of vaccines coming thick and fast, you might be forgiven for thinking the tide was turning …

That said, change still seems to be the only constant. We’ve seen major trade exhibitions (including imm cologne and Spring Fair) cancel their 2021 outings, and others (including January Furniture Show) reveal new schedules, and a commitment that the show will, indeed, go on – albeit during the warmer springtime months.

As material shortages and the threat of further complications arising from Brexit continue to vex even the most nimble furniture suppliers, it’s clear that there’s plenty of adapting and evolving to come before we see any real sign of this ‘new normal’ everyone’s talking about.

This month, Furniture News is digging deep into one of the solutions helping many businesses ride the turbulence, in our first feature dedicated to CGI marketing (starting on p26).

For the uninitiated, CGI visualisation is the creation of photorealistic digital images (from cut-outs and 360° models to fully rendered roomsets) based on existing snapshots, textures and descriptions.

Once these assets have been developed, they can be tweaked to suit, and used in countless marketing applications.

Designs can be fast-tracked through the development process (and even taken to market) before a physical product is

even made (let alone manufactured and shipped).

With supply chains broken and consumers buying more online than ever before, the pandemic has proved a perfect storm for this technology, and in this extended feature we meet the visionaries at the crest of the wave – discovering how they’ve negotiated Covid-19 to date, and what’s on the horizon (believe me, it’s quite an eye-opener!).

If traditional photography’s more your cup of tea, take a look at this month’s Feedback (p66) to see who else isn’t quite convinced we’re living in a virtual reality!

Elsewhere, there’s plenty more to inspire, inform and provoke fresh discussions. We meet Roche Bobois’ Julien Salmon (p10), Arlo & Jacob’s Harvey Roberts (p14), Dusk’s Farah Arshad (p18) and Funky Chunky Furniture’s Kevin Johnston (p20), and present a plethora of fresh takes on the trade, from last-minute Brexit preparations (p52 and 60) to what shoppers want (p62).

Given the disruption to the exhibition sector, Andy Stockwell considers the longterm future of trade shows (p54), while Greenwood’s Donald Currie explains why there’s no reason the booming demand for digital marketing should leave traditional retailers high and dry (p58).

Whether it’s time to look at things differently or fortify your core principles, I hope you enjoy the issue, and wish you an abundance of health, wealth and prosperity until we meet again in 2021.

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@FurnitureNewsED

INTRODUCING OUR NEW

Christma s C o l l e c t i o n Celebrate this wonderful time of the year by adding a touch of charm and class to your festive season with our lovely selection of decorations. We have given our Christmas collections a completely new look with delicate wreaths and timeless baubles, cosy cushions and rustic garlands, snowy trees and warming candles. Our new range has been carefully designed and selected to add a new dimension to your Christmas celebrations.

View our full collection online www.gallerydirect.co.uk

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CONTENTS

#375 December 2020 www.furniturenews.net

DREAM WEAVER Orbital redefines the fabric of reality

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NEWS

10

INSIGHT 10 Roche Bobois / 14 Arlo & Jacob / 18 Dusk 20 Funky Chunky Furniture

French connection Sixty years of Roche Bobois CGI MARKETING LIVING / TRADE SERVICES

Arlo & Jacob at Islington Square What do the no-shows mean for the future?

FN375_Pages3.indd 1

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29 ORBITAL VISION (COVER FEATURE) Orbital, working with Warwick and Tamarisk, delivers CGI ready-made for retail

CONTRIBUTORS 54

EVENTS 22 CIFF Guangzhou

25/11/2020 17:47

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PRODUCTS 24 Living / 26 CGI Marketing / 46 Trade Services

52

OPINION 52 Preparing for Brexit / 54 The future of trade shows?

56 Online upholstery’s winners and losers / 58 Digital marketing for traditional retail / 60 Brexit and product safety / 62 What shoppers want / 65 The Furniture Makers’ Company / 66 Feedback

Andy Stockwell, buyer/ manager, Gardiner Haskins

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WITHOUT PASSION, YOU CANNOT HAVE SUCCESS

Pamela Dennison, manager, WS Dennison, and head of road haulage business engagement at the Department for Transport (DfT)

58

Donald Currie, marketing director, Greenwood Retail

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Our New Home Office Furniture Collection now in stock

& available for Direct Home Delivery

LFCH22-BL

LFCH28-BK

LFCH30-BK

LFCH29-OR

Thank you to all our customers for their support and patience throughout this past year. Our best wishes for Christmas and for a safe, healthy & happy 2021 from all at Core Products. www.coreproducts.co.uk

01738 630555

sales@coreproducts.co.uk

READ MORE AT WWW.FURNITURENEWS.NET 7

Oak Furnitureland has appointed Emily Tate as its new CFO. Emily has held senior positions with retailers in the UK including Karen Millen, Office, Fat Face and Ralph Lauren AIS has launched a new Furniture and Home division to help develop its offering, increase efficiency and promote synergy across its homeware teams. Led by Julian Cox, the new department encompasess all of the buying group’s owned furniture, flooring, linens and homeware brands, including Stag Furniture, Ducal Furniture and Flooring One, and promises to deliver an improved product offer and pricing

ufurnish.com, a search engine for home furniture and furnishings (previously Kuldea), has been named a winner of The New Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 2020 Lloyds Bank National Business Awards

Frank Olsen Furniture has appointed Rob Freeman as its general manager. Rob brings over 25 years of store, sales and sales management experience from the cabinetry and furniture sector

Made.com has introduced a number of initiatives to improve customer experience and engagement, including its first 3D virtual showroom. With the help of VR headsets, shoppers can experience Made’s Amsterdam showroom and explore its products in from every angle

Sofas & Stuff has opened its 15th store – on Whiteladies Road, Bristol, in the city’s Clifton district READ MORE ONLINE AT FURNITURENEWS.NET

JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW POSTPONED TO APRIL Extended travel restrictions across the UK, coupled with the re-imposition of lockdown in England, has led Clarion Events, the organiser of the UK’s principal furniture trade exhibition, January Furniture Show, to reschedule the show (now Furniture Show Birmingham) to 25-28th April 2021.

Cleere Scamell, event director, says: “The furniture show at the NEC is the most powerful UK trade event of its kind. Over the past months we have been working towards January, determined to deliver the strong show the sector needs. The large footprint of the show, combined with a very targeted professional audience, means that we remain confident in being able to fully implement the Government’s All Secure Standards guidance for event safety.

“However, recent developments, combined with the necessarily long lead times exhibitors need to prepare and present their products, mean that it is important for us to be realistic, and put safety first at this stage. Additionally, after a turbulent year globally there are significant supply-side issues in parts of the furniture sector, and this move will allow more time for material supplies to normalise.

“Over the past few weeks we have been surveying furniture and interiors buyers across the sector, and I am pleased to share that we have had a very strong and positive response from regular visitors, who are in favour of moving to April. 84% of buyers

say they will certainly attend, and a further 13% plan to attend when they have more details about the practical Covid measures in place.

“Particularly encouraging has been the response from those who have been unable to visit over recent editions of the show during the traditionally busy January period, but will now take the opportunity to visit in this new spring window. Interestingly, the reaction from these buyers is equally as strong as those of our regular visitors, so we expect to see many new clients in April.

“We are in the process of connecting with exhibitors, visitors and other industry stakeholders, and this will continue over the course of the next few weeks as we finalise plans for Furniture Show Birmingham in April. With nearly six months to go until the show opens, we are looking forward to what will be the first large-scale opportunity for the industry to get together.”

HARRISON SPINKS COMMITS TO SUSTAINABLE GOALS Harrison Spinks is bolstering its sustainability credentials by developing plans for a dedicated recycling plant and appointing a head of sustainability to drive green initiatives across the business.

The company’s recycling plant will be located in Scunthorpe, and will facilitate the disassembly and recycling of all Harrison Spinks mattresses containing its patented Cortec spring systems. The recycled components can be reprocessed into new raw material and put back into the supply chain to make new product, creating a closed loop system.

As well as establuhing a company-wide sustainability committee, Harrison Spinks has appointed its commercial director and board

member Ruairi Giles as head of sustainability.

He will ensure that all future actions consider protection of the environment and the business’ carbon footprint, while remaining aligned with the company’s pledge to a glue- and foam-free future.

Ruairi says: “Our industry often relies upon materials and component products that are fundamentally unsustainable, both in production and also in their end-of-life recyclability. We have a huge responsibility and opportunity to improve this and we want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to operate in a sustainable way, whether that be in our logistics, sales or marketing departments.”

INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE AWARD CALLS FOR NOMINATIONS The International Furniture Leadership Awards (FLA International) 2021, which recognises individual excellence and outstanding furniture businesses from around the world, is calling for nominations.

The annual programme, which is organised by Singapore’s APS Media Group and endorsed by CIFF Guangzhou and the International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP), has identified exceptional companies in the furniture and wider trade since 2008.

Eleven trade media titles have pledged to support the awards: Furniture News (UK); Furniturk (Turkey); IFJ (India); Gagu (Korea); Magmob (Romania); MD (Bulgaria); Mebelny Biznes (Russia); Mobile Lojista (Brazil); Moblaje (Mexico); The Home Living (Japan); and Furnitureandfurnishing.com (Singapore and Malaysia). The 2021 programme will be held in conjunction with the inaugural International Interior Design Awards 2020/21.Nominations close on 15th December – apply at www.furnitureleadership.com.

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NEWS

MAMMOTH BACKS ENGLISH RUGBY

Health and wellbeing company Mammoth sponsored this year’s Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) Hall of Fame Award. Hosted by Alex Payne and James Haskell of The Good, the Bad and the Rugby podcast, the virtual ceremony was held in honour of the players who have stood out – both on and off the field.

Sir Bill Beaumont, chairman of World Rugby, won the award, and received a Mammoth Medical Grade foam mattress as part of his prize.

John Tuton, founder and CEO of Mammoth, says: “Rugby is in our blood. Mammoth was founded after I suffered a rugby injury myself, and developed the first prototype mattress to relieve pressure and

restore my health and fitness. We have been proud partners to the RPA for many years and bring our passion and enthusiasm to educating players about the importance of sleep and comfort.

Mammoth has an exclusive partnership to provide sleep and wellness advice, education and support to professional rugby players past and present. As a direct result of the partnership, there are around 250 active and retired rugby players currently sleeping on Mammoth mattresses.

Also last month, Mammoth teamed up with publisher Hearst UK and Argos to launch a licensed mattress collection with magazines Women’s Health and Men’s Health UK.

SPRING FAIR 2021 CANCELLED Hyve Group, the organiser of Spring Fair (plus the co-located JWF and Glee at Spring Fair shows) has announced that the event will no longer take place in February 2021, due to Government restrictions on the re-opening of business conferences and exhibition halls.

The next planned home, gift and fashion retail event will be Autumn Fair, at the Birmingham NEC from 5-8th September 2021, while Spring Fair will return as an in-person event from 6-10th February 2022.

Hyve is now working to deliver Spring Fair @Home, an “enhanced virtual forum” with product features and exclusive seminar content.

Julie Driscoll, Hyve’s MD – UK retail, says: “While it is regrettable that we won’t be able to meet in person at Spring Fair and [footwear show] Moda in February due to the new UK Government rules, we are incredibly excited to host Spring Fair @Home and Fashion Together. Following the success of this year’s virtual forums, we’re looking forward to providing our clients and customers another touchpoint to be inspired and stay connected with the retail industry.”

Spring Fair will continue to provide webinars, news and product updates on its website’s Community hub.

WHITEMEADOW SECURES NEW PREMISES Upholstery manufacturer Whitemeadow has secured 80,000ft2 of additional manufacturing space to consolidate and expand its current operations. The new site is in the Sutton-inAshfield area, where the company already operates from six manufacturing sites.

Manufacturing of some products has already begun at the new site, and the company will relocate its entire bed frame production there from February 2021.

The deal to lease the four interconnected units at Langham Park was agreed earlier in the autumn, states the manufacturer, and the site is located close to its current head office in Sutton-in-

Ashfield and its existing manufacturing sites, which are all within a two-mile radius of each other.

Whitemeadow will vacate its bed-production facility on Fulwood Road in early 2021, having outgrown the 13,000ft2 facility.

MD Ian Oscroft comments: ‘It will be sad to vacate Fulwood Road, which was our first manufacturing site 25 years ago, but exciting times are ahead, and we are optimistic about the future. As a leader in the industry, we believe this new facility will cement our current standing and enable us to grow in the future to fulfil, and indeed exceed, our customers’ expectations moving forward.”

Long Point’s spring 2021 edition, which typically runs in late April, will take place from 21st-24th February, “due to the success of the autumn edition”, says Andrew Mitchell, chairman of The Long Eaton Guild of Furniture Manufacturers, who also disclosed plans to expand the number of exhibitors and locations The BFM says 81% of member manufacturers surveyed in October reported rising materials costs, and almost all expect further increases into the New Year, while 34% of those surveyed have already taken steps to raise product prices The Sleep Charity has formed a corporate partnership with retailer Mattress Online, to promote the benefits of sleep to health and wellbeing by providing advice and information through a 12-month project

Vispring has made its J.Marshall bed line, which strives to offer consumers a simplified bed-buying process, available direct to consumers via the brand’s website Poland’s Meble Polska and Home Decor exhibitions, which were scheduled to take place in February, have been postponed to 25-28th May 2021 Swyft Homes, a British boxed sofa start-up that was launched in March, says it has exceeded its initial £2m sales target for the year, and forsees a further £1m in Christmas sales

READ MORE ONLINE AT FURNITURENEWS.NET

READ MORE AT WWW.FURNITURENEWS.NET 9

Furniture Village is set to open two new stores on Boxing Day, in Fosse Park, Leicester and County Oak, Crawley. The new stores are the first to open since 2017, and take Furniture Village’s portfolio to 54. The retailer is considering further expansion, including locations in Scotland Frankfurt-based sleep brand Emma says it has retained its momentum in the UK, almost doubling net revenue in Q3 by +95% compared to 2019, after revamping the portfolio and introducing a new pricing model in July. The company also reports “outstanding” growth in Ireland, where it achieved YoY growth of +222% Rhenus Home Delivery UK has opened a new purpose-built distribution centre in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. The site, which measures over 55,000ft2 and is racked up to 11m, is within easy access of the M1 and just 30 minutes from Greater London The John Lewis Partnership has announced plans to cut up to 1500 head office staff by April 2021, as part of the next phase of its five-year strategy to return to sustainable profits by 2025 UKAS-accredited testing house FIRA International has appointed John Hubbard as its new technical consultant.

John, who joins from SATRA Technology Centre, is an expert on the issues surrounding harmful substances in the materials used in modern consumer goods

READ MORE ONLINE AT FURNITURENEWS.NET

NBF REVEALS ITS 2020 BED INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS The National Bed Federation (NBF) named the winners of its 2020 Bed Industry Awards during a livestreamed ceremony last month. This year’s awards included two new categories – one for sustainability, the other to recognise this year’s exceptional challenges.

The winners are: Bed of the Year – Velocity 8750 mattress from Harrison Spinks; Component Product of the Year – Enkev’s GOTS-certified range of fillings; Small Bed Retailer of the Year – Prestige Beds; Online Bed Retailer of the Year – Mattress Online; Large Bed Retailer of the Year – Furniture Village; Sustainability Awards – Bekaert Deslee (Highly Commended, Jaybe); and the Covid-19 Community Champion Award – The Vita Group.

“The annual awards have become an important highlight in the bed industry year, and while we have been unable to hold the Bed Show itself because of the coronavirus crisis, we felt it was vital to go

ahead with the awards,” says NBF president David Moffitt. “They are a valued opportunity to recognise stand-out companies and, particularly during such a difficult year, we thank all those who put themselves forward to be judged and congratulate our award winners and finalists.”

The seven businesses were chosen from a shortlist of finalists by an independent panel of judges which included Furniture News’ Paul Farley, who helped choose the Bed of the Year and Component Product of the Year winners.

“Eco-conscious, compact and delivered straight to the customer, Harrison Spinks’ Velocity really is a product for our times,” he comments, “while, with supply chains disrupted and people asking more questions about the environmental cost of their purchases, Enkev’s solution opens the door to a brighter future.”

Read more about the winners in next month’s issue.

HABITAT STORES TO CLOSE AMID BRAND REPOSITIONING Sainsbury’s has announced plans to close around 420 standalone Argos stores by March 2024, reducing the store estate to around 100, while adding more Argos stores (+150) and collection points (+150-200) to Sainsbury’s convenience stores and superstores.

The retailer also disclosed plans to shut Habitat’s flagship Tottenham Court Road and Finchley Road stores next year, while the stores in Westfield, Brighton and Leeds will relaunch as showrooms – where customers will be able to place orders and build their own shopping baskets online – in the spring. Those locations will also trial video appointments.

It also stated that the Habitat brand will soon headline its home and furniture offer, selling through Sainsbury’s and Argos from January. The transition from the current Sainsbury’s Home and Argos

Home offering to Habitat will begin with the launch of the Spring/Summer 2021 collection, and be fully integrated as Habitat by next autumn.

The retailer aims to combine “the credibility and design expertise of the Habitat brand with the scale and capability of Sainsbury’s and Argos”.

Rona Olds, head of product for home and furniture, says: “We are excited to bring Habitat’s authenticity and identity to a wider audience across the UK, making it available to everyone on a larger scale so that more customers than ever will have access to well-designed homeware and furniture.

As shopping habits evolve and our environments change, we have harnessed the brand’s unique heritage – keeping quality and excellent design at its core – while bringing it into the future of British retail.”

IMM COLOGNE 2021 CANCELLED Both the digital and physical sides of imm cologne’s forthcoming hybrid edition (scheduled to take place from for 20th-23rd January 2021) have been cancelled due to ongoing developments in the coronavirus pandemic in Europe and Germany, reports show organiser Koelnmesse.

“We’ve had to face the reality, even though it’s painful,” says CEO Gerald Böse. “In the end, because of the very dynamic way things are developing right now, the uncertainty among our exhibitors and visitors was just too strong. This decision was geared to the interiors industry and made in close consultation with our conceptual

sponsor, the VDM, as well as our exhibitors and partners.

“Because the concept for the special edition was based on the offline and online formats being closely interlinked and mutually dependent, not even a purely digital event made sense under these circumstances.”

Gerald says that Koelnmesse’s global online business network, ambista, already combines the key functions “that market players in the furniture and interiors sector need on a daily basis in a single platform”, and that preparations for imm cologne 2022 (19th-23rd January) are under way.

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INSIGHT

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FRENCH CONNECTION Roche Bobois turned 60 this year, and marked the occasion by reinterpreting several iconic pieces from its history. The furniture vertical is a leading designer and distributor, and works with renowned designers and Haute Couture fashion houses to deliver exclusive, made-toorder lines through 255 showrooms worldwide – Furniture News spoke to Julien Salmon, general manager of Roche Bobois UK, about how his operation fits into the bigger picture. www.roche-bobois.com

Odea

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INSIGHT Latitude

What’s the extent of your activities in the UK? There are eight stores in total in England, six in the Greater London area, one in Surrey and one Manchester. We are doing between £18-20m pounds turnover, with a team of approximately 55 members of staff.

How long have you operated here?

The brand has been in the UK for the last 30 years. It operated with only one showroom (in the Hampstead area) for many years before really starting to develop its network in 2006, when we started to open new showrooms at the pace of roughly one new store every 15 months.

How important is the UK market to Roche Bobois?

The UK has long been one of our key markets within Europe, after France.

Besides this market, our fastest-growing market in Europe is Switzerland.

How does the product assortment differ?

We realised that 80% of our bestselling pieces are also bestsellers worldwide (our iconic Mah Jong sofa is the bestselling model not only in the UK, but worldwide).

Julien Salmon

WITHOUT PASSION, YOU CANNOT HAVE SUCCESS

Then, of course, depending on the location of the showroom itself (even within London), approximately 30% of the pieces are specific to local tastes.

For instance, we might sell more leather sofas in our Harrods store, while we will be more fabric-oriented in our South London showroom.

And what defines the UK customer?

What is really important to our British customers is that we meet their expectations. Of course, this is important everywhere in the world – however, it is key for the UK market, where clients are demanding, and expect excellence in service.

In terms of style, more than anything else they are looking for timeless pieces. They also respond really well to our most iconic pieces, and relate to our core values of European know-how and quality, innovation, and, above all, our creativity, and playful, colourful, fun approach to furniture design.

Are the UK stores influenced by/ do they influence those in other countries?

Having a presence in Harrods has helped Roche Bobois expand worldwide. It is true that many of our new franchisees in the Middle East or Asia originally saw our concession inside Harrods, and this convinced them to actually open a showroom in their own country.

How does the UK’s response to Covid-19 compare to that in other markets? Are you facing any unique challenges here?

Indeed, this is a really complicated situation. London is a very international city, and our international clientele make up a significant share of our business. Our sales in the UK are really driven by London, and at the moment we can clearly see that the international clients have not yet returned to the city.

13 How does the brand’s 60th anniversary collection reflect its past and future?

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Roche Bobois has called on internationally acclaimed artist Joana Vasconcelos to design a collection that I believe embodies the values of the brand – creativity, know-how and innovation.

It has also been a key trait of our brand to collaborate with designers, architects and fashion designers to broaden our horizons and push the boundaries of design a step further.

When working with an artist for the first time, the brand once again puts its resources at the mercy of the designer’s vision.

The synergy between the artist and the brand is obvious in this collection, which is multifunctional, optimistic, playful, colourful and fun. I personally love the collection of sofas with adjustable backs – each family member can adjust theirs to find their own level of comfort.

Astrolab

What do you enjoy most about working for Roche Bobois?

I have to say the people that I work with every single day, and, in general, the passion we all share – as I truly believe that without passion, you cannot have success

MANY OF OUR NEW FRANCHISEES ORIGINALLY SAW OUR CONCESSION IN HARRODS

Perspective

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INSIGHT

HIP TO BE SQUARE As Arlo & Jacob’s business expands apace, the vertically integrated brand’s fifth showroom brings pared-back, contemporary style to a long-awaited London retail, hospitality and leisure destination. www.arloandjacob.com

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INSIGHT

Complementing its online roots, Arlo & Jacob operates through five physical showrooms, and its latest (the fourth to open in a space of just 18 months) is the brand’s second foothold in London.

Boasting a curated collection of handmade sofas, chairs and accessories – as well as a children’s playhouse and on-site cafe – the store sits comfortably alongside Islington’s established home and fashion outlets, now greatly enhanced by the addition of Islington Square, which combines leisure, dining, office and residential functionality, and gels perfectly with Arlo & Jacob’s target consumer, explains commercial director Harvey Roberts …

We’re an omnichannel retailer, and our strategy is to underpin our digital business with strategically placed regional showrooms. These showrooms will give access to our range of upholstered pieces in an inspirational setting, allowing consumers to experience our brand. Islington’s North London location is perfectly targeted – both demographically and geographically – to complement our original Fulham showroom in South West London.

ONE BRAND EXPERIENCE, WHETHER VIRTUAL OR PHYSICAL

Digital marketing underpins all our sales channels, and for Islington this is layered with targeted local activity and a portfolio of events (which are now sadly on hold). We’ve also had the benefit of a great landlord, who is marketing Islington Square as a new destination in North London.

It’s taken 20 years for Islington Square to be created. This has been a major project for the developer, and the results are pretty special.

We’re in the former North London Sorting Office, and the Edwardian architecture is quite stunning. This combines beautifully with the village feel of Islington, which has a real design buzz to it.

The store reflects the needs and desires of customers to feel relaxed, comfortable, and to know that they can explore at their own pace. It’s very relaxing, and everyone feels welcome

– from mums with prams, to couples and big groups. It may be part of a bigger scheme – a real mix of retail, hospitality and leisure, a super-targeted destination in its own right – but the store is immediately recognisable as A&J, just with a real London flavour.

We are very well defined in terms of our own brand and how it is represented. It was therefore important to use a design partner who could fully understand how to take what was a digital experience and translate it into bricks and mortar.

Having previously worked with Tom at Path Design, I trusted him and his team to join us on our journey to become a national retailer, and so far we’re delighted with the concepts at all our showrooms.

At each, we’ve tried to make improvements to enhance the brand experience, whilst retaining our unique A&J signature.

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 17 We’re a really relaxed and welcoming business. This ambience is generated by employing the right team who understand our brand ethos and who can deliver expert advice to potential customers.

A small team of five work here, led

by Asif [Kisson, showroom manager], who has a fantastic depth of home and interiors experience. The whole team are passionate about design, and their excitement for our products is infectious.

We have examples of pieces from each of our collections here – although this has been slightly more challenging in what is our smallest showroom to date.

The focus has generally been on smaller pieces to reflect the typical London-sized spaces that will be relevant to the local customer, but we are constantly reviewing and tweaking our roomsets in line with new product releases and updates.

We have incredibly design-conscious customers who love their homes. They are well researched, and respond to design that is handcrafted and British made. We always feature our customers’

homes on Instagram. because, in a sense, they are as much influencers, creating incredible home environments.

It was important that the showroom experience matches our digital experience – one brand experience, whether virtual or physical. To that end, there are large digital screens in-store, which help us create a seemless flow – customers can order in-store or at

THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROJECT FOR THE DEVELOPER, AND THE RESULTS ARE PRETTY SPECIAL

Opened: January 2020 Location: Islington Square, 116 Upper Street, London N1 (formerly the North London Royal Mail Sorting and Delivery Centre) Size: 4700ft2 Staff: 5

home, with all the tools available to enhance their journey.

In-store, we have consultation areas where the pace is slower and customers can design their furniture using our digital tools. We have a playlist for the sound system, and a mix of directional and mood lighting to replicate customers’ homes. Our core brand colours are used throughout, with a mix of different wall textures and finishes to add depth and contrast.

On top of initial delays – Islington Square was meant to go live in Q4 2018 – it has been a slower process to get all of the scheme’s units occupied, with the Covid restrictions delaying occupation of the various hospitality and leisure tenants.

We’re carefully following all Government guidelines and working as a team to ensure that employees and customers feel safe. On a daily basis, we discuss any changes in guidelines to ensure we provide a safe and comfortable shopping experience.

Longer-term, we’re always looking to expand our showroom offering and open in areas that inspire us

18

INSIGHT

DRAWN TO DUSK Name: Farah Arshad Position: Buyer Business: Dusk is an online bedding retailer, offering “luxury products for less”. Dusk’s team works closely with various mills to create bedding in line with its unique specifications. Each line is then tried and tested before being sold online. The business is now three years old, and offers more than 400 SKUs. According to Farah, the website’s reach is growing by some +250% YoY, and currently attracts in the region of 420,000 visitors each month. www.dusk.com

Why visit your website?

Anyone looking to find high-quality, luxury bedding at an affordable price should head over to the Dusk website.

We hand-pick each piece, which means we have a carefully crafted selection of bedding to choose from.

Focusing on stylish white bedding, visitors will find a beautiful collection of linens alongside a range of throws to add layering and extra comfort.

How did you enter the industry?

Having studied fashion buying and merchandising at Manchester Metropolitan University, I realised my passion was within homeware and interiors.

Previously working for well-known brands such as Hallmark and George Home, I’ve been able to turn my skills to the interiors industry, which I absolutely love! Dusk’s focus on quality, luxury and affordability is something I truly believe in as a buyer.

Who is your ecommerce hero?

Anyone striving to do well and make a difference in the industry!

Describe a typical working day No day is the same! From working to develop product ranges to chasing suppliers on delivery dates, each part is different, and definitely keeps me on my toes.

What part of your job would you prefer to avoid?

It sounds a little cheesy, but none of it. I love my job!

Farah Arshad

What has been your greatest challenge to date?

Definitely working at such an ambitious start-up, and the challenges that it brings! But I’m loving everything about

it – it’s everything I could wish for in a role, and more.

How are you making your site more visible?

We are currently investing in making our website more visible through both organic and paid channels, and this is a huge priority for us as a business. We’re increasingly seeing our customers engaging with the brand through social media channels, which is a fantastic way to showcase our products to new audiences in an authentic way.

What’s your take on how the relationship between online and physical retail might develop?

There has been a huge shift towards online retail, and this year’s events have only accelerated it further. A challenge that comes with this is that people want to test the quality and feel of a product.

They want to see how it looks in real homes – which is why we put emphasis on high-quality product photography, and providing as much detail on the fabrics and features as possible.

I see the physical high street turning more towards an experience-led form of retail rather than for shifting high quantities of products. Online platforms, where you can browse and compare products from a number of retailers more easily, offer a hassle-free alternative to visiting the high street.

Do you have any plans to grow the business?

Yes, we’ve seen fantastic success in recent times and are looking to keep the momentum going into 2021 and beyond.

What advice would you offer an aspiring etailer?

Understand your customer, and know who you want to be as a brand

THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE SHIFT TOWARDS ONLINE RETAIL, AND THIS YEAR’S EVENTS HAVE ONLY ACCELERATED IT

20

INSIGHT

FUNKY CHECK-IN Kevin Johnston is the MD of Funky Chunky Furniture, a shelf and furniture manufacturer based in North East England which handcrafts “beautiful pieces that are designed and made to last a lifetime”. www.funky-chunky-furniture.co.uk

IT WAS SUCH A MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY, A HOME AND BUSINESS ROLLED INTO ONE

How did you enter the trade?

I left school at 16 and went on to complete a joinery apprenticeship with South Tyneside Council. Afterwards I spent a couple of years doing agency work and alongside that I bought a property that needed renovating and spent time doing it up.

When I came to sell the property, I bought a van and started my own business, renovating properties for both myself and for clients.

The opportunity to start a furniture business really fell into my lap, in a sense. I’d always wanted to have a business which sold a product rather than a service, but renting a premise was the catching point. A local estate agent contacted me to do some joinery work on a property on Wapping Street they were selling that had been broken into. The property was a house with a pretty decent-sized workshop on the back.

It was too good an opportunity to ignore. So, I bought it. Then it was a case of building the business, one machine at a time, starting off first making and selling shelving and mantels, and then moving onto furniture too.

Who was your inspiration?

That’s a really tricky one, as I can’t really pinpoint one inspirational person that has led me, career-wise. But property renovation was really what started me off on my career and business, and I used to spend my evenings watching shows like Property Ladder.

So, Sarah Beeny and Property Ladder were definitely a source of ideas, advice and inspiration for me in the early years. It always amazed me when the renovators didn’t listen to her advice!

What was your career high point?

So far, there’s been quite a few. But one that’s definitely stuck in my mind was when Funky Chunky Furniture went over £1m turnover. It was a big milestone for us. … and low point?

It would’ve been towards the end of my apprenticeship, when I realised the path I was heading down wasn’t going to be challenging enough for me.

It was a great apprenticeship, I learnt a wide range of skills, from first and second fix joinery to repairs and maintenance. But, once I had those skills, I knew I needed to do more with them than what was on offer.

Kevin Johnston

… and the turning point?

Wapping Street, the house with the workshop attached to it. It was a total gamechanger in that it enabled me to set up Funky Chunky Furniture. It was such a massive opportunity, a home and a business rolled into one. A workshop that we could grow the business in without huge overheads and rental commitments on business premises.

Describe a typical working day It’s a cliche, but there really are no two days the same. In a nutshell, it’s constantly looking around the corner, predicting what’s going to happen next, being prepared and having a solution for it.

Right now, we’re in a very fortunate position, in that Funky Chunky Furniture is growing really rapidly. But the upshot of that is that I’m having to predict where the next bottleneck is going to

21 be and solve that – whether it’s through recruitment of new team members, IT solutions or introducing new processes to the business.

But I also like to spend time in the workshop, getting involved in new product development, or solving manufacturing issues. I can’t ever see a point where I wouldn’t want to get into the workshop and get involved. I’m not cut out to be behind a desk all the time.

If you had to start over, which career would you pursue?

It would have to be something similar.

Something where I can be creative, but also see the results and get involved practically. I could’ve carried on down the property development route.

What date on the business calendar do you most look forward to?

I’m probably the only one in the business who feels this way, but it’s the run-up to Christmas, because it’s our busiest time, and while it causes the most stress, it’s a great time of year to be in. Then, of course the 24th December, when it’s all done, and we can have few days off to spend time with the family.

What is the most important issue affecting your business right now?

Right now, it’s capacity. It’s finding and putting solutions in place to relieve the pressure and ensure we can continue to manufacture exceptional products for our customers.

QUICKFIRE Board game or computer game?

Computer games, but they can bring out the worst in me. I once had to climb over into the neighbour’s garden to retrieve a game disc, and the controls cost a bomb to replace!

Football or rugby?

Football. Egg-chasing just isn’t for me Tattoos or piercings?

Tattoos – just got a new one started the last couple of weeks, it’s a work in progress

I’M NOT CUT OUT TO BE BEHIND A DESK ALL THE TIME We’ve seen dramatic growth since April 2020, due to a number of factors, not least the increase in the home improvements and DIY retail sector as a result of Covid and lockdown.

Which company do you look up to?

I really like companies that are disruptors, that challenge the status quo of their sector and are innovative.

A good example of that would be BrewDog. They disrupted the UK beer market with a brand that demands to be noticed, and along the way they’ve been bold with their business choices, and very tongue-in-cheek with their PR stunts.

Their Barnard Castle Eye Test beer was just brilliant, and a perfect retort from their brand!

What would you most like to change about yourself?

To have more wisdom, be more organised, and get to do this all again with the knowledge I’ve gained along the way.

What do you enjoy most about working in the trade?

Honestly, the fact that I’m not behind the desk all day. It’s the practical side of the work. Hands-on problem

solving. It’s why I annoy everyone! I’m always striving for the best solution and constantly changing things.

Can you leave us with an industry anecdote?

Not an industry anecdote, but maybe a behind-the-scenes at Funky Chunky Furniture one. We work hard, and this time of year in particular, it’s really stressful. So, to give us all a good launch, we play practical jokes on each other.

There’s a few that stick in my head as being particularly funny from the last year: I placed an airhorn under the chair of our production manager, Jordan – he nearly jumped out of his skin when he sat down!; somehow, we ended up with a soft toy rat in the offices, and it ended up lurking in various places – we always knew when it was found because of the screams; similarly, we have a few fake spiders around the place – with a timber store the size of ours, there’s some big real ones around, but the fake ones always seem to end up eyeballing you when you least expect it; finally, one of our team was given an inflatable dinosaur costume as his Secret Santa present, and he rampaged around for a while, scaring everyone!

22

EVENTS

SPRING INTO ACTION Despite the potential complications, having staged a successful edition this summer, CIFF Guangzhou’s organiser says that next year’s March edition will run as planned – across two phases, from 18th-21st and 28th-31st. www.ciff.furniture

With the successful conclusion of the 45th China International Furniture Fair (Guangzhou) in July, despite the global challenges presented by Covid-19, the forthcoming 47th edition is expected to run as planned, within its traditional timeslot.

As usual, CIFF will be held in two phases, organised according to product sector: the first (CIFF-Home Furniture) dedicated to home furniture, decor and textiles, outdoor and leisure furniture; and the second (CIFF-Office Show and CIFM/interzum guangzhou) focused on office, commercial and hotel furniture, plus furniture machinery, components and raw materials.

To facilitate the industry’s development against the backdrop of the pandemic, CIFF Guangzhou has repositioned itself with a new theme, ‘Design Trend, International Trade and Full Supply Chain’, and promises to present an innovative exhibition that benefits from a combination of highlevel curation, local character and international vision.

As one of the world’s first choices for product launches and promotion to the international industry, the 47th CIFF (Guangzhou) will gather top brands from

across the supply chain, presenting the latest trends to meet the sourcing needs of China’s domestic and overseas markets.

With direct invitations to more than a million would-be professional visitors, CIFF typically attracts more than 300,000 suppliers, designers, buyers, real estate developers, retailers and other professional visitors from all over the world.

To complement its exhibitor offer, CIFF (Guangzhou) will introduce innovative content, quality and design.

The optimisation of the exhibition’s layout, plus the presentation of inspiring, content-rich design events, are set to make the event even more appealing to the global furnishing industry.

These will include the second Design Spring Contemporary Chinese Furniture Design Fair, the 2030+ International Future Office Exhibition, the Global Furniture Industry Trend Conference, The Design Dream Show, Ten Parallel Space Exhibition-Easy Party, Guangzhou’s Day & Night New Consumer Trendy Play, Top Design 100, CMF Trend Lab, My Dad Is a Designer, and more

24

PRODUCTS LIVING

CHRISTMAS CHEER Farley and Percy assorted baubles

www.gallerydirect.co.uk

The collection features over 450 new lines across home office, Christmas, occasional tables, soft furnishings, accessories and lighting. MD Peter Delaney says: “We are incredibly proud of our Winter Edit. We continually try to help and support our customers by developing relevant products – home office desks and chairs being prime examples – and thinking about how we supply them.

“On the Christmas decorations and accessories side, as well as offering a varied range of stunning products to suit different interiors, we wanted to make it easy for our customers to sell them, especially online. With this in mind, all our accessories are dropship ready and in selling packs, ready to send to the consumer.”

Gallery’s new Christmas collection has been designed to add “a touch of charm and class” to interiors, with wreaths, baubles, cushions and garlands, snowy trees and warming candle holders. Stylish ceramic and glass vases can be used as feature pieces in their own right, or paired with

Jaipur coffee table with new accessories, including Senanga vases

Gallery Direct has launched a vast array of new products for its Winter Edit, and the brochure is available to browse online, where the products can also be ordered.

Gallery’s realistic faux plant stems, while candle holders and lanterns offer an easy way to add warmth and ambience.

As one of the biggest mirror suppliers in the UK, Gallery has years of experience in dropshipping fragile items, making it a real expert in the field – extending this to accessories and Christmas decorations proved no problem for the supplier

26

PRODUCTS CGI MARKETING

VIRTUALLY REALITY The Covid-19 pandemic has presented the UK furniture industry with some of its toughest challenges to date – but it’s also catalysed its evolution. The use of computer generated imagery (CGI) in product development and marketing has been building momentum for years, but, confronted with the mother of all supply chain interruptions, the industry’s really sitting up and taking notice this year, writes Paul Farley …

+70% Online sales growth of home products in 2020 to October, according to IMRG

Factories closed? Shipping halted?

Exhibitions cancelled? Travel prohibited? Thanks to Covid-19, furniture businesses can no longer take the traditional supply chain for granted.

While technology cannot solve every problem, it stands ready to enable the smooth running of at least part of that journey. Thanks to the professional application of artistry and technical skill (plus some very powerful computers), furniture sellers can create, develop and sell products, whether they’ve been made or shipped at all – even if what they’re selling might be just a concept.

For retailers, sales channels have (understandably) swung heavily towards online channels this year. According to IMRG, online sales to October grew by +35% – to put that in perspective, the growth across 2019 as a whole was +6.7%, so this year’s is at least five times higher – and online sales of home products are up a whopping +70%.

Whether this situation is temporary or permanent, strong digital assets are worth their weight in gold right now, and a relatively safe bet given the wealth of new emerging technologies – from augmented reality (AR) and product

configuration to sales packages and virtual reality (VR), it’s a given that consumers will increasingly demand greater personalisation and interactivity.

Although plenty of companies are able to turn their hand to CGI for the furniture sector, there’s a growing number of businesses – in the UK and abroad – whose focus is squarely on furniture and interiors, and boast a firm grasp of the industry’s needs and nuances.

In this special feature, Furniture News meets some of those leading the pack in the UK marketplace, interspersed with Q&As with their principals and spokespeople: Rob Walker (Orbital Vision); Paul Galley (Symmetry CGI); Neil Buckley-Jensen (Chilli Pepper Designs); Paul Stott (The Virtual Works); Ana Wayne (CGIfurniture); and Biljana Vidojevic (Cylindo).

How have their businesses fared this year? What new services have they introduced, who are they working with, and what’s the likely future for CGI marketing in the furniture sector?

Finally, a question for our readers – can you tell their visualisations apart from authentic photography?

CGI by The Virtual Works

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 27

Q&A

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED DEMAND FOR YOUR SERVICES? CGI by Cylindo

Paul Galley: I think we were in the same boat as everyone else in March.

We furloughed the team, and I felt completely powerless. Thankfully, we were all working again by June, and since then we’ve been busier than ever.

Rob Walker: The virus has had a huge impact on us all and is changing the way we live. Online sales have accelerated exponentially during this bleak period, which has created a greater need for a digital presence.

Many businesses previously viewed CGI as a great asset, but a big step.

Those views have changed hugely – “we can’t afford to be without them” is now the norm, and our workload and production is increasing week on week.

Paul Stott: With more people seeing what we do, we’ve seen a massive increase in demand for our services this year anyway – but the pandemic has certainly helped that growth, no question. Online has come into its own since the lockdown, and people are really hungry for imagery.

Neil Buckley-Jensen: When lockdown occurred, everything stopped, and it became the right time to launch our CGI business – as a backup income source, and because buyers needed direction. Through CGI, product design and development had gone virtual – that the exhibitions were cancelled didn’t matter, as we created visualisations for clients based on what they wanted to buy (rather than them trawling the halls for something that might suit their tastes).

Ana Wayne: Demand for our 3D modelling and rendering services definitely grew since the beginning of the pandemic. As furniture brands continue to sell their products online, they still need fresh images for their catalogues, ecommerce listings and social media, and outsourcing 3D

ONLINE HAS COME INTO ITS OWN SINCE THE LOCKDOWN, AND PEOPLE ARE REALLY HUNGRY FOR IMAGERY visualisation is the perfect solution – I think it’s only natural that more businesses became interested in our services.

Biljana Vidojevic: Covid-19 has forced furniture companies to reinvent their digital experience and reconcile the gap between rich physical merchandising and an anaemic online presence, and we’re witnessing a surge in demand for consultations.

Furniture companies have realised that ecommerce is here to stay, and now is the time to take action and prepare for the future of online shopping

28

PRODUCTS CGI MARKETING

Q&A

HOW HAS YOUR OFFERING EVOLVED THIS YEAR? Paul Stott: We are being asked for more 360° rotating images of our photorealistic images, including bigger items such as bed frames, and bisections of the mattress work we do, showing the fillings.

CGI by Orbital Vision

Ana Wayne: We’re always looking for ways to improve the quality of our services and provide a better customer experience. For example, we recently added a personal library section to our CRM platform. It contains 3D models, lifestyle scenes and materials from the client’s previous projects. Now our clients can quickly find those assets in one place when they need them for a new project.

Biljana Vidojevic: This year, we’ve extended our platform, and on top of our Product Viewer and Web-AR solution, we added a new solution for retailers and DTC brands. Cylindo Create allows digital content managers and ecommerce specialists to manipulate and get beautiful product visuals with ease, and use them across multiple marketing touchpoints. And, with the improved Content API functionality, they can use 3D content for add-tocart thumbnails, PDF spec sheets and product listing pages. Besides this, we want to encourage companies to measure the success of their 360° and AR experiences, so the latest version of the Viewer lets users seamlessly integrate with Google Analytics and get all the relevant insights in one place.

WE DON’T WANT SHOPPERS LEAVING OUR CUSTOMERS’ WEBSITES TO DOWNLOAD AN APP

Paul Galley: We are really keen to make the CGI offer a complete package, so someone shopping online can get a really good feel for the product they’re buying – so we’ve invested a lot of time and resource into developing an appfree AR service. Now, a shopper can view a product on their phone or tablet, spin and rotate it to see any angle and then place it into their home by simply pressing the AR button – we don’t

want shoppers leaving our customers’ websites to download an app.

Rob Walker: Walking though our studio, sometimes I can’t tell the reference images supplied by clients from things we‘ve rendered! This year, we’ve found ourselves providing a lot more CGI video content – animation for social media and websites (once we’ve built products and roomsets in 3D, making realistic animation is the easy part). Then there’s our CGI fabrics. No-one does CGI fabrics better (in our humble opinion) – as an agency who deal exclusively with the furniture industry, it’s the area where we focus most of our attention, and one of the hardest things to build realistically in CGI – so, along with some top-secret tech to make our fabrics look and act like the real thing, we’ve even started adding tiny fibres to the surface of every fabric we make. They look so real you can almost feel them. Finally, we’re busy with digital sales presenters. We’ve always offered marketing, branding and design services, but we recently designed a digital sales package that’s available for any of our clients. With sales reps unable to travel the country for face-to-face meetings, we put all sales assets in one branded presenter, to make Zoom meetings the ultimate sales pitches.

Neil Buckley-Jensen: As a furniture designer and manufacturer, I recognised the need to get more ‘techie’ as the Zoom boom exploded. Our furniture offering started to include rendering and CGI visualisations, and I recognised the success and potential of CGI. After lockdown, we set the infrastructure up in record time, and we’re hearing from customers that ours is the best offering available. We’re different to most CGI companies, in that we’re furniture specialists. We don’t render a motorbike on Monday, a set of earphones on Tuesday … interiors (and in particular furniture) are our core business

29

FUTURE VISION CGI by Orbital Vision

Orbital Vision is a creative agency based in the UK’s centre of quality upholstery manufacture, Long Eaton. Working with national and international manufacturers and retailers, Orbital Vision specialises in CGI interiors, and is best known for its work with fabrics – having spent three years learning how to build 3D fabrics to a photorealistic standard, the agency is renowned for the level of realism it offers … www.orbital.vision

CGI by Orbital Vision

IT’S A CYCLICAL NETWORK, WITH TIME- AND COSTSAVING BENEFITS AT EVERY STEP OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

The devastating effects of Covid-19 on the furniture industry have been widely discussed over the past 10 months, but the sudden global change has started to push a large number of manufacturers, suppliers and retailers into a more tech-forward way of selling, states Orbital.

In 2020, as a furniture manufacturer, it is often the case that selling into a retailer means that, along with physical products, it is also expected to provide 3D assets that will be compatible with the retailer’s website – “and, in many cases, if these assets aren’t available, the retailer will do the work themselves and send a very large invoice”, says Orbital’s MD, Rob Walker.

Based opposite Harrington Mills, the heart of the biannual Long Point exhibition, the agency spent its time in lockdown working on something to make CGI even more accessible and simple for its clients – an impressive shared library of assets is emerging, that is increasing introductions and sales between suppliers, manufacturers

and retailers, and slashing the costs of CGI projects, says Rob. Orbital, Warwick Fabrics and Tamarisk Designs have formed a working alliance which exemplifies the benefits of this tech-driven solution. By making 3D furniture, fabric and lifestyle shots available to share between clients, a never-before-seen approach has transpired, says Rob: “In simple terms, any manufacturer who buys Warwick fabrics now has access to a huge library of digital fabrics, removing the time and hassle of creating it themselves.

“The second huge value that a manufacturer gains is having their own products built in CGI for their retailers to use in their own marketing – at a quarter of the cost of working on the project from scratch. It’s a cyclical network, with time- and cost-saving benefits at every step of the supply chain.”

Over the next five pages, find out how Warwick Fabrics and Tamarisk Designs are seizing the opportunity by having CGI sell their products for them …

CGI UN REA L C REAT IVES

www.orbital.vision

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info@orbital.vision

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01332 552 212

Supplying fabrics for 30 years, for domestic and commercial interiors.

Warwick Fabrics are at the forefront of fabric sales in the UK, and it undoubtedly rooted in their adaptation in technology over the past two years. And namely, their partnership with CGI agency, Orbital Vision.

Before venturing into the world of CGI fabrics, Warwick were lacking sales tools on their website. For each collection, they could only show one fabric on a product, and on their collection pages, were only able to show a single flatshot for every colourway in a range. Any customer visiting the site would have a limited idea on the texture and sheen of a fabric. If you look at Warwick’s Website today, you can see every fabric in a collection as a flatshot, a close up wave shot and on a product. The only thing a customer can’t gauge from Warwick’s website, is how the fabric feels.

The furniture industry is seeing somewhat of a revolution in technology, with Covid -19 restrictions only accelerating this move into CGI. Warwick Fabrics, being ahead of the curve, already have their entire catalogue converted into 3D assets.

Aside from making their website more of a successful sales tool, Warwick have taken advantage of the 3D imagery that is improving their marketing, to also lure sales from manufacturers. Purely by having 3D assets available to customers.

Any furniture Manufacturer now has easy access to ready-built Warwick fabrics for their CGI lifestyle shots and cut-outs.

For any manufacturer who has been through the process of 3D, will know the amount of time it takes to get a CGI fabric looking completely photorealistic.

Warwick has taken the time and hassle out of the CGI process for manufacturers using CGI Imagery.

Using CGI has completely transformed our business model. Not only increasing sales, but improving our branding and making real success of a website we had heavily invested in. Not to mention the networking opportunities once our

“

“

products were visualised in 3D. We have had countless manufacturers approach us to use our ready-made 3D fabrics.

Amatheon - The tiny fibres really

Comfy - Those intricate details do

Scribble - This level of sheen and

bring the fabric to life!

not disappear, even after zooming in

detail would not be possible from flatshot photography

CGI UN REA L C REAT IVES

www.orbital.vision

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info@orbital.vision

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01332 552 212

Tamarisk Designs may describe themselves as a small specialist furniture company based in the Cotswolds, but their name precedes them. The company is well-known by retailers and manufacturers in the trade for their quality designs and personal touch.

Knowing the benefits to retailer sales, Tamarisk got in touch with Orbital to build their catalogue of products in CGI. Partnering up with Warwick, Tamarisk were able to receive rendered imagery that looked like photography, but without the pain of building fabrics.

The Chilson range, including the supersize, super comfy, luxury corner unit (opposite) has been launched in a number of Warwick fabrics. By using a shared CGI agency, Orbital Vision, Tamarisk had access to a simple process of lifestyle imagery creation. Not only did the manufacturer not have to think about photoshoots under social distancing restrictions, but they also had access to a library of ready-made Warwick fabrics in CGI.

Tamarisk have seized the opportunity to capitalise on the 3D assets they’ve gained to become a more favourable supplier to retailers.

Any retailer that buys Tamarisk products, can use ready-made models, and lifestyle shots that Tamarisk have taken the time and money to create. More than this, independent retailers can restyle any of Tamarisk’s studio shots to align with their own branding. When you buy a Tamarisk sofa, you get a package of web-ready assets that are unique to your brand.

CGI is a new realm for us, but we can already see the invaluable benefits this is going to have on our sales and relationships with both retailers and suppliers.

“

“

Not to mention, the CGI imagery we have been receiving looks better than the results of our location shoots last year!

- David Archibald, Tamarisk Designs

Adding a strong depth of field

The level of realism isn’t just down

Every little detail is fine tuned to

makes any CGI render look like real

to the CGI but also Orbital’s camera

really bring these shots to life

photography

work skills

34

PRODUCTS CGI MARKETING

WITNESS FURNITURE’S FUTURE AT LONG POINT With the decline of trade shows in 2020, there are high hopes for those planned for 2021. Product launches that were previously online-only affairs will come to life at Long Eaton’s Long Point exhibition from 21st-24th February, where Orbital Vision will showcase its new industry alliance … www.orbital.vision www.warwick.co.uk www.tamariskdesigns.co.uk

With participating showrooms spread across the manufacturing town, Long Point promises to enable social distancing, which should ease any apprehension visitors might feel – yet there is more reason than ever to attend the show’s next edition, says Orbital Vision’s Rob Walker.

“For the first time ever, Long Point will see three of the biggest names in the trade join forces to educate the masses on the benefits of CGI,” he says, “offering accessible, affordable and photorealistic 3D imagery, by working with suppliers – not only through physical products, but with virtual ones, too.”

This strategy is set to change the face of how furniture is marketed and sold online, says Rob, who calls it an opportunity retailers, suppliers and manufacturers will not want to miss.

Orbital’s studio, at Westend Mills on Leopold Street, is situated opposite Harrington Mills, so, during the four show days, visitors will be able to join Warwick, Tamarisk Designs and Orbital Vision at the latter’s CGI studio. Buyers wishing to see newly launched products by Warwick and Tamarisk will also discover advice, talks and demonstrations from all three companies, describing how they are working together to provide ready-made CGI for manufacturers and retailers.

Rob concludes: “Visit The Exchange during Long Point to see new product launches, hear about how you can transform your marketing assets, and maybe even get treated to a little lunch while you’re there!”

Call Orbital on 01332 552212 to find out more

CGI by Orbital Vision

LONG POINT WILL SEE THREE OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN THE TRADE JOIN FORCES TO EDUCATE THE MASSES ON THE BENEFITS OF CGI

35

Q&A

CAN YOU OFFER AN EXAMPLE OF A CLIENT YOU’VE WORKED PARTICULARLY WELL WITH? Paul Galley: We’ve been working with Frank Olsen for several years, and they have fully adopted CGI. This has meant they can offer high-quality images, and standardise that imagery across the web.

We have made roomsets, cameos and cut-outs for all of their products, and are now testing video and AR with their clients.

Biljana Vidojevic: The partnership between Heal’s and Cylindo started from a simple problem they were trying to solve – rendering products in all the available fabrics. The 360 HD Viewer (360° photorealistic sofas) on Heal’s website has delivered incredible results – in terms of Heal’s growth, sofas have been the best-performing category in the last couple of years. Today, Heal’s is also using additional platform solutions including web-native AR and Cylindo Create, and they are looking forward to embracing our new Room Scenes.

Paul Stott: Mattress Online gave us an opportunity to show what we could do in September 2019, and since then we’ve been heavily involved in creating images for their own-brand offerings, and more.

Recently, we started doing the mattress bisections, which show the fillings of each model – it’s certainly easier to rip open a CAD model than to photograph the insides of an actual mattress!

Rob Walker: Warwick Fabrics – Orbital have developed Warwick’s fabric ranges

CGI by CGIfurniture

Neil Buckley-Jensen: We have distributors across the globe. In New Zealand, our distributor has used our CGI images to sell full containers before they even leave the factory, using our imagery in mailshots, PR and sales concepts.

Some customers use it to gauge opinion, make amendments and have everything approved before they even place an order.

THE 360 HD VIEWER ON HEAL’S WEBSITE HAS DELIVERED INCREDIBLE RESULTS into digital assets for their website.

You can now see every colour in every room on every product, giving the user a realistic representation of the fabric, rather than a flat, square shot with no context. We’ve also created motion video and online galleries, and set up filming (not CGI, for once!) for Warwick’s sales team’s presentations. All of this is encompassed within sales presenters, epitomising the whole digital process.

Ana Wayne: This year, we had a great collaboration with Dorel Industries, a big Canadian furniture manufacturer. We created a series of product images on monochrome backgrounds for them, as well as a variety of atmospheric lifestyles.

Their brand has several subdivisions, each with its own distinct visual identity, and it was a pleasure to create CGI that conveys their values and aesthetics

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Q&A

WHAT IS THE LIKELY FUTURE FOR THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN FURNITURE MARKETING?

CGI by Chilli Pepper Designs

DOORS WILL JUST KEEP OPENING AS TECH EVOLVES

Ana Wayne: The furniture industry already relies on technology quite heavily when it comes to ecommerce and online marketing. The thing is, customers hesitate a lot when shopping for furniture online. It’s expensive, bulky, difficult to ship. And it’s so easy to make the wrong choice and end up with a piece that doesn’t fit. That’s why many brands have AR apps, and some are beginning to use VR as well. It’s all about bringing the store experience home.

We believe this trend will continue to develop, and we’ll see more powerful AR apps with better visuals in the years to come. At the same time, physical stores might actually get smaller due to the

use of in-store VR and digital catalogues.

We expect product configurators to become more popular for online sales and, of course, we’re certain that more brands will use CGI in their marketing – especially as working remotely is becoming the new norm.

Paul Stott: As far as CGI is concerned, I can only see demand increasing.

It’s already much higher for the fast turnaround of good-quality, affordable images, with alternate finishes, and CGI is already the building block for more advanced applications, such as AR and VR. Paul Galley: Technology will transform marketing. Until recently, the CAD model that was used to design a product became redundant when production began. Now, that same model can support our clients’ digital marketing. From AR and VR to roomset images, cameo shots, cut-outs, 360° rotating images, web configurators, video animations and 3D assembly instructions – it all begins with that 3D model. I truly believe AR will transform the internet – until now, it has largely been about scrolling images and video, but soon it will be an interactive experience.

Biljana Vidojevic: According to Gartner’s latest Hype Cycle for Digital Commerce, one of the technologies that organisations need to pay close attention to is visual configuration, as it will have the biggest impact within the next five years. This means that more and more companies will use 3D product visualisation in the coming years. To keep their competitive advantage, furniture companies should look for vendors with complete platform solutions that go beyond basic product visualisation and focus on versatile

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 37 content creation for engaging online experiences – that’s the best way to stand out from the crowd and prepare for the future of furniture ecommerce.

Neil Buckley-Jensen: Where to start?!

Aside from the growth of ecommerce buying, and visualisations built into retailers’ websites (people don’t have to leave home to see the furniture in a shop, which was a big taboo in the not-so-distant past!), AR is changing the way we shop – you can browse and shop online, and see how it will look in your home, helping you pick the best match. Then there’s VR. Customers want a more personal experience, so innovations such as VR goggles (the world’s first self-contained holographic computer that enables you to engage with digital content and interact with holograms in the world around you) could change the way we buy furniture forever. You’ll be able to visualise a holographic piece of furniture in your actual space, then walk around it, using your hands to stretch or shrink it, or move it. I believe online selling and promotional platforms will evolve, through mobile-friendly websites, social

media and multichannel strategies, backed up by attractive digital marketing concepts, targeted at individual tastes.

Finally, I think there’s a future for furniture exhibition imaging, where inspiration and planning take place on large touchscreens, and selected images and lifestyle schemes can be beamed onto walls or screens using projectors. This will give wouldbe exhibitors a life-sized, spatial impression of the planned layout – and the technology could also be used in stores and online. The added benefit of all these evolving technologies is their carbon-free output, and the savings made on logistics and printing.

Rob Walker: Doors will just keep opening as tech evolves – as your mobile device scans your room and 3D objects become interactive, the way you shop will change. Amazon and Google won’t just sit at the top of your web browser – they’ll integrate with your 3D ‘virtual choices’. VR and AR will become the normal way of shopping, and the key driver in the sales and decision process.

And the starting point for it all is getting your product built as a 3D object

FURNITURE COMPANIES SHOULD LOOK FOR VENDORS THAT GO BEYOND BASIC PRODUCT VISUALISATION

CGI by Symmetry CGI

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THE COMPLETE WORKS Sofa roomset for Furnico (CGI by The Virtual Works)

These are testing times for businesses requiring images to promote or advertise their new collections. With some photographic studios suffering staffing restrictions due to the pandemic, never has the time been more right for businesses to look at using CGI – after all, new challenges require alternative solutions, says Paul Stott, owner of The Virtual Works …

With the improvements in CAD and software technology advancing at a lightning pace, the quality of CGI has never been as photorealistic or accessible as it is today – and particularly so if the company offering this service has furniture design and manufacturing origins, says Paul Stott, founder of The Virtual Works.

Paul’s business specialises in furniture CGI, and its work is informed

by Paul’s extensive background in the furniture design and manufacturing.

Paul says he has tapped into new technology to create truly lifelike photorealistic interiors, which feature detailed furniture products in 4k and 5k resolution for the first time – whether that’s a deep quilted mattress or a velvet sofa.

“We’ve already impressed many clients who perhaps didn’t realise the extent of what could be achieved,” says Paul, who emphasises the cost-saving adaptability of CGI versus professional photoshoots incorporating photographers, set builders and stylists.

It is also a time saver, and offers benefits such as no transportation costs, which in itself results in a lower carbon footprint.

“This service will save manufacturers thousands of pounds in professional

Etienne bedside cabinet for Willis & Gambier (CGI by The Virtual Works)

Paul Stott

www.thevirtualworks.co.uk

photoshoot costs, as well as being a time saver,” says Paul. “CGI also allows a wider variety of images to be produced, which is critical in these days of picture-hungry websites and social media platforms.

“Once a model has been created and the roomset defined, the possibilities are way beyond that of a normal photographic shoot. Changing the colour of a sofa fabric or the textile itself is now a simple computerised step.

Room setups and layouts can all be changed and recreated easily and costeffectively.”

39

Semi-dressed mattress shot for Millbrook Beds (CGI by The Virtual Works)

Cobalt velvet winged bed frame interior for Portabello Interiors (CGI by The Virtual Works)

But what exactly is required to produce an image? “This is CGI’s big advantage, in that we don’t need a physical sample,” Paul explains. “We can work from something as basic as a sketch, some sizes and a fabric/ wood finish sample. However, most of our work is carried out from camera phone shots of a prototype in a factory or showroom, along with any fabric or wood finishes. We then add the magic and turn this into a full photorealistic product, set in a lavish interior.

“One wholesale company who have always used my design services tapped into the fact I now run a CGI company, and now, as well as creating the new designs and working drawings, I’m able to produce their complete marketing images – all before a stick of furniture has been produced or shipped.

“My understanding of furniture proportions, ergonomic dimensions and other technical aspects which affect how a product appears is crucial in creating realistic images. Knowing how a particular woodgrain or a certain stitch in a sofa would work is the detail which lifts a CGI image from good to outstandingly lifelike.”

The Virtual Works’ services range from simple cut-out images to full lifestyle roomsets. “360° rotating product shots are also increasingly in

demand, and can be achieved easily with CGI even for larger items like bed frames,” says Paul.

“Everything we do is digital, which makes it simpler to link into other emerging app technology such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual

reality (VR) goggles.”

For more information or to see more examples of what can be achieved, visit The Virtual Works website, or call 01756 700083/email info@ thevirtualworks.co.uk for a quote or pricing guidance

KNOWING HOW A PARTICULAR WOODGRAIN WOULD WORK IS THE DETAIL WHICH LIFTS A CGI IMAGE FROM GOOD TO OUTSTANDINGLY LIFELIKE

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HOT LEADS Kitchen diner (CGI by Chilli Pepper Designs)

When lockdown struck and his product imagery ran dry, Indesign Furniture’s Neil Buckley-Jensen responded with typical vigour, pivoting his furniture design and manufacturing operation to encompass CGI marketing services.

Seven months on, and Chilli Pepper Designs is already one of the best in the business, writes Paul Farley …. www.chillipepperdesigns.co.uk

Neil Buckley-Jensen

There’s plenty of reasons to embrace digital product visualisation. It gives sellers unparalleled flexibility in how they present their goods online, and it can prove cheaper than traditional photography in the long-term.

But with an entire industry confronted with massive supply chain disruption, CGI marketing’s most valuable ability has truly come to the fore.

“You can lose weeks on a photo shoot,” says Neil, speaking to Furniture News from his office in Bexhill, East Sussex. “That’s not to mention the time spent travelling to factories, developing prototypes, inspecting them, making the product, shipping it, promoting it to the trade and displaying it in-store, all the while fretting about how popular it’ll prove. In all, you could be waiting 6- 9 months just hoping something works.”

CGI enables suppliers to leapfrog the back-and-forth associated with traditional product development. With Chilli Pepper Designs, new products can be visualised, tweaked and run past

Raven (CGI by Chilli Pepper Designs)

THIS YEAR’S BEEN A PERFECT STORM FOR CGI

key stakeholders in a matter of days, while – or even before – they are being made. With material supplies, shipping, exhibitions and bricks-and-mortar retail all smarting from the Covid-19 effect, CGI is a powerful antidote right now, says Neil.

“I can’t think of a better scenario for buyers,” he notes. “They can buy what they want to – not what the wholesaler tells them they should – and save time and money.

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 41

Honeycomb (CGI by Chilli Pepper Designs)

Halifax (CGI by Chilli Pepper Designs)

Master bedroom (CGI by Chilli Pepper Designs)

“Right now, people are looking for pipeline products, and our technology offers a bridge from concept to sample creation in less than two weeks, without the costs (and carbon footprint) usually associated with the development of new ranges.”

Neil brings extensive industry experience to the mix, having managed his own cabinet brand, Little Tree Furniture (Indian-manufactured reclaimed furniture, stocked exclusively in the UK by Baker and Barker & Stonehouse) since 2013. While reaching out to overseas prospects with a new contemporary division, Zephyr Furniture, Neil discovered that buyers were increasingly willing to place orders based on high-quality product renders alone – so he began exploring CGI as a way to circumvent his own in-house roadblocks. Consequently, nationwide lockdown sharpened his focus.

“An international Covid-19 frenzy, desperate customers and factory closures – as well as my own photographic frustrations, after trying CGI in China and Eastern Europe and constantly being let down, one way or another – finally made me wake up to the solution, and Chilli Pepper Designs was born,” Neil says.

“We were up and running in record time, and are now serving customers around the world.

“Factor in that it suddenly seems to have become normal to buy furniture online, and it’s been a perfect storm for CGI.” Neil explains that, while young, his business already offers a service that’s head-and-shoulders above many of its contemporaries.

“With Chilli Pepper Designs, it’s not a supplier/buyer scenario with our customers, it’s more of a partnership,” he says. “Being a furniture manufacturer myself, I understand the design side of things, carpentry, in-store displays, etc – and I get what the customer wants, in terms of trends, style and build.

“I’ve seen that furniture can be sold on the strength of renders. Throw CGI into the mix, send some swatches in the mail, and it’s a done deal.”

Neil also explains that while some of his competitors are content to sell a handful of images set against stock backgrounds, his studio takes a more

architectural approach, simulating entire rooms to give clients a wider choice of perspectives, enabling them to choose the angles that best suit their needs.

“What you need to sell furniture is pictures,” Neil concludes, “and we’re a specialist furniture company that knows how to create these images based on briefs, specs, and a good deal of industry experience.

“When I launched Little Tree Furniture, that eco-conscious brand went against the grain – but Chilli Pepper Designs is on another level.

CGI marketing is, without a doubt, the future”

FURNITURE CAN BE SOLD ON THE STRENGTH OF RENDERS. THROW CGI INTO THE MIX, AND IT’S A DONE DEAL

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PRODUCTS CGI MARKETING Carlton Furniture (CGI by Symmetry CGI)

SEEING THINGS DIFFERENTLY The rapid evolution of CGI, Augmented Reality (AR) and other technologies continues to excite the team at Symmetry CGI, which has taken huge steps forward this year despite the obstacles, explains the company’s MD, Paul Galley … www.symmetry-cgi.co.uk

As early as January, before the impact of Covid-19, it was clear 2020 would prove a breakthrough year for Symmetry, says Paul. At the January Furniture Show, Symmetry presented its new AR app, which garnered an “amazing” response.

“It became clear that AR is extremely versatile,” says Paul. “After the show, I was excited to return to the office with my team, and get to work for our current and soon-to-be new customers.”

At this stage, Symmetry was ready to fill a sizeable order pipeline with CGI imagery and AR, and Paul and his associates set about following up on their conversations with existing and prospective customers.

And then the pandemic hit.

“By the time the pandemic was established and lockdown was implemented, I took the upsetting

decision to furlough my team,” Paul reflects. “It was a time of great uncertainty, and I wondered whether it was possible to carry on with the business. But, not being one to give up, I decided to fight! I picked up the phone, had conversations, checked in on contacts, emailed to see how people were managing, and generally kept at it.”

As the phrase ‘new normal’ became more prevalent, Symmetry began to see business pick up, as its customers’ confidence in the supply chain grew.

“It’s been interesting to understand how much online sales have continued or increased since March,” says Paul, “and how AR can take virtual sales even further.”

AR enables customers to get even closer to making their purchase decision, Paul explains: “Take, for example, an occasional chair – they can

43 Kettle Interiors (CGI by Symmetry CGI)

SYMMETRY’S AR MODELS CAN NOW BE EMBEDDED INTO YOUR WEBSITE, AND CONSUMERS CAN VIEW YOUR PRODUCTS WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR WEBPAGE

Nathan Furniture (CGI by Symmetry CGI)

use AR to see how it fits into their room, and achieve a better understanding of the product. When people are uncomfortable shopping in person and visiting stores, AR allows the customer to assess how a piece fits into their home, with their surroundings. It gives customers more confidence to make a purchase after seeing a product’s size, style and colour in the context of their own space.”

However, some AR providers do suffer from “a bit of a glitch”, says Paul – most users need to download an app to use the AR facility, “and it’s very clunky as a user experience. You need to leave the web page you’re on, go to your app store, download the AR app, and then you’re able to use it.”

Symmetry felt that this was too much of a distraction, so worked to eliminate the need for an app. “If a customer is

debating whether or not to purchase, you risk losing them along the way,” says Paul. “But now, Symmetry’s AR models can be embedded into your website, and consumers can view your products on a phone or tablet, without leaving your webpage – it’s a huge leap forward.

“There’s no downside to AR. Even when viewed on a computer, AR offers a great 3D model that users can rotate and zoom into.”

It is little surprise, then, that Symmetry’s focus for the coming year remains AR. “Our customers usually commission AR as part of a package of other services – roomsets, montage, cut-outs, etc.,” says Paul. “You can see suggested packages on our new website.”

As 2020 draws to a close and 2021 nears, Paul is again excited when he thinks about what the future might bring. “I’m eternally grateful to have weathered the storm that has been 2020,” he says, “and the team is looking forward to moving into new offices in January.”

To keep up with demand, Paul has recruited three new team members to strengthen Symmetry’s skillset – one with a background in graphic design and illustration, a second with technical modelling, and the third a business manager, who will support Paul’s plans for growth. There is also a recruitment process currently under way for another team member to join Symmetry in January.

“To understand how AR can support you, please contact info@symmetry-cgi. co.uk,” Paul concludes

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TEN STEPS TO FUTURE FITNESS The pandemic may have caught many furniture businesses off guard, but it’s not too late to adapt to the ecommerce demands of tomorrow’s shopper, writes Cylindo’s Biljana Vidojevic …

THOSE THAT WERE DELAYING THEIR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION EFFORTS HAVE BEEN CAUGHT FLAT-FOOTED

BY BILJANA VIDOJEVIC www.cylindo.com

This year has been a wild ride. While in the beginning many companies thought they could get away with an ostrich approach and pretend nothing happened, now everyone is aware that the world is changing. It’s time to recognise the impact of Covid-19 and think through the long-term implications.

For furniture businesses, there were two scenarios. Companies that were ready to move online managed to buffer the initial shock, and adjust their business strategy. Unfortunately, those that were delaying their digital transformation efforts have been caught flat-footed, without the ability to deliver a positive digital experience.

It’s not called ‘survival of the fittest’ for no reason – no matter how big and successful one company is, only those who can adjust to the environment are going to survive.

Luckily, there’s always a silver lining.

The pandemic has forced companies to pivot, and this will also future-proof their businesses. Now is the time to think about the strategies that will strengthen your business in the new era of furniture ecommerce. Here’s some food for thought – 10 tactics that will help you embark on your path to growth …

1. An engaging online shopping experience will future-proof your business We’re witnessing a seismic shift in ecommerce. Traditional buyers who, in the past, had some hesitation to make purchases digitally, have become firsttime online buyers during the pandemic.

According to Paysafe’s research report, Lost in Transaction: The impact of Covid-19 on consumer payment preferences’, 18% of all consumers have made an online purchase for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic (this increases to 25% in the US and 21% in the UK).

A good starting point to understand your product pages’ performance and

make improvements (if needed) is to check some main indicators that can give you a clear picture of your user experience – analyse traffic, time on site, conversion rate, page load speed, etc.

2. Designing a product page that turns visitors into customers After diagnosing the performance of your product pages, you’ll be able to define a plan for improving the overall online shopping experience. Even though the process of creating an engaging online shopping experience can seem daunting, start with the basics and go from there: • Focus on creating high-quality visuals.

Furniture is an incredibly visual industry, so having top-notch product visuals is a prerequisite for more online sales.

• Enable product customisation. Help customers display the right product from the large number of possible product variants intuitively, easily, quickly and to order, directly according to their individual requirements.

• Add product recommendations – these allow customers to find relevant products quickly and easily, by generating personalised offers based on their browsing and purchasing behaviour.

• Leverage reviews. Customers today are constantly looking for unbiased feedback to help them decide whether they should buy a product. Product ratings and reviews have become major decisionmaking factors – and especially so for big-ticket purchases.

• Create a seamless checkout experience. Give customers the chance to choose between registering and a guest checkout, and encourage them to give you their personal information by offering an incentive or a personalised experience.

READ MORE AT WWW.FURNITURENEWS.NET 45 3. Bridging the online-offline gap with product visualisation For many products, particularly furniture, shoppers want to scrutinise the goods before making a purchasing decision. Replicating the sensation of the rich texture, soft cushions, and the overall in-store experience in furniture ecommerce is difficult — but not impossible. Here’s where product visualisation comes in handy: • Google’s metrics have shown that consumers interact with 360° spin four times longer than with conventional product photos alone. With 360° views, you can encourage customers to make an online purchase, or inspire a showroom visit.

• Augmented reality (AR) is set to disrupt the furniture industry, as using this technology can reduce customer hesitation in purchasing due to uncertainty. AR, especially in furniture, is probably the closest to magic we’ve seen this decade. Data from Interior Define shows that customers that engage with AR are eight times more likely to convert than customers that choose not to.

• Virtual consultation with 3D product visualisation – the retail apocalypse that happened due to the coronavirus outbreak has forced furniture companies to find new ways to engage with customers and recreate the instore experience. The combination of virtual consultation with 3D product visualisation can revolutionise online furniture sales.

4. Redefined in-store experience and a sneak peek at the store of the future No matter how many customers turn to online shopping, stores will still exist – in a different format. So, it looks like the outbreak has accelerated the digital transformation in furniture retail and prompted retailers to reimagine the instore experience.

The store of the future will be smaller, so the biggest challenge for retailers in the not-so-distant future will be in transforming to an experiential store through technology. The concept of offering customers an appointment to get their full attention, and leverage technology to help them make a purchasing decision, is something we might see in the near future.

5. Mobile is more important than ever Mobile is an inevitable part of the way consumers shop nowadays, from browsing and research to comparison and purchase. Data from Google Shopping Insights shows that 72% of searches in the furniture category from January to August 2020 came from mobile devices.

Prioritising mobile will pay dividends in the long run. Back in 2016, Google confirmed that more than 50% of all web traffic was coming from smartphones and tablets, so it’s no surprise that they have shifted indexing from desktop to mobile-first. This is one more reason to pay extra attention when optimising for mobile to ensure that visitors who open your site from their mobile device have a great experience.

6. Towards a diversified supply chain Furniture brands have learned the hard way that they need to diversify their supply chains. Retailers, on the other hand, realised they need a wider product portfolio, from different brands.

McKinsey predicted that, by 2020, 80% of goods would be manufactured in a country different from where they are consumed. Supply chains are becoming more global, and companies pursuing growth will need to think about dealing with the supply chain complexity.

7. Flexible fulfilment options will lead to customer satisfaction Last-mile delivery is the most important element of the supply chain business.

By 2021, 90% of retailers are expected to offer BOPIS (buy online, pay in-store), according to Digital Commerce 360.

In September, Google updated its Shopping results on Google Search to help consumers find local businesses and check for curbside and in-store pickup services. It’s now easier for customers to see what’s in stores near them before committing to going in-person, with a map view and list of stores in their area.

Besides this, consider working with a third-party logistics (3PL) partner, as it comes in very handy if your order volume spikes and you still need to fulfil orders in a timely manner.

8. Managing returns in the right way can be a game-changer SaleCycle data shows that, on average, 25% of all ecommerce purchases are sent back. And, if a retailer charges too

much (or at all), 57% of millennials will bail on future business.

When it comes to furniture ecommerce, returns can significantly impact your business. Before figuring out how to deal with returns, make sure to prevent them with high-quality product visualisation, so customers will know exactly what to expect. Besides this, make sure to have a clear return policy, offer flexibility and easy refunds, to encourage customers to shop online.

9. Flexible and contactless payments become the norm The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of ‘contactless’ technologies. Mobile transactions are replacing cash, cheques and credit cards as people avoid exchanging paper currency or touching screens to complete transactions. First, it was for safety reasons. Now, it’s slowly becoming more of a behavioural shift because of its convenience.

PayPal reported that 34% of retailers selling in stores are implementing mobile payment options such as PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Wallet and Samsung Pay. In the first two months of the pandemic, 30% of consumers made mobile wallet transactions for the first time. Another trend – buy now, pay later – is making its way into the home industry, as more retailers offer this possibility for their customers.

10. Stand out from the crowd with mindful communication According to GlobalWebIndex, the average number of social media accounts per internet user globally has risen from 7.6 in 2017 to 8.1 in 2020, with the average time spent increasing from 2hrs 15mins to 2hrs 22mins. However, as they are spending more time on social media, consumers are becoming averse to aggressive ads.

Showing customers you care, and that you’ve taken all the necessary steps to make them feel welcome and safe in your stores – or through initiatives that will make their online shopping easier – are much more valuable than shiny ads without real value behind them.

Changes and challenges come in waves. The key is learning to be buoyant. Learn to ride the waves. Take actions today that will future-proof your business and prepare you for the future of furniture ecommerce

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SIGN OF THE TIMES 2021 will be tough, warns awardwinning signage specialist Graffiti Design – so having the right brand identity is more important than ever … www.graffitidesign.co.uk

+300%

Internal signage at Loaf

The increase in ROI per ft2 of store that retailers can see after investing in signage, according to Graffiti Designs

If you think signs are outdated, think again, says Graffiti Design, which has manufactured signs and retail displays for some of the biggest names on the high street since 1976.

“We’ve pulled start-ups from digital concepts to full-blown physical stores,” says a company spokesperson.

“The importance of internal and integrated signage for retailers can scarcely be overstated. Design-focused retail businesses with great signage can expect a +300% ROI increase per ft2 of space than businesses that don’t invest enough in signage frequency, viewing pleasure or integration.

“Start with knowing what your audience will be doing. When your audience sees your shop signs, will they be moving? Will they be touching it, sitting down, looking up, or waiting at a PoS? Size matters – as does placement.”

Graffiti Designs also believes that

branding (and rebranding) is crucial to the success of any business, and the branding process starts with looks.

“You need to have a clear idea of your market needs, your brand image, and the message you wish to communicate.

A graphic designer can create a logo that will appeal to your target audience, but it’s important to have an end ‘look’ and ‘feel’ to aim for in your design so you can guide them. If your brand needs refreshing, do it before 2021 knocks at the door!”

Graffiti Designs’ services include concept, bespoke, design, customised production, and tailored installation and maintenance. All products are manufactured in-house, meaning complete control over costs, timescales and, most importantly, quality – ensuring every customer stands out from the crowd in style, and at the right price

IF YOUR BRAND NEEDS REFRESHING, DO IT BEFORE 2021 KNOCKS AT THE DOOR!

Whether you need external store signs or a full re-brand, no job is too big or too small. Our team of experts provide end-to-end services with bespoke solutions.

WE TAKE CARE OF: • Signage Design • Business Re-Brand • Sign Manufacturing for Retail, Corporate and Leisure Businesses • Project Management • Installation • Maintenance Graffiti Design manufacture, design and install signs for high street retailers, restaurants, pubs, estate agents, online concept stores, museums, heritage projects, leisure centres, corporate organisations and more.

“Our service quite simply does not get beaten!”

Contact us 01435 866763 sales@graffitidesign.co.uk www.instagram.com/graffitisigns www.facebook.com/GraffitiSigns www.linkedin.com/company/graffiti-design-international

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TRIAL BY FIRE Johnny Worthington, from SATRA’s furniture and floorcoverings testing department, outlines the tests domestic mattresses and beds must pass before they are sold in the UK.

Whole mattress flammability testing at SATRA

www.satra.com/furniture

Beds or mattresses need to pass ignition resistance tests before furnituremakers and suppliers can sell them in the UK, and there are two pieces of legislation specifying flammability requirements that are demanded by UK law: the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989, 1993 and 2010); and the UK General Product Safety Regulations 2005.

Anyone wishing to sell beds or mattresses in the UK should be aware of these requirements – especially if products are sourced from outside the UK. There are a number of flammability tests for mattresses and bed bases which are specified in BS 7177:2008+A1:2011 – ‘Specification for resistance to ignition of mattresses, mattress pads, divans and bed bases’. These test a product’s ignition resistance to smokers’ materials, including cigarettes and matches.

Products that require testing include mattresses, divans and bed bases.

To demonstrate the product is safe (and thereby satisfy the General Product Safety Directive) the complete construction

should pass the Low Hazard rating of BS 7177:2008+A1:2011, while fillings must comply with the requirements of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended).

Ignition resistance tests are carried out using a standard smouldering cigarette and simulated match flame.

The tests are described in EN 597:1994 – ‘Furniture – Assessment of the ignitability of mattresses and upholstered bed bases’, parts 1 and 2, respectively.

Although there is later version, it is the 1994 version of EN 597 that is cited in BS 7177:2008+A1:2011.

All of these tests are carried out on a section of mattress/bed base that replicates the make-up of the unit and its surface properties (such as tufting, quilt lines and tape edges). Testing involves placing the sources of ignition on all of these surface features, and both sides of a mattress should be tested (unless they are identical).

The fillings used in mattresses and bed bases must meet the same requirements as upholstered furniture. The actual requirements depend on whether it is a single filling or a composite filling.

Where there are single fillings in beds and mattresses, these should pass the relevant ignition resistance tests in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended): polyurethane foam block should meet Schedule 1 Part I; polyurethane foam crumb should meet Schedule 1 Part II; and rubber latex foam should meet Schedule 1 Part III. Composite fillings in beds and mattresses should either be tested so that every layer of filling meets the requirement for a single filling, or the total composite meets Schedule 2 Part IV. Any foam within a composite filling must also meet the single foam filling requirement.

Finally, beds and mattresses must be correctly labelled. The label content, format and design is specified in BS 7177:2008+A1:2011.

Bed and mattress manufacturers can contact SATRA’s furniture testing team to find out more about their legal requirements – email furniture@satra. com, or call 01536 410000

Increase your customers’ confidence in the quality of your product

Are you certain that your product can withstand daily vigorous use?

Gain valuable feedback on your product’s assessment

GOING BEYOND TEST RESULTS Pass or fail, you will always have a better understanding with SATRA. www.satra.com furniture@satra.com + 44 1536 410000

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PRODUCTS TRADE SERVICES

THE PRICE OF LEGACY There are numerous reasons furniture retailers should upgrade their IT systems, writes Iconography’s Wayne Robbins …

SO MUCH SOFTWARE WAS WRITTEN FOR RETAIL AS IT WAS, AND FALLS SHORT IN COPING WITH RETAIL AS IT NOW IS

BY WAYNE ROBBINS www.iconography.co.uk

Public phone boxes, fax machines, VHS recorders, and the majority of retail management software used by independent furniture retailers – can you spot the odd one out?

That’s right. Unlike the others – things which are remembered fondly but essentially obsolete – many retailers still struggle on with old retail software.

Plenty are running their businesses on software which doesn’t really cut it today, especially if they are serious about a web-first approach, growth and being relevant to modern customers.

The reason much of the software is somewhat sub-optimal is simply that so much of it was conceived of and written for retail as it was, and falls short in coping with retail as it now is.

The fundamental weakness of legacy software used in furniture retail is it is often heavily reliant on integrations with a retailer’s website, which can be high maintenance, and create many day-today issues, limitations and operational inefficiencies.

Going back 12 years or so, integrating your offline retail management system with your ecommerce website was fit for purpose – the store was key, the local market easy enough to reach via ads in the paper/radio, and the website often a secondary consideration. Today, a website should be a regional or national sales platform, a footfall driver, brand builder and much more.

Working with a number of progressive furniture retailers, we’ve launched a new unified commerce software platform, OMNIS, which provides ecommerce, EPoS, CRM and a suite of retail management software that work in unison – and doesn’t require integrations between online and offline retail systems to achieve everyday retail outcomes. The game has changed.

Removing integrations creates so many benefits for retailers. Here are snippets of some real integration issues from our clients’ support portal which highlight the sort of problems holding retailers back: “It has pulled through to X software even though no payment was taken, and there’s no delivery charge when there should be.”

“The lead times on merged products are not pulling through, and it’s only taking the lead time for one of the products in the merge.”

“Just realised we have a separate function in place to send in-store payment directly to X software – however, it’s X software that’s rejecting the order …”

“I enabled new ranges yesterday, I notice the feed has updated twice since, yet they still haven’t come through to the website.”

“We have a couple of items that for some reason are showing the out-ofstock lead times on the product page, but they have free stock in both X software and CMS.” “I have come in this morning and all the main categories and sub-categories have been disabled.”

“Orders have stopped coming down to X software from our website.”

That’s a miscellaneous selection of support tickets, which point to the dayto-day difficulties that fragmented and disjointed systems present. These things add up – they equate to delay, customer disappointment, reduced time to focus on more productive activity, lower team morale and higher operational costs.

The benefits of unified commerce are numerous: better insight (and indeed, oversight) across the business, with performance and inventory data there in real-time; increased operational efficiency; and better customer experience – a single view of the customer facilitates click and collect, buying in-store and having items delivered, getting a quote instore which can be accepted online, returning online orders to store, and rewarding loyalty for online and in-store purchases, while empowering store staff to respond to customers’ queries instore with product, stock and inventory information. It also means reduced training and licencing costs.

A modern unified system, purposebuilt for the demands of modern retailing, offers a suite of essential retail functionality on a single platform – there really is no longer any need to stitch together sub-optimal solutions from different vendors

We build over a century’s worth of knowledge, We build over a into century’s knowledge, experience and quality everyworth piece of furniture we make. experience and quality into every piece of furniture we make.

www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk 01282 691631 01282 691631

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52

OPINION

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE BREXIT …

Brexit nears, and there are vital preparations to make before the 1st January, writes Pamela Dennison – development manager at Irish furniture storage and logistics provider WS Dennison, national officer for the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) in Northern Ireland, and chair of the Northern Ireland Freight Transport Association (FTA) – who has worked to safeguard her customers’ operations since the referendum.

LEAVING IT TO THE LAST MINUTE COULD BE PROBLEMATIC AT BEST

BY PAMELA DENNISON www.wsdennison.com

Around 200,000 UK businesses currently trade with Europe, and it is imperative that they protect their supply chains as the UK completes its departure from the EU. While the Government continues its negotiations with the EU with the aim of achieving a Free Trade Agreement, there is still much that businesses can do now to ensure that the goods they depend upon continue to flow across our borders.

With less than 40 days left to the UK’s EU departure, the time to take action is now. Business must be ready to switch to new systems and new methods of trading from 1st January 2021 if their businesses are to be protected. There is still much for Government to deliver, but a timely preparation by business will help to smooth the future passage of goods and services with our largest trading partner from the start of the new year.

The preparations which businesses can make should not be reliant upon a trade deal being reached – organisations will need to take many of the same steps to maintain the supply chain whatever the political outcome in Brussels and London.

It is critical for everyone to start preparing now. For example, all importers and export traders will need to ensure they have import and export paperwork and systems ready, whatever the outcome of the political negotiations. These include applying for a Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number, which is needed before any goods can be moved, and knowing the Commodity Code, incoterms and customs value of the goods, which are all needed to make a customs declaration and calculate duties.

Start by asking yourself, do you need a custom agent, or is your haulier providing the support you need? Does your haulier know and understand they must be able to use at least eight new IT systems to make roll-on, roll-

off trade move efficiently? There are five separate systems required by the UK Government, and one for each of Northern Ireland, Ireland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. All will take time to install and learn, and should not be left to the last minute!

Start by asking your haulier if they are prepared for the high-level process flows, and what information they need from you in order to move goods through new borders.

READ MORE AT WWW.FURNITURENEWS.NET 53 And there are many other areas which, while seemingly innocent, could trip up the very best intentions of traders to maintain a seamless supply chain. Businesses need to ask themselves if they have considered how they will make declarations to HMRC systems, and whether they will employ an agent. It is also important to consider whether they can, and would benefit from, using any available simplifications or deferred customs declarations for standard goods.

All this takes time, and needs to be factored into the planning process – leaving it to the last minute could be problematic at best.

Three key areas in trade, logistics and borders to consider are: understand where regulatory change may threaten supply; calculate the impact of increased costs due to customs duties and processing costs, as well as

potential costs due to UK/EU regulatory divergence; and consider the impact of time delays at the border due to increased clearance times (including on inventory storage and distribution channels).

Finally, make use of the Government information available for business Brexit readiness. To find out how your business will be impacted, get information now on www.gov.uk/transition/business, plus: GB – EU Border Operating Model, a guide to how the border with the EU will work after the transition period (excluding NI), at www.gov.uk/ government/publications/the-borderoperating-model; And the Government’s Trader Support Service, which will help businesses navigate the changes to the way goods move once the NI Protocol comes into effect, at www.tradersupportservice. co.uk/tss

THE PREPARATIONS BUSINESSES CAN MAKE SHOULD NOT BE RELIANT UPON A TRADE DEAL BEING REACHED

THERE ARE MANY OTHER AREAS WHICH, WHILE SEEMINGLY INNOCENT, COULD TRIP UP TRADERS’ VERY BEST INTENTIONS 123RF/Evgeny Gromov

54

OPINION

EVENT HORIZON January Furniture Show being postponed until April is a glimmer of positive news in a gloomy Covid world, writes Gardiner Haskins buyer/ manager, Andy Stockwell – but what’s the long-term outlook for trade shows in our sector?

APRIL 2021 COULD BE A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR THE INDUSTRY

BY ANDY STOCKWELL

Both Spring Fair and imm cologne have been cancelled for 2021, and speculation that JFS (January Furniture Show, now Furniture Show Birmingham) would also be cancelled was justifiably rife – so, it’s good news to hear that, like Frankfurt’s Ambiente, it’s been pushed back to the spring.

That may yet change, of course – but let’s hold on to it for now!

I think the news is a big boost for the industry, but I also feel that trade shows are at a crossroads. Many, including Spring Fair, Autumn Fair, Glee and JFS have been shrinking and declining in their importance for a number of years.

Why? The big trade shows are notoriously expensive for suppliers to attend. Stand space and building costs, the use of tradespeople such as electricians specifically appointed by the venues, hotels and hospitality, taking reps off the road … all of this contributes to costs which can amount to six-figure sums.

For many suppliers, these costs simply can’t be justified, so the shows aren’t financially viable – you have to sell a lot of product to recover those kind of figures.

So, they pull out, and when the buyers arrive, they find fewer exhibitors. Again, for many buyers attending the show it’s a judgement call – there is a cost involved in terms of finance and time.

If the suppliers aren’t there, the buyers don’t attend. Fewer buyers makes the show less viable for the suppliers, and so the cycle goes on.

Despite this, JFS remains the biggest show for the sector in the UK. It’s still the place to see the top suppliers in one place. It’s also the place for inspiration, insight, and innovation. As an industry event in the UK, it doesn’t get any bigger.

And what’s the alternative? At-home events are all well and good, and supplier showrooms give an opportunity to show product in the best possible environment - but it’s much more timeconsuming for buyers to travel between

showrooms rather than see everything under one roof.

Showvans have always been a vehicle (excuse the pun) for taking product to the buyers, but they have limited capacity, and are functional rather than inspirational.

Online is an option, and the Zoom call is the big innovation in coronavirus communication – but furniture is a tactile product, and no image or online presentation can convey the comfort of a sofa, chair or mattress, or the softness or resilience of a fabric.

In a pandemic-riddled world, a combination of the above seems the way forward. Much as the future of retail seems to hinge on omnichannel routes to market, so bringing product to market is best served by a multichannel approach, giving maximum flexibility to suppliers and buyers alike.

It will be interesting to see how the industry adapts if JFS is cancelled. That seems a little less likely now, and the change of date may give it a muchneeded shot in the arm.

Obviously, trade show organisers have their own agendas and business models – but surely it has to be in their interests to maintain the viability of the big UK trade shows? I’m sure, if the suppliers can be attracted back to JFS and to trade shows in general, the buyers will also return.

Organisers need to be honest about attendance figures and stop trying to pretend each and every show was better attended than the previous one. They need to reduce costs so suppliers can afford to return, and this will reverse the trend of decline.

JFS in April 2021 could be a pivotal moment for the industry. If it goes ahead, it may be the show we realise we can’t do without, and cement the future of trade shows for years to come.

But if it doesn’t, 2021 may herald a new way of bringing furniture to the market, and an abrupt end to the trade show format as we know it

FOR MANY, THE COSTS CAN’T BE JUSTIFIED

56

OPINION

SIT BACK AND SELL? ONLINE’S TOP TRADERS It’s been a barnstorming year for online sales, and the UK’s sofa sellers have worked hard to make the most of the opportunities – Salience’s Natalie Took looks at the players doing a good (and not-so-good) job of standing out …

BRANDS WHO SPECIALISE IN THIS MARKET ARE BECOMING MORE VISIBLE ON SEARCH ENGINES

BY NATALIE TOOK www.salience.co.uk

If this year has taught us anything, it’s the importance of having a good digital presence. Lockdowns have put the shutters up on high streets and retail parks, begging the question, if customers can’t find you online, how can you sell?

Earlier this year, Salience looked at the online sofa market in their yearly Sofa Market Report. This report looks at various KPIs in the digital marketing world to see how big brands and smaller business are doing online. So, put your feet up and have a read of some of the main findings that came out of this report …

M Sofas catch the eye Looking at visibility, the sofa market is looking good, with an overall visibility increase of +2%. This means that brands who specialise in this market are becoming more visible on search engines than general brands.

Within this overall increase there have been some incredible winners, and those that have let their SEO strategy fray at the edges.

DFS and SCS hold the two top spots respectively, despite visibility losses.

However, as smaller brands have bounced up the charts, a repeat of this next year could see these brands fall down.

M Sofas have had a brilliant year, refurbishing their visibility. With a visibility increase of +191%, they have bounced into the top five. This is the second year that this brand has climbed the rankings (last year they just made it into the top 10) – if they keep up the good work they could contend with the giants of the sofa world.

Another brand to bounce up the charts is Leather Sofa World. These guys have seen a visibility increase of +78%, allowing them to sit in eighth position.

On the other hand, there’s Sofa Workshop, whose online visibility hasn’t just started to fray at the edges – it’s completely falling apart. With a visibility decrease of -71%, they have seen a massive drop from eighth place to 18th.

They definitely need a renovation!

Natuzzi gets social (safely) Staying connected has been important during lockdowns, and this is just as important for brands and customers.

Social media is the perfect place to stay connected and engage with both existing customers and potential customers.

Leading our social charts are DFS. However, they actually have a very low owned social score. They are leading purely due to brand reach – not an unusual situation for such a well-known high-street brand.

If you remove the brand reach, Natuzzi is leading by a long way. With an owned social score of over 2000, they score over three times that of Loaf, who come in second.

Natuzzi have over 1.6 million followers over a number of platforms.

Sharing high-quality images, they gain thousands of likes. But they are not really doing anything stand-out, so if another brand started to do more on social, they could easily take over.

There’s lots to look at in digital marketing, and those with good strategies are certainly likely to do better during lockdowns

IF ANOTHER BRAND STARTED TO DO MORE THAN NATUZZI ON SOCIAL, THEY COULD EASILY TAKE OVER

WE

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58

OPINION

STOP MEASURING CLICKS, START COUNTING SALES

IT MAY SEEM COUNTER-INTUITIVE, BUT THE WORLD WIDE WEB IS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN YOU USE IT LOCALLY

BY DONALD CURRIE www.greenwoodretail.com

istock.com/PeskyMonkey

Thanks to Covid-19, the need for digital marketing has come a long way in a short time – but, writes Greenwood’s Donald Currie, this development doesn’t have to mean traditional retailers are left out in the cold …

Over the last few years, we’ve all been adapting and evolving our advertising and marketing to cater for the increasing influence of ‘new media’ and the digital world.

And then 2020 happened – five years’ worth of change compressed into a few short months. In marketing terms, we’ve made a quantum leap from 2020 to 2025.

This is supposed to be bad news for bricks-and-mortar retailers, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach, everything you were told to fear about the social and digital revolution need not be a threat, but rather a massive opportunity – as it turns out, all the things that give you heft and provenance in the real world have at least as much value in the virtual one.

During this year’s physical lockdowns, consumers were driven to interact with the virtual world, and even the most reluctant technophobe found themselves using Facebook or Instagram, having a Zoom chat, going on news websites, and ordering online. It’s hardly surprising so many have predicted that physical retail would not – and could not – recover from this accelerated move online.

But when lockdown finished, many retailers, particularly in the furniture sector, saw terrific bounceback

through their stores. At Greenwood, we were able to witness first-hand some phenomenal results through the summer and autumn, and a key element of this success was a unique approach to the tactical use of digital media to drive immediate sales response. And it is an approach that can be incorporated into ongoing marketing programmes, with the potential to transform retail performance.

In spite of the experts declaring there is now a clear new digital pathway to sales, there is no single new way that consumers navigate their way from the start of consideration to the purchase decision. The customer may use online resources to search and gather information, websites to browse, social media to share experiences – good and bad. But in the quality furniture sector, most consumers still feel the need to see the product in person during their route to purchase, so the likelihood is that they will use online resources for at least one, but possibly several, stages of the process.

So, the need to project and promote the business through the online world has to be accepted as inevitable and unavoidable. But so many retailers report to us that they have found the process of embracing digital within their marketing and promotional plans to

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 59 be complex, fragmented, and without a clear return on investment. This is not helped by its advocates evangelising about eyeballs, click rates, engagement levels, digital pathways, optimisation and more ‘metrics’ than you can shake a stick at.

At Greenwood, with our emphasis on immediate response, we have experienced this frustration. We have spoken to many ‘digital experts’ who seemed unable to grasp our unapologetic focus on the only metrics that matter to a physical retailer – customers through the door, and money in the till. Many ‘experts’ said they couldn’t calculate it, and so deemed it irrelevant. Now, however, as we have all been fast-forwarded into the future, there is a breakthrough opportunity available to retailers who utilise digital and social platforms in the correct way.

It starts with the recognition that your history and physical presence in your market is a powerful reassurance to someone browsing online. Everything that has contributed to your local reputation, your relationship with individual clients and your market is as valuable an asset as it ever was.

Secondly, your targeting should

ALL THE THINGS THAT GIVE YOU HEFT AND PROVENANCE IN THE REAL WORLD HAVE AT LEAST AS MUCH VALUE IN THE VIRTUAL ONE prioritise your natural geographical catchment, and be directed to where you have created traction over the years.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but the World Wide Web is most effective when you use it locally. The further afield you target, the more the marketing and servicing costs increase, and the more your returns are diluted. For the vast majority of retailers, it must be counterproductive to generate an enquiry from 200 miles away that is hard to fulfil, whilst simultaneously failing to reach a live prospect on your doorstep.

Finally, all the elements of your digital footprint need to be co-ordinated with a focus on relevant content. This must motivate the customer to find out more, or to make a direct enquiry, or to visit you in person. In short, the collective purpose of all your digital activity is to

THE ONLY METRICS THAT MATTER TO A PHYSICAL RETAILER ARE CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE DOOR, AND MONEY IN THE TILL

get found, and then to get chosen.

We’ve seen the evidence firsthand that this approach really works in generating footfall and sales. Even more exciting is that it not only works for a specific event, but can be the basis of regular promotional activity – something we are happy to help clients implement.

The lesson of 2020 is that furniture and bed retailers do not need to choose between the virtual world and the physical one. You must be visible and relevant in both. The evidence is compelling that a digital presence, designed to enhance rather than compete with your physical store, and supported by strong promotional content and communication, is a recipe for success and a clear way for even the most traditional retailers to embrace the future with confidence, however quickly it arrives

60

OPINION

LOST IN TRANSITION? With Brexit fast approaching, furniture standards and regulations expert Phil Reynolds explores the likely impact on product safety guidelines – whatever the outcome of the trade talks.

IF YOU ARE IMPORTING FURNITURE/ COMPONENTS INTO THE UK FROM THE EU, YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED THE PRODUCER

BY PHIL REYNOLDS www.linkedin.com/in/phil-reynolds565a20a/

As I write, perilously close to the end of the transition period, industry is being advised to get ready for this new regime, yet some key aspects of the new regulatory landscape have not yet been published. So, what do we know?

Standards Via the UK’s National Standards Body, BSI, we remain a member of CEN, the European standards-making body.

Formally, we’ll remain members until 31st December 2021, and the expectation is that this will be renewed annually. This means the UK will still have an input into the development of standards for our biggest trading partner.

As of 1st July 2020, there are some subtle changes to the UK’s voting rights, but in most instances it’s unlikely to affect standards development, and most European Standards (EN) will continue to be adopted as British Standards.

Regulations The UK Government currently splits product safety regulations into three main types: new approach – items such as toys, PPE and machinery; old approach – items such as chemicals, vehicles and aerospace; and nonharmonised goods, such as foodstuffs and furniture.

As noted, much of domestic furniture is classified as ‘non-harmonised goods’.

On the one hand, the Government has provided a lot of guidance on products covered by the new approach directives – these are products covered by certain EU CE marking directives, and would include motorised furniture.

Basically, the guidelines are: product sold in the EU would have to continue to meet the relevant EU directive and be CE marked; product on sale in the UK before 31st December 2020 could be sold in the UK with a CE mark until 31st December 2021, after which it would need to be assessed to, and marked in accordance with, the new UKCA mark; and any product placed on the market after 31st December 2020 would need to be assessed to and marked in accordance with the new UKCA mark.

However, most furniture products for

use by consumers are not covered by new approach regulations. As such they are ‘non-harmonised goods’. Currently, the guidance is that there will no longer be mutual recognition of products, which means the EU will not necessarily view product manufactured in the UK as conforming to EU standards, and vice versa (effectively, any national standard could apply to the product).

In addition, most furniture for domestic use is covered by the General Product Safety Regulations: 2005 (GPSR) - the UK enactment of the EU General Product Safety Directive. Whilst it is expected that the GPSR will be modified to remove reference to EU bodies, there is little information on the mechanics of how to prove compliance.

The Government currently states: “The original guides … were removed on 1st October 2020. Revised versions of these guides … will be made available here for reference by businesses as they are ready. They will apply from 1st January 2021 if, and only if, there is a no-deal at the end of the transition period.”

It is probably safe to assume, however, that the basic requirements will remain – that is, a product should be safe, and present no, or minimal, risk to the user. To achieve this, the producer (manufacturer or importer) should carry out a risk assessment on the product, and may use appropriate standards to inform this assessment. What we don’t know yet is what the preferred hierarchy of standards to demonstrate safety will be (European, national, etc).

It should also be noted that in all cases, if you are importing furniture/ components into the UK from the EU, you will now be considered the producer, meaning a shift of responsibility for product safety solely onto the UK-based company importing it.

It is advisable to monitor Government guidance, and discuss with your test laboratory/product safety consultant.

It should also be noted that there are several other EU product regulations that apply to furniture (such as REACH and EUTR) that will be transposed into UK law, with subtly different/additional requirements, that must also be met

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62

OPINION

CONSULTATION NATION With sporadic lockdowns hampering furniture retailers’ ability to operate, Red Ant’s Stephanie Waite reveals how customers feel about buying furniture in-store and online, and why.

SHOPPERS WANT THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TO A KNOWLEDGEABLE ADVISOR

BY STEPHANIE WAITE www.redant.com

Despite initial restrictions on consumer activity, home and furniture shopping has seen an increase over the last few months. As we’ve all been spending a lot more time in our homes, many of us have taken on improvements and changes around the house to make profitable use of our time and our surroundings more comfortable.

While these customers have turned to remote services including online ordering and click and collect/BOPAK (buy online, pay at kiosk) while stores are closed, it’s clear that they still crave a personal experience.

Making customers feel at home With practical measures including social distancing and hygiene stations as a given, making a connection with customers means meeting them where they’re most comfortable, whether that’s in-store by appointment or in the comfort of their own homes.

We took the opportunity to ask around 1000 shoppers how they feel – what their plans are, what they want from a shopping experience, and how they’re going to buy in the future.

Talking shop – today and tomorrow We asked respondents how they usually shop, and while the majority confirmed they liked to buy both online and instore, when it came to large items such as sofas and other furniture a significant percentage wanted to be able to see and try items in-store, even if they went on to complete their purchase at home.

For home decor and soft furnishings, the preferences expressed were: 9% online only; 27% in-store only; and 64% both in-store and online. For furniture and other large items, they responded: 13% online only; 36% in-store only; and 51% both in-store and online. More than half (52%) said that they would return to their regular shopping habits. Just 5% said they would be unlikely to go back to store shopping in the near future.

Valuable advice While they clearly appreciate the convenience and relative safety of online shopping, most shoppers (56%) rely on the advice of a knowledgeable store

associate. More than two-thirds (70%) said they would be happy to consider receiving this advice via a virtual consultation, while 37% were looking for a combination of virtual consultation followed by an appointment in-store to try, confirm and buy. Nearly two-fifths (38%) wanted the ability to pay remotely, either as part of the consultation, or through links sent to them afterwards.

The top five most useful areas of expertise are: knowledge of the full range, including colour, size and availability; advice on manufacturing and delivery times; information on wear and tear/durability; suggesting appropriate alternatives if necessary; and aftercare, including answers to follow-up questions.

Finally, we asked them to tell us the one thing home and furniture retailers could do to improve their experience - they said: about shopping, “I’d like the ability to book an appointment to view with a sales associate”; about store associates, “I want enough knowledgeable staff on hand to answer questions, and staff that are well trained to provide correct advice”; and about a personal experience, “I wish I could get one person to talk me through the whole project, and how the corner sofa I want will fit, and so on.”

Key takeaways Our respondents have shown that they want the ability to speak to a knowledgeable advisor – in fact, it’s high on the list of their suggestions for improving the shopping experience.

They’re equally happy to receive advice in-store or via a virtual consultation.

It’s invaluable insight that will help to shape the future of retail for home and furnishing, enabling retailers to: ensure they can offer a VIP service which will capture every engagement, whether customers are in-store and go on to complete their purchase online, or vice-versa; reassure customers that they have access to a personalised experience with an expert who knows their details and will be with them every step of the way; and build long-term relationships which drive that allimportant lifetime value

advertising campaigns using a benefits-orientated-style. Call Greenwood for effective copywriting know-how.

25%, 50% even 100% • PRODUCTS – Be ruthless with your precious floor space. of Your Annual Sales If a product or collection is not pulling its weight after being given a fair chance to shine, then clear it and replace it with a WHO ELSE TOpotential in Just Days… better performing line.

Test17 andWANTS measure the selling 63

FIRST EDITION

GUARANTEE SALES SUCCESS Will your January 2017 salesIN be the2021? best month’s total

of all your products in a Greenwood Sale.

• SELLING SKILLS - Get good at this selling. you’re going to see year? Most retailers

don’t bother with a proper sales process or sales training. The “3 Months Sales in Three Weeks! Your Wouldones you like see sales of and two,money four, sixinorquality even eight successful do! toInvest time Guy was Great!

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Call Greenwood to arrange an effective sales Plan Worked Brillliantly!”

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You could enjoy such record“A Phenomenal 6 weeks business breaking results too –The with high margin offering. all-out price wars.

Bemaintained. sure to out-do More than ever, it pays to be seen, and they are the sales firstAvoid five days. new Greenwood

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our leading platform represents the bestyour competition on the mostmarketing relevant beneficial USP’s [Covid-modified] produced a bang for your marketing buck. If you’re including choice, quality, value and service. Call Greenwood steady flow of customers over a longer launching products or services, you need to mysteryperiod shop your competitors. so we had no overcrowding and to be part of this issue!

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DISCOVER THE FORTUNE THAT LIES HIDDEN IN YOUR BRAND…

With the help of our expert contributors, we’ll PROMOTION – Promote your business effectively.

Every Cy Fogel, You’re Furnished, Essex. August 2020 look back at 2020, and discuss what the coming year might bring, while focusing on new good retailer from Tesco to Harrod’s does. Consider using a “We took 6 months turnoversales, in theturn 3 stock into products and services in these special features:‘Greenwood’ sales promotion to increase

[with no problems at all] and have cash and weeks win future market share, while protecting your profit

Best in Beds – presenting the finalists and our lockdown losses. This at the same recovered time. Call Greenwood! winners of the NBF’s industry awards

Greenwood Sale has surpassed all my Why not call me expectations!” today on 01565 650101 for a free,

FIND OUT MORE Buying Groups & Associations – why the ABOUT GREENWOOD SALES...

Stands that Deliver – the specialists in exhibition stands and in-store displays industry is better together

confidential, no-obligation business consultation? I can James Fraser, M.D., Blackbridge Furnishings, outline Inverness, sales projections andWilliam. costs over the phone.

Elgin and Fort July 2020

Limited bookings for 2017 and 2018 are now being taken

During 2020 most of our their01625 previous 521010, Take aon look at our website orcustomers call ussmashed now on a first come first served basis.

The best launch dates Greenwood sales records despite the pandemic.

You’ll also find the latest in Bedroom, Dining, alwaysand go first. or, send an e mail enquiry, we’ll gladly call you to Living and Trade Services.

Greenwood Sales now generate better-than-ever results for discuss the exciting weWith can offer you, quality retailers all overpossibilities the UK and Ireland.

Greenwood’s To find out more without obligation, or to book a sale, new, Covid-modified, Digital Sales Plan, YOU CAN TOO. without obligation.

Engaging, furniture-focused, and full of sourc-

callRealise now the onoptimum 01565 potential 650101, or send an e mail and I’ll ing opportunities – you can’t afford to ignore of your next big sales event. Call gladly call you. now to find out more and to discover the exciting possibilities January’s issue!

We are nowus booking events right across the UK and Ireland for and options we can offer you, without obligation.

the rest of 2013 on a first come first served basis.

Call Sam Horscroft on 07764 650655 or email sam@gearingmediagroup.com to Book your sales event early to guarantee exclusivity BOOKING NOW FOR 2021. CALL BERNARD for your business. find out more.

OR DONALD TODAY ON 01565 650101

BOOKING DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY 9th DECEMBER

GREENWOOD RETAIL LTD

GREENWOOD RETAIL LTDLTD GREENWOOD RETAIL UK and Ireland’s Leading Experts in Retail Sales Promotion Britain’s Leading Experts in Retail Sales Promotion since 2002 sales@greenwoodretail.com www.greenwoodretail.com

Britain’s Leading Experts in Retail Sales Promotion sales@greenwoodretail.com

www.greenwoodretail.com

1 Wilmslow House, Grove Way, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AG GreenwoodRetailDec2020.indd 1 16/11/2020 14:17 sales@greenwoodretail.com www.greenwoodretail.com

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS

JYSK’S NEW DAWN David Ashton’s five-year plan WILLIS & GAMBIER RETURNS INSIDE MADE.COM, SOHO

At The Helm Join Hydeline’s voyage of discovery BEDROOM / DINING / LIVING IFHS / AUTUMN FAIR / TRADE SERVICES

#367 October 2019 www.furniturenews.net

FN367_Pages.indd 1

The International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP) comprises 19 of the world’s leading industry trade publications.

As the IAFP’s UK representative, Furniture News can offer exporters and importers market information, contacts and reach through the most effective B2B channels. www.iafpalliance.com

25/09/2019 14:09

65

OPINION

65

SPREAD THE WORD! The Furniture Makers’ Company is encouraging anyone who has been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to get in touch to see if they qualify for a Personal Support Grant.

You may not need the charity’s support right now, but you or the company you work at may be able to help the organisation reach even more people in the industry by putting some of the following guidance into practice.

Hang a poster or add to your extranet This is the simplest way you can make your co-workers aware of our charitable support. Many companies have also created a dedicated section on their extranet or Sharepoint where employees can learn about the charity and download materials.

WE ARE A PROUD FOLK – BUT WITH THAT STOICISM COMES A RELUCTANCE TO ASK FOR HELP

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

BY JONNY WESTBROOKE www.furnituremakers.org.uk

Spread the word on social media Sending the message directly to your co-workers greatly increases the chance they’ll absorb it – perhaps share a link (like https://bit.ly/COVID19FMCsupport) to information about our Personal Support Grants in a staff WhatsApp or Facebook group.

Don’t be afraid to recommend us Welfare is a tough subject to talk about, and the only way we’re going to change that is by addressing it head-on. If a co-worker or contact from the trade has been made redundant, why not drop them a line to see how they are getting on, and mention us in the conversation?

Neutralise the stigma We British are a proud folk. We are known worldwide for our stiff upper lips and Dunkirk spirit. With that stoicism, though, comes a reluctance to show weakness or ask for help. Even in these difficult times, many feel ashamed to do so – but we need to break that barrier.

None of us know when we may need help, and by affirming to others that, actually, it is okay to ask for a leg up, it may be the small push they need to pick up the phone and apply for a grant.

Remember us in case of redundancies Redundancy is never a pleasant subject to discuss, but sadly there will be some companies that have no choice but to make cutbacks right now. We hope as few people are affected as possible, but if any of your co-workers are made redundant, remember us and remind them to get in touch. Every enquiry is handled in the strictest of confidence.

Tell us if someone goes out of business It’s always tragic when a company goes bust because of the impact it has on all the people working at the firm. If a company you have dealings with goes out of business, please take five minutes out of your day and let us know. Our welfare officer can then contact the insolvency practitioner or someone from the HR department to explore how we can reach the affected employees.

Share our content We regularly post information about our Personal Support Grants on social media, but our reach can only get us so far. You can help get more eyeballs on our messages by liking, sharing and retweeting what we post.

Sign up to One Step at a Time Many a time have we heard people say “I can’t believe I’m only finding out about you now.” Well, we’re on a mission to make sure we never hear those words again, and we’re doing that through our One Step at a Time campaign, which was launched last year to encourage companies to communicate the support we provide to their employees. Sign up – or ask your HR manager to register – as a One Step Champion, and we’ll send collateral to display and share at your workplace. One day, it may make a huge difference to the life of someone you work with

66

OPINION

THIS MONTH, WE’RE ASKING …

James Hudson (Gallery Direct) Photography definitely! We invest heavily in high-quality lifestyle images, as we feel these really help to sell the products, and they give customers – both ours and end-customers – ideas about putting products together Paul Galley (Symmetry CGI) CGI every time – we save our clients a fortune over photography Jerry Cheshire (Surrey Beds) I have looked at CGI, but have never had reason to use it.

We do very little photography other than for social media, and a smartphone is adequate for that Thomas Small (TCS) Traditional – I still believe it’s more authentic, although CGI is getting better every day Steve Adams (Mattress Online) The jury is out – we are trialling both at the moment, we will let our customers decide with their willingness to purchase Mike Murray (Land of Beds) When considering selling online I prefer real quality roomshots to start with, but then the use of CGI can be great when configuring different options once the customer is further down the buying process and may want to see something in a different colour/fabric option

#375 December 2020 www.furniturenews.net

DREAM WEAVER

Alexandra Townley (Bensons for Beds) We use CGI photography in the main – this is the more cost-effective method for our business due to the sheer amount of photography that needs to be produced for our website and used across our marketing channels.

CGI provides quicker lead times and offers more flexibility. We are able to redesign imagery for new trends, and can also make quick amends to images in order to meet TV advertising deadlines. Due to advances in CGI photography – particularly quality – it can now certainly hold its own!

JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON TWITTER @FURNITURENEWSED MESSAGE THE EDITOR AT PAUL@GEARINGMEDIAGROUP.COM FOR ADVERTISING AND SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES, SEE P3

French connection Sixty years of Roche Bobois

FN375_Pages3.indd 1

WHEN SELLING, DO YOU PREFER TRADITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY OR CGI?

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Orbital redefines the fabric of reality

CGI MARKETING LIVING / TRADE SERVICES

Peter Harding (Fairway Furniture) It depends on the product.

Photography is hard to beat for the ‘wow’ factor roomsets, but CGI is cheap and much better for digital use

Arlo & Jacob at Islington Square What do the no-shows mean for the future?

25/11/2020 17:47

Gavin Boden (Rhenus Home Delivery) Traditional life shots Tom Bourne (Select First) Traditional photography is still preferred for our B2C media, and if you get the styling right it always delivers the best results. That said, CGI can serve a purpose for direct client comms and B2B, and it’s getting increasingly difficult to spot them apart Rob Scarlett (Scarlett Furniture and Print) Photography as a preference, but good CGI can get you there quicker and much more cheaply. It needs to be the right product and render company, though Simon Ainge (Kettle Interiors) Traditional photography is my preference as I appreciate the artistry, but there is definitely a requirement for CGI, and we do use it Steve Pickering (Sussex Beds) Great imagery is so important – as an industry, not enough is invested. I would not have an issue with either traditional or CGI Kate Pilling (January/Manchester Furniture Show) We use photography and illustrations in our campaigns Clare Taylor (Apricus Marketing) Photography – it’s more tactile and a nicer process to go through

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