Furniture News 380

#380 May 2021 www.furniturenews.net

THE PERFECT FIT Mammoth and Hearst target the health-conscious consumer

Leading the way Wayfair’s Martin Reiter shares his ambitious outlook THE NEW NORMAL | LONG POINT INNOVATION IN BEDDING | LIVING VIRTUAL SHOWS | TRADE SERVICES

Switch suppliers or keep the faith?

The Furniture News Readers’ Choice Awards

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

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WE’RE STILL VERY MUCH IN A TRANSITIONAL PHASE, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN LOCKDOWN AND LIBERTY I’m not taking anything for granted – but as I write this, the shops are open, the sun is shining, and there’s a feeling lurking at the periphery which may just be … normality.

Then a social faux pas, prompted memory or shocking news bulletin reminds me that we’re still very much in a transitional phase, somewhere between lockdown and liberty, and my thoughts turn to the pandemic’s longterm ramifications.

What has really changed since that outbreak in a Wuhan wet market – and which of those developments could be here to stay?

When confronted with material shortages, delays, cancelled events and evolving customer behaviour, the furniture industry has had to work harder and smarter – and this month’s issue explores some of the solutions it’s come up with.

In this month’s special feature (starting on p21), we present various views on what ‘the new normal’ might look like, and how it could affect our trade. Is voice commerce the future of furniture sales? How might interior design need to evolve, now so many of us are working from home? Will the high street need to embrace radical change in order to survive?

Take virtual shows, for example. Whatever your opinion of them (and they really do run the gamut – see p48), it looks like the format’s here to stay. Fresh from taking part in one for the first time (The Online Furniture Show), we’ve grilled the people behind the

events to assess the strengths, limitations and possibilities of screen-to-screen sourcing (from p44).

Yet, just as online shows are hitting their stride, it’s (finally!) time for the return of face-to-face exhibitions this month, as Long Eaton’s showrooms, mills and hotels open for business. Turn to p32 for our tantalising Long Point preview – good luck to everyone taking part, and here’s hoping it successfully paves the way for others to come – and to p82 to discover which shows we’re all itching to get back to.

Elsewhere, we look at how pandemic pressures have prompted retailers and suppliers to explore their sourcing options (p70), meet the innovators taking the bed industry in new directions (from p52), and offer a glimpse of the ambition behind Wayfair UK, in an exclusive interview with the ecommerce giant’s head of Europe, Martin Reiter (p12).

This month also sees the launch of our own Readers’ Choice Awards (p10). As we tentatively exit this turbulent period, Furniture News thought it was high time to recognise the manufacturers, suppliers and service providers who really came through for you when it mattered most. Please take a moment to nominate your favourites at www.bit.ly/fn-readers-choice-awards.

Here’s wishing you all a happy (yet measured!) start to the summer. Long may it last.

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Venue - The International Centre, Telford TF3 4JH

SHOW DATES: Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 June 2021 ● Open to all furniture buyers ● Two large exhibition halls with free parking ● Complementary light refreshment lunch ● Comprehensive exhibitor list from all furniture trade sectors

Free entrance, please register at www.thesummerfurnitureshow.co.uk

5

#380 May 2021 www.furniturenews.net

CONTENTS

THE PERFECT FIT Mammoth and Hearst target the health-conscious consumer

06

NEWS 6 News / 10 Readers’ Choice Awards

12

INSIGHT 12 Wayfair / 16 Forte

Leading the way Wayfair’s Martin Reiter shares his ambitious outlook THE NEW NORMAL | LONG POINT INNOVATION IN BEDDING | LIVING VIRTUAL SHOWS | TRADE SERVICES

Switch suppliers or keep the faith?

The Furniture News Readers’ Choice Awards

FN380_Pages.indd 1

26/04/2021 14:23

50 MAMMOTH (COVER FEATURE)

21

THE NEW NORMAL

32

EVENTS 32 Long Point / 44 Virtual shows

50

52 Innovation in bedding / 60 Living 64 Trade services

CONTRIBUTORS 26

PRODUCTS

69

OPINION SPONSORED BY

70 Stuck in a rut? / 72 Crowd-pleasers 74 Frictionless finance / 76 Work on it, not in it 78 Tales from the showroom floor 81 Partner comment / 82 Feedback Gareth Atkin, MD, Preston Furniture Solutions

74

12

Brian Flesk, head of retail, Hitachi Capital

24

Ritchie Clapson, director, propertyCEO

WE’RE DECISIVELY TACKLING A $49B UK MARKET OPPORTUNITY FOR HOME AND LIVING ECOMMERCE

6

NEWS

PARK FURNISHERS OPENS ON EASTGATE Family-owned, Bristol-based furniture retailer Park Furnishers opened a new store – on the city’s Eastgate Retail Park, next to IKEA – on 12th April.

The retailer, which announced the sale of its site at Willway Street Bedminster last spring, prepared its newest store during the lockdown. MD Emma Leeke says: “Many months later than we had planned, we are pleased to be able to finally open our new store at the Eastgate Retail Park.

“We are so looking forward to welcoming customers old and new to the store, which is full of inspirational sofas, chairs, beds, garden, dining and occasional furniture, as well as our kitchen, flooring and Hammonds bedroom studios. The store is beautifully propped with lovely accessories, lights, pictures and mirrors, so even if they are not looking to make a big purchase just yet, there are lots of

RetailSystem’s Chris Bland has acquired the rights to distribute the business’ EPoS in the UK and Ireland beautiful products to help customers update their look.”

Lockdown prevented Park Furnishers from finishing its £5m relocation sale at its Bedminster site, which reopened for a clearance sale. Pictured from left are: manager Ian Thompson; MD Emma Leeke; and buying director Joanna Littlejohn.

BEDMAKER OPTIMISM UP BUT PROFITS DOWN, REPORTS NBF Costs and availability of raw materials continue to plague Britain’s bedmakers, reports the National Bed Federation (NBF) – but despite the consequent hit to margins, optimism remains higher now than it did last year.

According to the NBF’s latest barometer of trade report, based on data collected during February and March, 26% of members were more optimistic about the state of trade in Q4 2020, compared to just 17% in Q4 2019.

For the period October to December 2020, sales held up reasonably well in both units and value terms.

But, says marketing and membership manager Simon

Williams, costs and availability of raw materials saw the biggest shift, along with the subsequent need for price increases in 2020 compared to 2019.

Almost three quarters (72%) of members reported significant cost increases in Q4 2020, compared to just 8% in 2019. Nearly half (47%) of members in Q4 2020 listed the availability of components/materials as the biggest factor in limiting output, compared to only 16% in Q4 2019.

Says Simon: “Order books were less of an issue in Q4 2020, with only 28% of members reporting this as a limiting factor, compared to 55% of members in 2019.”

INDUSTRY CHARITY TARGETS £250,000 WITH STEP 2 IT FUNDRAISER The Furniture Makers’ Company is launching the largest fundraising campaign in its 120-year history this month, asking the sector to ‘Step 2 It’ and help raise £250,000 to support people from the trade who have been impacted by Covid-19.

The new campaign, which will run for 12 months, aims to inspire companies and individuals to organise sports-based fundraisers in aid of the charity, encouraging friends, family and co-workers to join in.

David Woodward, master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, says: “The number of enquiries for support from our charity skyrocketed in 2020 because of the devastating impact of Covid-19.

The launch of the Step 2 It campaign couldn’t have come at a more critical time as it’s clear that the economic impact of Covid-19 will be with us for some time to come and we predict that there will be many people who will continue to need support.

“With many of us having led more sedentary lives than normal over the past year, we’re hoping Step 2 It will encourage the trade to get active by organising Covid-compliant events that bring people

Sleep brand Emma has launched its new B2B bricks-and-mortar range exclusively at AIS’ events centre, Cranmore Park

together and promote the charity’s work while raising funds.

“What you do to raise the money is up to you.

It could be something as simple as a sponsored walk or a company game of rounders – whatever you want. What’s more, thanks to a generous benefactor, every single penny we raise will be match-funded, giving you double the reason to Step 2 It and raise money for our charity.”

In addition to urging companies and individuals to organise their own fundraisers, The Furniture Makers’ Company will be hosting various events around the country with support from its regional committees, as well as several online challenges.

Businesses or individuals wishing to get involved and organise a Step 2 It event are encouraged to complete a pledge form to receive a free Step 2 It campaign pack.

Campaign sponsorship packages are also available, with Axminster Tools, the BCFA, the BFM, Celtheath, Lamello, Ocee Design and Panaz already signed up. Visit www.furnituremakers.org.uk/step2it for more information.

The BFM Fabric Show, which was due to take place in June at Twickenham, has been postponed until February/March 2022 German bedroom manufacturer Rauch has appointed Inka Rosini as its marketing director and head of product development East Midlands retailer Toons has launched a new online store and taken its delivery service nationwide ufurnish.com has closed £2.3m in funding and appointed the founder and CEO of Dalata Hotel Group, Pat McCann, as chairman Home furnishings retailer Terrys has appointed Gareth Coxall as its marketing and creative director eve Sleep chairman Paul Pindar is to step down on 26th May, and will be replaced by eve’s current COO, Mike Lloyd The Furniture Makers’ Company’s Step 2 It campaign will commence on 1st May with a pledge

by FIRA International’s Emma Delea and SATRA’s Phil Reynolds to ‘Keep on Running’ in a sponsored charity event in Harlow

READ MORE ONLINE AT FURNITURENEWS.NET

READ MORE AT WWW.FURNITURENEWS.NET 7

Sofa Club has launched a new lounge store in Westfield Stratford, London, after enjoying a surge in sales during lockdown John Lewis Partnership has welcomed Nish Kankiwala (ex-Hovis, PepsiCo, Unilever and Burger King) to its board as a non-executive director The NBF has introduced a new membership category for suppliers of component parts and services to bed manufacturers and retailers new to selling to the UK and Irish bed markets, and has welcomed The Burgess Bedding Company and Wolf Components to the association Lukehurst has added a 4000ft2 second-floor mezzanine extension to its Sittingbourne store Bensons for Beds has helped the British Heart Foundation (BHF) raise almost £90,000 in the past year by encouraging customers to donate their unwanted beds and bedroom furniture for resale through the latter’s home stores Sleepeezee has appointed David Miller as its new commercial director. Steve Warren will soon take over as sole MD at the bed manufacturer, as Howard Wilson plans to retire in September The Furniture Industry Research Association has published a Guide to Alternative Packaging and Sustainability

READ MORE ONLINE AT FURNITURENEWS.NET

BED SHOW SET FOR AUTUMN RETURN The National Bed Federation (NBF) Bed Show is set to return to the Telford International Centre from 21st-22nd September this year.

The annual event, cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic, will celebrate its 11th outing as the bedding industry’s premier specialist exhibition.

As well as the majority of the key bed manufacturer brands on display, this year’s show will see the introduction of a new Supplier Innovation Zone, shining a spotlight on the very latest developments in components. Visit www.bedshow.co.uk to find out more.

NEXT INVESTS DESPITE LOSSES Next has revealed its performance for the year ended January 2021, citing a decline in sales of -17% (-£736m, with full-price sales down -15% YoY), with the majority of the damage incurred in H1. Next says that in H2, lost retail sales (-£368m) were almost entirely offset by online gains (+£364m).

Next recorded pre-tax profits of £342m, while debt was reduced by £502m to £610m.

“Despite most of our stores being closed for a significant portion of 2020/21, total group sales decreased by less than -17% to £3.6b,” says Next’s chairman, Michael Roney.

In the year to date, profit lost from a longer-thanexpected retail lockdown has been offset by the benefit of the extension of business rates relief, but online sales have been stronger than expected.

Next says the business has “followed the money, developing new ideas bottom up, drawing on innovations generated throughout the group”. “We expect the shift in consumer behaviour towards online sales to continue for some time, and one of our priorities during the year has been to continue the development of our online platform,” says

Michael. “We accelerated part of our planned capital expenditure in the online business, spending £121m on warehousing and systems.”

During lockdown, product categories such as homewares helped mitigate declines in adult clothing, footwear and accessories. Next, which has expanded its branded home offer to include garden furniture, divan beds and mattresses, says that part of the business saw full-price sales increase by £20m (+55%), with significant growth achieved through its Platform Plus model, in which stock is offered on the Next website but held in partners’ warehouses.

In the year ahead, Next anticipates full-price sales in Branded Home to be around £75m, with a profit of some £13m.

When stores were open, LFL sales in retail parks, although negative, were between 15-20% better than Next’s other stores. “That said, the steady reduction in retail occupancy costs, the continued relevance of our stores to online shopping through collections and returns and (perhaps) the closure of competing shops, mean that the battle to keep our stores relevant in an online world is far from over,” states the retailer.

MODA FURNISHINGS BUILDS WORKFORCE AMID “EXCEPTIONAL” GROWTH Omnichannel outdoor living and garden furniture retailer Moda Furnishings says it is on track to deliver a year of exceptional revenue growth, underpinned by record levels of investment in its team and infrastructure.

Revenues jumped from £15m in 2019 to over £24m in the year to October 2020, and are on track to deliver a similarly strong rate of growth in the current financial year.

The Manchester-based company has nearly doubled in size again in the last six months as sales have accelerated dramatically amid strong consumer demand for its outdoor furniture. This has been underpinned by investment in the supply chain and a refreshed website and ecommerce capabilities, plus the expansion of Moda’s in-house delivery fleet and the launch of new products.

Moda’s success has been recognised with its firstever ranking in the Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100, where it was ranked 64th in the index of the UK’s 100 private companies with the fastest-growing profits over their latest three years.

While ecommerce has been the driver of recent growth during the last 12 months, Moda remains committed to its showrooms. Alongside the reopening of its socially distanced sites in Manchester and Caterham, Surrey, Moda has opened new showrooms in Milton Keynes and Cheltenham. The business is also planning to open a fifth showroom in North London shortly, giving it a strong national footprint.

Moda has also bolstered its senior team with the recruitment of a new head of ecommerce, customer services manager and head of sales.

8

NEWS

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HE MANAGED TO EFFORTLESSLY COMBINE THE ROLES OF STORYTELLER AND BUSINESSMAN

RIP HELMUT ‘MAX’ MERKEL, 1953-2021 Last month, the international furniture trade mourned the loss of Helmut ‘Max’ Merkel, a longtime industry consultant and the editor-in-chief of German trade magazine MÖBELMARKT. Following a short but serious illness, Max passed away on 15th April, at the age of 67.

Max was born in Baden-Baden in 1953, and started his career at trade publisher Euwid before joining MÖBELMARKT in 1988, where he initially worked as deputy editor-in-chief before setting up his own advertising agency in 1992. In 1999, he returned to MÖBELMARKT, and was subsequently appointed editor-in-chief.

His expertise in this capacity, and as the cofounder and CEO of CRP Consulting, was recognised throughout the international furniture industry. As well as pioneering the first International Furniture Forum Beijing, Max spoke at countless seminars and congresses, and was a valued competition judge and consummate journalist.

MÖBELMARKT reports: “Max Merkel was valued as a friend and advisor not only by us, but also by many colleagues and business partners around the world beyond his professional involvement. Max Merkel had travel in his blood, and was at home at furniture fairs and markets all over the world. Now he has started

his last great journey.”

Representing MÖBELMARKT, Max was a valued member of the International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP), which welcomed Furniture News on board in 2012.

“Max was a model trade journalist,” says Furniture News’ editor-in-chief, Paul Farley. “He managed to effortlessly combine the roles of storyteller and businessman, while remaining one of the most genuine and genial souls you’ll ever meet.

“To a young(ish) journalist travelling far and wide to cover the big shows, Max was welcoming, warm and wise, yet forever humble – and, as time went by, I came to truly value his friendship. He would embrace every culture, speak truth to power (tactfully), and would never shy away from making an introduction.

“He was always there for one last drink, even with stories to file. He’d try even the most questionable of foreign cuisine. He’s the guy you’d want to join for a cigarette with – even if you didn’t smoke. He comfortably demonstrated that bonds of business and friendship can be one and the same.

“Max may have left us far too soon, but he certainly made his mark – and left his innumerable friends and colleagues richer for the experience.”

Max is survived by his wife, Annelore.

SAVOIR OPENS FLAGSHIP SHOWROOM IN MAYFAIR Bedmaker Savoir has opened a 2000ft2 flagship showroom in Mayfair’s Berkeley Square, and says it has “invested in creating a sanctuary of serenity to elevate the customer experience”, with a bespoke product offering and personalised service.

Savoir wanted to ensure the new location provided a safe environment for private appointments, while welcoming walk-in customers. On Berkeley Square, with the entrance via Bourdon Street, the showroom offers customers a central location, along with the privacy to take their time. The entrance, which is not on a busy shopping street, ensures that the customer never feels on display.

MD Alistair Hughes says: “Berkeley Square is the jewel in the crown of Mayfair, and we are thrilled

to be opening our new flagship showroom in this desirable area. Whilst our online sales have seen really strong growth during Covid, new and existing customers ultimately want a human-led personal service.

“Physical showrooms have always been important to Savoir, and following last year we continue to value the role they play. We believe now is the time to invest in a new flagship, creating a destination which continues the Savoir story. Investing in a bespoke bed is a unique and personal experience.

The desire to touch, feel and experience a bed before making a purchase remains strong, and this has not wavered amongst customers throughout the pandemic.”

Emma – The Sleep Company continues has reported significant UK growth, with +95% YoY revenue growth in Q1. It says UK profitability has grown by +195%, while sales in the Irish market have climbed by +272% Carpetright CEO Wilf Walsh has been appointed chairman of Nestware Holdings Limited (NHL), part of Carpetright’s owner Meditor Group, and will oversee Carpetright, FlooringSupplies.co.uk, Flooring Megastore, and new acquisition, Carpet & Flooring Tendence, scheduled for 24-26th July, has been cancelled for a second year running. In related news, organiser Messe Frankfurt has appointed Julia Uherek and Philipp Ferger as vice presidents of its Consumer Goods Fairs, taking over from Nicolette Naumann GfK’s Consumer Confidence Index increased one point to -15 last month. Two measures were up in comparison to GfK’s 19th March announcement, two were down (The Major Purchase Index decreased by one point to -12, 40 points higher YoY), and one was flat Dunelm generated total sales of £236.6m across Q3 (ended 27th March), despite the majority of its estate being closed to customers. Digital sales more than trebled YoY, covering over 83% of the prior year’s sales.

Click & Collect services enabled Dunelm to cover approximately 35% of prior-year store sales.

Dunelm also opened a new store in NewcastleUnder-Lyme and a refurbished, extended store in Banbury last month

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

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CAST AWAY!

As we tentatively exit one of the most turbulent periods in the industry’s history, Furniture News is shining the spotlight on the manufacturers, suppliers and service providers which truly came through for our readers in the last year …

Which suppliers came through for you during testing times? Whose product lines have made the difference, both in-store and online, and which service providers could you simply not be without?

Our Readers’ Choice Awards, sponsored by the January Furniture Show, seek to celebrate the suppliers that are leading the field, based on your nominations.

You can cast your votes in a number of ways: * Visit www.bit.ly/fn-readers-choiceawards to cast your votes quickly and easily through our online entry form.

While there are suggested nominees within each category, you are free to make your own nominations

* Fill out the form across the page, then photograph it or scan it and email the image to paul@gearingmediagroup. com (don’t forget to add your name and business name to the bottom of the form) * Fill out the form across the page, then post it to: Furniture News Readers’ Choice Awards (FAO Paul Farley), Gearing Media Group, 4 Red Barn Mews, High Street, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0AG

WHOSE PRODUCT LINES HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE, BOTH IN-STORE AND ONLINE, AND WHICH SERVICE PROVIDERS COULD YOU SIMPLY NOT BE WITHOUT?

Voting closes at midnight on Friday 11th June – any submissions received past that date will not be counted, and we’ll only consider one set of nominations per reader. Please nominate one supplier in each category.

So, please cast your votes, and let the industry know who you consider to be the best in the business. Good luck to the nation’s suppliers – we’ll reveal the winners in August’s issue. www.bit.ly/fn-readers-choice-awards

SPONSORED BY

11

Best buying group/association:

Best international exhibition (physical or virtual):

Best bed/mattress supplier:

Best living room cabinet supplier:

Best bedroom cabinet supplier:

Best occasional chair/recliner supplier:

Best CGI visualisation/website provider:

Best sales/marketing/display support provider:

Best children’s/nursery furniture supplier:

Best software/technology provider:

Best decorative accessories/ soft furnishings/lighting supplier:

Best testing services/ certification provider supplier:

Best dining chair/table/cabinet supplier:

Best upholstery supplier:

Best fabric/component supplier:

Best UK exhibition (physical or virtual):

Best flatpack furniture supplier:

Best newcomer:

Best fulfilment/transport provider:

Best UK manufacturer:

Best furniture care/repair provider:

Best for sustainable thinking:

Best garden/outdoor furniture supplier:

Best for innovation:

Best home office furniture supplier:

For email/postal entries, add your name and business name:

12

INSIGHT

FAIR PLAY? Wayfair was clearly a force to be reckoned with before the pandemic – but with repeated lockdowns helping catapult its customer base past the 30 million mark, the Boston-born etailer has truly cemented its hold on the global homewares market. In this exclusive interview, Furniture News asks Wayfair’s head of Europe, Martin Reiter, what’s to come – and if the UK’s furniture retailers should be worried … www.wayfair.co.uk Martin Reiter

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How has Wayfair changed in response to the pandemic?

The complex Covid-19 period definitely enhanced our already close alliance with our more-than 12,000 suppliers – 3000 of which are based in Europe. We have doubled down on communication, sharing real-time guidance that enabled many of our suppliers to remain open and operational. We continued to diversify, expanding our core catalogue of furniture and decor as well as housewares, renovation, plumbing and more, so customers can continue to meet all their home needs in one simple-to-use online destination.

With our customers spending so much time at home navigating lockdown life, we have also tried to tailor our marketing strategy to answer their changing needs and to sensitively recognise the challenges that everyone

Wayfair’s Summer House makeover reflects consumer appetite for outdoor comfort

How has Covid-19 catalysed Wayfair’s ascendancy, and what role does the UK business play in the global picture?

It’s definitely been a stratospheric year. Covid-19 created a unique set of circumstances and home became the epicentre of everyone’s lives, highlighting the attractiveness of Wayfair’s value proposition to our customers. Many people turned to online shopping for the home for the first time, both in the UK and across our other global locations.

During this period, the number of active customers has grown globally by +53.7% to more than 31 million – new, and loyal. In Europe, we have hit a net revenue run rate of more than $1b, and the UK has played a key part of that growth.

Covid undoubtedly catalysed Wayfair’s ascendancy to some degree, but we were uniquely positioned to meet unprecedented demand due to our scale and the strategic investments and long-term orientation that we’ve made over the years – particularly in our large, flexible supply chain network, and scalable, agile tech infrastructure.

has been facing. We’ve run a number of Covid-19 response campaigns across our channels, including our Happy at Home campaign, which aimed to offer support, guiding customers on the best ways to reconfigure and organise their spaces for productivity, comfort and wellbeing – from practical guidance on how to set up a quick and easy home office in the garden, to inspiration on how to integrate mood-boosting colour.

We’ve continued to offer exceptional value, particularly through major sales like Way Day, which just returned this April. We’ve also run a number of charitable efforts including our Save

WE’RE DECISIVELY TACKLING A $49B UK MARKET OPPORTUNITY FOR HOME AND LIVING ECOMMERCE

Big, Give Back campaign, where we donated a proportion of profits to Unicef to help with critical Covid-19 relief.

These approaches have been hugely well received, and a lot of the pivots that we made will be here to stay in 2021.

Is there any reason UK retailers shouldn’t see Wayfair as their greatest threat?

Since Wayfair’s conception, we’ve been focused on building a world-class online homeware destination that will transform the way consumers shop for their homes, and this has really been pivotal to our success, and is what sets us apart, I think.

We work with our family of suppliers to ensure that we have the very widest selection of homeware available onsite, with more than 22 million items available worldwide – a million of which are available to UK shoppers. We’re also constantly striving to deliver excellent value.

14

INSIGHT

Beyond this, we have been superfocused on delivering an exceptional retail experience, through technology, inspiring merchandising and a fast, frictionless delivery experience via our proprietary logistics infrastructure. This recipe continues to garner results for both us and our suppliers. In addition, we have always been, and we remain, heavily focused on the long term, investing decisively and strategically in our future.

Are we the biggest threat to UK retail?

I would like to think we are actually a platform that can help many home retailers, big and small.

Has the balance of online and in-store shopping shifted for good? And how much further can it go?

While the pandemic has definitely boosted demand for homeware, especially within the online sector, customers acquired during Covid still appear to look similar to other recent cohorts in terms of repeat trends.

A sample of living room products within Wayfair’s Hykkon brand

A LOT OF THE PIVOTS THAT WE MADE WILL BE HERE TO STAY

Looking beyond the acute pandemic period, we fully expect that Wayfair will benefit from having a relationship with each of these customers, and that we will be able to engage with them in highly personalised ways, as we’ve always done.

Ultimately, we’re decisively tackling a huge market opportunity for ecommerce in home and living – of $49b in the UK. We remain focused on delivering an exceptional shopping experience, growing our customer base, and are super-excited about the opportunity ahead.

What qualities do you look for in a supplier, and how might they best work with you?

Whether you’re a large-scale manufacturer or a small business, our aim is to help suppliers with or without storefronts across all EU markets access fuss-free dropshipping, red carpet merchandising, brand curation and powerful promotions and marketing – without any capital investment in sales teams, operations or physical presence in the UK and Germany.

Our business model is based on driving ultimate selection, so we are extremely receptive to onboarding suppliers, big and small. My advice would be, if you’re looking to expand your market presence in the UK and Germany, becoming a Wayfair supplier

will help drive your online sales while taking all the ecommerce work off your shoulders.

We recommend that our suppliers follow our recipe for success, and those that do invariably see strong results.

Aside from garden chairs and patio heaters, what’s selling particularly (or surprisingly) well right now?

We’ve seen an enormous surge in interest in garden lines, peaking earlier than ever, presumably in response to the imminent lifting of lockdown restrictions and the prospect of al fresco entertaining being back on the table again.

In fact, the vast majority of our fastest-growing classes have been outdoor focused. This spans everything from dining furniture and parasols to deck boxes, ice boxes, tabletop pieces, outdoor rugs and cushions. We’ve also seen a big trend for tiki-style garden bars and potting benches. Lockdown might be easing, but it seems like customers are still keen to create a safe and fun space to entertain at home.

Have you made many advances in onboarding home and living brands in the past year?

We have added more than a thousand additional home and living suppliers, representing a mix across all categories,

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 15

How much power do you have to influence trends – as opposed to simply following them?

With more than a million home items available in the UK across every style and price point, and with technology at the core of our business DNA, we are uniquely positioned to be able to access a wealth of search and sales data that very much informs our trend forecasting.

We see an unprecedented volume of homeware, so are able to get a very strong read on trends before they come to market. That being said, we strongly believe that Wayfair gives everyone the power to create spaces that are just right for them. We’re a destination for all types of customer, across all styles and budgets, so to some degree, while we have a strong read on the trends, we never discriminate. Everyone and every style is welcome.

Hykkon, Wayfair’s own home and living brand, offers stylish home office solutions

styles and price points to match our broad customer base.

Key brands from the UK have included SMEG, Russel Hobbs, Chilewich, Mama Designs, Soda Stream, Ideal Standard and Abode, broadening selection in our furniture, kitchen and housewares, as well as plumbing and renovation categories. Our European supplier base now stands at more than 4000, and is constantly growing.

BECOMING A WAYFAIR SUPPLIER WILL HELP DRIVE YOUR ONLINE SALES WHILE TAKING ALL THE ECOMMERCE WORK OFF YOUR SHOULDERS How do Wayfair’s UK marketing activities break down, across various media and channels?

We’ve built robust marketing programmes across every stage of the customer purchase funnel, and continue to invest decisively to drive awareness and maximise impact. In the UK, we are investing strategically across a wide marketing mix, both above and below the line.

Our main focus in 2021 will be on continuing the momentum we have established and providing a great customer experience.

What’s the most crucial part of the ecommerce puzzle – platform, product, promotion … or something else?

That’s a great question, but it’s impossible to single out one part

of the puzzle. Everything works in mutual symbiosis. For me, delivering exceptional customer service is also really key.

Can you reveal the scale of your ambitions across the furniture and furnishings sector, and suggest how and when they might be achieved?

We remain laser-focused on the huge home category TAM [total available/ addressable market], where furniture and furnishings play a key part. Our ambition is to reinforce our winning platform for both customers and suppliers, and effectively balance growth, profitability, and high ROI investments for many years to come.

We saw the benefits of this approach in 2020, and are excited to see what 2021 has in store. There’s everything to play for

16

INSIGHT

READY TO ASSEMBLE Polish RTA powerhouse Forte is taking its UK operation to a new level, offering retailers a plethora of tailored designs, backed up with a plethora of guarantees and marketing support.

Furniture News asked national sales manager Victoria Ross to outline the new direction … www.forte.com.pl

What is Forte, and what does it offer?

Founded nearly 30 years ago and supplying over 4500 customers worldwide, Forte is one of the largest European manufacturers of furniture for self-assembly. We have five stateof-the-art manufacturing plants, totalling 160,000m2, and we develop 800 new models every year.

We offer self-assembly furniture for all areas of the home. We offer a comprehensive living and dining range, but are best known for our upstairs collections of bedroom and home office furniture.

How long has the brand been present in the UK? Forte has been present in the UK market for 15 years, but only in a very limited way.

Victoria Ross

Why did the business choose to relaunch its UK offer now – and how has it evolved?

The decision to relaunch Forte was taken in 2019 following an in-depth

WE COULD SEE THE TREND TOWARDS WELL-DESIGNED SELF-ASSEMBLY FURNITURE, AND KNEW WE HAD ALREADY-SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTS THAT WOULD FIT WELL IN THE UK

analysis of the current marketplace.

We could see the trend towards welldesigned self-assembly furniture, and knew that we had already-successful products that would fit well in the UK. Our original plan was set for a soft launch in summer 2020, but this was delayed due to the current pandemic situation. We have used this time to further develop our UK-tailored offer and to build processes, enabling us to supply customers with delivery terms that suit them, following the changes since Brexit.

We have taken a selection of the larger Forte offer and made all of the necessary adjustments to have these products immediately available to UK customers – bed sizes and styles have been changed to suit UK trends, and sideboards and TV units changed to better fit the size requirements of UK consumers. Where applicable, light fittings have been changed, and now come with either a UK or USB power supply.

Will UK buyers still have access to the complete offer?

Absolutely! The UK catalogue is just a snapshot of what Forte can offer.

Customers can access our entire catalogue of almost 3000 SKUs, and order most items without having to meet high production minimums.

We can also tailor any lines or programmes for a more specific need where justified.

Malamati

How does the product stack up in terms of value, quality and materials?

Forte product offers the highest quality in terms of value for money. With our in-house design team working closely with our quality department, all items are developed and tested for the rigours of everyday use. We are constantly updating our range of finishes and our build technology, to offer the consumer the best possible experience.

What are the likely lead times? And, being post-Brexit, can buyers expect any headaches ordering from Europe?

The current lead time is six weeks, although we are often able to offer

17 Kashmir

quicker turnaround. Since Brexit, we have invested heavily into our UK business to ensure we can offer customers the most practical ways to purchase and receive our products – including a fully declared option, minimising paperwork and costs for our customers.

Marida

Do Forte’s products come with any additional guarantees?

Everything is offered with a 12-month guarantee against manufacturing faults or problems. All of our facilities are audited by ISO and SMETA. We also support responsible and sustainable forest management – as a manufacturer, we source our woodbased materials exclusively from legal sources, certified and controlled in accordance with FSC standards.

In terms of supply continuity, our wholly-owned chipboard manufacturing plant means we’re not subject to the supply issues that have affected some of our competitors in recent months.

Do you offer any services to streamline the buying process or support stockists?

We work closely with our customers to support them with whatever materials they need to maximise sales. We supply high-quality imagery and, in some cases, product videos, along with additional PoS material if required.

the ‘virtual show’, to give both existing and new customers the next-best experience when looking at our stand.

Can you give us an idea of Forte’s ambitions?

Because we are starting with only a handful of existing customers, our growth plans are ambitious. Already in 2021, we are seeing significant YoY growth, and we have no limit to the infrastructure investments we are willing to make to ensure we have the best offer for our customers – both in terms of product, and the customer service they

High Rock

Tezaur

How are you planning to take your offer to the market from here?

We were so disappointed that the January Furniture Show was postponed and then cancelled, as we had planned for it to be our launch event – but we will be there in 2022, and look forward to being able to showcase our latest products and designs.

In the meantime, we are launching our new catalogue this month, and we have been working hard on perfecting

can expect to receive from us.

What brought you to the business?

Who else is involved in the UK operation?

I joined Forte in 2019 following a really long recruitment process. I joined at a time of change within Forte, and I have seen our back-office systems and processes adapting and changing to meet the demands of the current market.

I am fully supported by a team of experts in terms of product development, sales, quality and logistics, both in Poland and here in the UK. We plan to add to our team in the coming months, as our business continues to grow in this market.

What would you say to a retailer who has never bought from Forte before, but is keen to broaden their bedroom furniture offer (in-store or online)?

Come and have a look – we have such a wide variety of products in our good, better and best offer, covering most of the market’s requirements in terms of pricing and quality

WE ARE

FORTE

www.FORTE.com.pl

The Furniture Makers’ Company the furnishing industry’s charity

IT’S TIME TO

STEP 2 IT Step 2 It is the exciting new fundraising campaign by industry charity The Furniture Makers’ Company.

The Furniture Makers’ Company is launching its largest ever fundraising campaign in May, asking the furnishing industry to ‘Step 2 It’ and help raise £250,000 to support people from the trade who have been impacted by COVID-19.

Step 2 It aims to inspire companies and individuals to organise sports-based fundraisers between May 2021 – April 2022 in aid of the charity, encouraging friends, family and co-workers to join in the fun. What’s more – thanks to a benefactor, every single penny you raise will be matched, effectively doubling your donation.

Last year our charity awarded a record number of financial grants to people from the sector whose lives and livelihoods were disrupted by the pandemic. Now we need your help to raise funds so we can keep supporting the industry.

Have fun, raise money, support lives, Step 2 It

Claim your fundraising toolkit: www.furnituremakers.org.uk/step2it

THE NEW NORMAL 21

THE NEW NORMAL Having negotiated more than a year of upheaval thus far, the changes brought about by Covid-19 are inescapable – but which are here to stay? This month, Furniture News presents a range of perspectives on how new technologies and consumer behaviours could overtake the old for good …

EMBRACING VOICE COMMERCE REPURPOSING THE HIGH STREET PUTTING PEOPLE BEFORE PRODUCT REVITALISING LIVING SPACES REVAMPING THE FACTORY WITH VR

›››

22

NEW NORMAL

SPEAK UP! You’ll find a voice assistant in at least one in every five UK homes, and the chances are it’ll be Amazon’s Alexa – but having it play a song or dim the lights is just the beginning, says Nils Zündorf, CEO of Amazon agency, factor-a, who answers Paul Farley’s questions about the potential role of voice commerce in the furniture industry …

What is voice commerce?

Voice commerce is a marketing and sales channel created by the increasing spread of voice assistants. On the one hand, it creates the possibility to sell products via voice command, and on the other it opens up a new touchpoint in the customer journey for branding, servicing and marketing.

www.factor-a.co.uk

Furniture tends to be a considered purchase – how does that suit the fast, immediate nature of voice commerce?

The unique advantage for furniture is that it’s in the home category. If big manufacturers can integrate smart home appliances into their furniture pieces, voice command could make a huge difference.

Either way, retailers can use smart speakers to create more value and add services, without even integrating smart appliances. For example, a furniture manufacturer could offer vocalised instructions to help customers assemble a piece of furniture.

Demand for voice commerce is loud and clear, says Nils Zündorf (image credit 123RF.com/olegdudko)

VOICE ASSISTANTS CHANGE THE WAY BRANDS AND CONSUMERS INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER

Are furniture businesses already employing this technology?

Many businesses are taking advantage of Google Business. This way they can be found through voice search. This should be the first step in the voice journey of any retailer – only if you can be found, will you stay relevant.

Additionally, many smart home retailers have their own Alexa skill, making their products voice-command applicable. For example, IKEA has integrated a system which enables control over their lights, and the German platform moebel.de has their own skill which lets consumers search for discounts via voice.

Consumers using voice search want two things – the answer, and fast. If your business can deliver both — whether it’s a general query or a ‘furniture showroom near me’ local search — then there’s a growing section of consumers you may be able to target. And since this trend is still fairly new, you have a strong chance of knocking out your competition.

What is the potential of the technology from a marketing perspective?

By positioning Alexa appliances in consumers’ kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms, a new gateway to customers has been created. Voice assistants offer the opportunity to establish and integrate a company into the consumer’s everyday life. This changes the way brands and consumers interact with each other. Therefore, it won’t be a classic sales channel, like online or stationary retail.

A good example of the power of ‘voice’ and what’s possible is podcasts.

Recommendations of films, books or even products by podcast moderators are just some examples. Various retailers and brands run their own podcasts and are thus expanding their expertise.

It’s all about the additional services, not about imitating the shopping experience of other channels. For example, a bicycle dealer could offer information on the right chain grease, the perfect seating positions or the advantages of different types of gears,

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 23

What else can Amazon offer retailers?

What are the drawbacks, and how can retailers make the most of being part of that ecosystem?

According to ecommerceDB, Amazon is the biggest online retailer for furniture and appliances, with net sales in 2020 amounting to $2b. Even if purchases are not directly made via the platform, Amazon has a significant influence on the purchase decision.

According to an IFH study, 61% of consumers in the home and furnishing segment spot their desired product on Amazon before buying online, and 23% before making an in-store purchase, and this was as early as 2019. As a result, brands and products that are not visible to potential customers on the platform often aren’t noticed by the buyer.

Amazon’s success is largely due to overcoming one of the biggest challenges in the homeware industry – logistics. Amazon Prime’s robust infrastructure provides the seamless, fast delivery that today’s customer demands. Thanks to free returns, shoppers are more willing to spend higher sums on larger items without having to see them in person before purchasing. This is good news for manufacturers who are currently considering joining Amazon – they can benefit from Amazon’s infrastructure and service.

As an Alexa user myself, I’m aware of the frustrations some people have with the devices. What needs to change before the barriers to voice commerce are truly removed?

The biggest change has already happened – people are spending more time at home due to the pandemic.

Instead of being on the go and relying on mobile devices for purchases, we

saw an increase in voice assistant use.

Additionally, Amazon used its sales days – specifically Prime Day – to push even more smart speakers into the market.

The technology is evolving and getting better with use. Frustrations are understandable, but Amazon wouldn’t be Amazon if it wasn’t working hard to fix this problem. For example, the latest update brought a more detailed noise distinction for Amazon Guard, so the smart device can track noises like glass breaking.

I’m also aware that I’m probably not using my Alexa to its full potential.

Can you share any voice shopping tips, from a user POV? Alexa Skills are great! These are voicedriven capabilities for devices, like playing music and answering questions … apps, basically. And there are a lot of options to choose from. Aside from smart home controls (which, by the way, some big furniture retailers already offer), there are apps that tell you the daily news, weather apps, stainremoving wikis, recipe sites and so many others. These are not shopping tips, but general helpers.

For example, some supermarkets have Alexa skills that allow customers to add products to their shopping lists and track orders while they’re cooking. This provides an excellent user experience and makes the process of shopping online much simpler.

For voice shopping, my tip would be to use it for refilling or rebuying products that you have already purchased via Amazon – for example, dishwasher tabs or other refillables that you’ve previously ordered. Your account, and therefore your smart device, has an understanding of your preferences, and can use these to order ‘the right thing’. This also works for food delivery.

How might an independent retailer start to use voice commerce? What route should they take, and what are the likely obstacles – do they need to be fully operational online first?

SINCE THIS TREND IS STILL FAIRLY NEW, YOU HAVE A STRONG CHANCE OF KNOCKING OUT YOUR COMPETITION

Nils Zündorf

on a podcast or simply in an audio file.

As with ‘sponsored posts’, customers then link the information with the brand and attribute more expertise to it. This increases awareness, which in turn can lead to more sales.

A retailer should definitely be functioning online and be invested in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). SEO is the basis for being found anywhere in the online world. However, for voice commerce, you need to tweak your keywords a little. Due to the more conversational nature of voice searches, long-tail keywords are more important than ever (long-tail keywords are more specific than standard keywords, which means that they usually have lower traffic volume, but also less competition).

If you can be found online, you are already one step ahead. Google My Business allows you to provide important information about your company to Google, including opening hours, website, location, and reviews.

Even though Google is not the default for every system, it is still the one where you should focus most of your efforts.

However, check your own site’s data as well as the trends of your target demographic to determine your focus.

Using voice commerce as an independent sales channel would be too much to ask from a single retailer.

Depending on their size, it could be an idea to set up an audio format with information, or register a service for Alexa Skills.

The challenge here is to offer customers a skill with real added value. For instance, a make-up tutorial may make sense as a video, but it is probably useless as an auditory Alexa Skill. If you’re comfortable with software development, you can create your own Alexa Skills or hire someone to make them for you. Amazon also provides very detailed documents and tutorials for creating Alexa Skills

24

NEW NORMAL

SHOP, EAT, LIVE Ritchie Clapson, co-founder of property development and training company, propertyCEO, explains how repurposing buildings for residential use could be the key to unlocking the high street’s potential …

THE SECRET TO ACHIEVING THIS REVITALISATION OF COMMERCE IS TO MAKE TOWN CENTRES MORE RESIDENTIAL

By RITCHIE CLAPSON www.propertyceo.co.uk

There is no doubt that our high streets are no longer the vibrant retail hubs that they once were. According to the estate agents Savills, approximately 12.5% of retail premises in the UK are vacant.

They predict that retail vacancy will rise to 25% by the 2030 unless action is taken.

With a general consensus that our town centres are at a crisis point, something has to be done to prevent further decline and, if possible, to turn high streets once again into places we want to visit. This will require a repurposing of many buildings.

What do we want our high streets to look like in the future? If retail is still to play a role, then in the absence of any need to shop in the high street, we need to create a place that shoppers want to visit. To recapture the thriving activity, town centres must become leisure destinations. They need restaurants, cafes and pubs, boutiques and other specialist retailers, cinemas, theatres, and sports and music venues, as well as craft and gift stores.

Small independent retailers with a huge range of products can help create a browsers’ paradise – a destination for a day out or for an evening’s dining or entertainment.

Residential redevelopment is the key While it may sound counter-intuitive, the secret to achieving this revitalisation of commerce is to make town centres more residential. With more people living in town centres, there is automatically more demand – not only for local services, cafes and eateries, but also for local convenience stores and entertainment.

People like living in towns that have a vibrant high street on the doorstep, so this could create a virtuous cycle that leads to the wider regeneration of the high street.

So, how do we achieve this transformation? We need to repurpose the existing buildings in our town centres to create the right balance of homes, workspaces, retail, leisure and services operating side-by-side. But the starting point has to be residential. Because by creating attractive homes in town centres, the demand for these other shops and services follows automatically.

Historically, this residential development has been difficult due to strict planning regulations. To turn a derelict department store into apartments, for example, would require planning permission from the local planning authority (LPA) department, which are usually underfunded, overloaded and often bureaucratic.

Making redevelopment faster and easier To speed the redevelopment process up, the Government has created Permitted Development Rights (PDRs) which allow the use classes of certain types of building to change without the need for a full planning application. This makes the process much quicker and easier for developers to redevelop buildings, as it reduces – and sometimes removes altogether – the risk of planning being refused.

In most cases, however, developers must still make an application, but the LPAs have far fewer criteria on which they can object and, in some cases, they have just 56 days in which to raise any objection.

Using the ‘Class G’ PDR, it’s possible to convert the floors above a shop to residential. Furthermore, ‘Class M’ PDR allows developers to convert the ground floor of shops up to 150m2 that are not deemed ‘prime retail’ into residential property.

Also, the Government has proposed that, from 1st August 2021, all buildings in Use Class E can be converted to residential using a brand-new set of Permitted Development Rights. This is the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle which, if approved, will allow us to repurpose most of the buildings in our town centre without the need for planning permission.

A new vision This new vision of the high street, starting with the increase in residential development bringing increased business opportunities, will deliver many benefits beyond reviving our town centres. By repurposing unused buildings, we’re not only creating new homes, but we’re also recycling our national building stock and reducing the need for development on greenbelt land

Marks & Spencer + Threespine = Click!

No tools, glue or fittings needed!

“We wanted an assembly system that was fast and easy for our customers. Often furniture fixings can loosen over time — with Threespine® technology it’s secure and strong.”

Dave Atwell, Furniture Technologist | Marks & Spencer

Threespine® – Click furniture technology Threespine® is a completely new and innovative way to assemble furniture — taking the hardware, heartache, and heavy-lifting out of the equation The unique, patented Threespine® click joints means furniture can be assembled tool-and-fittings-free and up to 8–10 times faster than furniture with traditional fittings, but the efficiency benefits don’t stop there. Threespine® is a revolution for the industry, omnichannel retailers, and consumers — enabling a total rethink in how furniture is produced, transported, stored, and sold — with major cost and space savings at every step of the supply chain. The technology is suitable for any manufacturer and all types of materials — from flatpack, to fine furniture, to fully-fitted kitchens.

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26

NEW NORMAL

PUTTING PEOPLE BEFORE PRODUCT Kitchen, bedroom and furniture design overlap in holistic and multipurpose designs – Furnital designs mechanisms and components that fuel innovative design

For any furniture manufacturer, dealing with the ever-changing demands of a global pandemic is challenging enough – but for sustained growth, it’s not enough, argues Preston Furniture Solutions’ Gareth Atkin … www.prestonfurnituresolutions.co.uk

Gareth Atkin

THIS SOCIETAL SHIFT CREATES REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MANUFACTURERS AND DESIGNERS

Predicting position, tailoring a strategic plan and future-proofing a business is crucial, but how can anyone do that when the future is coming at them in weeks, rather than years?

The answer could lie with the hightech companies, because their growth is intrinsically linked to interiors, suggests Gareth.

“Coronavirus hasn’t changed society, it’s accelerated changes already on the cards, and it’s done so at breakneck speed,” he says. “Almost overnight, we switched from face-to-face to online.

Old and inflexible thinking about where, when, and how we work, shop, educate and socialise – all jettisoned. With the seismic shift to online, we saw a decade of ecommerce growth in weeks. And behind the scenes, with the focus on the high-tech industry in transforming our lives, the home improvement industry quietly experience a boom, and the property market got lively.”

Perhaps many of the changes are not so surprising. Academics at Cardiff and Southampton universities found that 90% of workers would like to continue working from home in some form after the pandemic – and with Zoom calls transforming communication, where workers are when they make those calls became really important.

“The demand for multi-functional and flexible living spaces may have begun as a design trend, but it’s been catapulted to the top of the agenda by a global pandemic,” says Gareth. “With a shift in working practices, we can anticipate demand for kitchen, bedroom, living and office furniture that adapts to our changing needs.”

A new report by UK merchant payment provider, Dojo, part of the Paymentsense brand, reveals that home furnishings sales in the pandemic soared by +458% as the public clamoured to turn homes into sanctuaries. ONS figures show the time Brits dedicated to home improvements during the UK’s first lockdown increased by +147%. Add to this the latest HM Land Registry data, which shows average house price increases of +8.5% in the year to December 2020.

“And here lies the bigger picture,” says Gareth. “Our homes shifted from the place to which we return, to the hub of every aspect of our lives. It’s clear that when given the opportunity to improve our home environment, we take it. This makes sense – moving to safer locations, lifestyle choices, working from home, less frivolous spending, investing the money saved on holidays into improved home environments.

27 High-quality mechanisms from Atim Spa create an opportunity for slide-out, pull-down and pull-out additional desk and table space

Connectivity in the home is more important than ever – integrated, modular and recessed smart tech solutions from CheckUP allow for uncompromised furniture design

This is the societal shift that creates real opportunity for manufacturers and designers.

“It’s already clear that our homes will work harder, with adaptable furniture, smart tech, flexible spaces and creative lighting all becoming fundamental to a new way of living. Developers and designers will need to bring their ace game to the table, because maximising every square inch will look very different in the future.”

While big corporations like Apple may seem disconnected, they are not, says Gareth. “Love or hate them, what they do well is to nail human instinct. These are the businesses that are thriving in

the worst of times. They understand the importance of the emotional connection and invest in becoming scrutiny-proof.

“We too need to be thinking 10 years ahead and asking the right questions now. Do you really understand how your customer is hard-wired? Have you grasped the emotional connection with the home, concerns over air quality, the need for connectivity, to feel safe in the one environment we have control over?

“How are you seen? Are you likeable, are you attracting the best talent, do you connect with your customer, are you creating a strong vision of the future? These are questions that create foundations and fundamentally help the

furniture industry meet our practical and emotional needs. Let’s think people before we think products.

“Businesses now overlap in a way we have never seen before, and today’s furniture manufacturers are designing with real purpose, to revolutionise experience. We can’t be certain of the future, but the power to transform the way in which we live is the key component of a new future.

Societal change, plus designers, equals innovation. Let’s call these the mechanisms for change.

“Now is the time to step back, look at the bigger picture and figure out what these exciting opportunities look like”

THE DEMAND FOR MULTI-FUNCTIONAL AND FLEXIBLE LIVING SPACES MAY HAVE BEGUN AS A DESIGN TREND, BUT IT’S BEEN CATAPULTED TO THE TOP OF THE AGENDA

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NEW NORMAL

NEW AND IMPROVED Thanks to widespread lockdown restrictions, it’s unsurprising that last year prompted a huge surge in home improvements – and there are more ways than ever to revitalise living spaces for this ‘new normal’, says MEDITE SMARTPLY …

Kitchens and bathrooms are high on the list of planned home improvements this year, says MEDITE SMARTPLY

www.mdfosb.com/en

“On average, homeowners spent an average of £2068 on improving their properties in 2020, and the trend looks set to continue,” writes MEDITE SMARTPLY. “The forecast for 2021 suggests homeowners still plan to make improvements to their properties – even if things return to a more ‘normal’ state later in the year.

“A recent survey by Rated People highlighted that around 43% of residents said they intend to work from home more than they did before the pandemic, while another 57% say they want to become more eco-friendly. This has given rise to a ‘new normal’ which will likely see people continue to make positive changes to their lifestyle and the spaces they live in.

“So, what does this mean for builders and installers?

Flexible, healthier interiors with MEDITE “As demand continues for more flexible, healthier living spaces, so too does the need for building materials that not only cater to the client’s desired aesthetics, but also contribute to the vitality of an interior space.

“Over the years, MEDITE SMARTPLY has worked to develop its specialist MEDITE MDF range to allow designers and fabricators to create interior spaces that strive to meet their clients’ design, safety, sustainability and wellbeing goals. From flame retardancy to no added formaldehyde, this innovative and versatile product range boasts outstanding machinability, strength and uniformity, and is suitable for a wide range of applications, including cabinetry and furniture.

“Professional joinery company Richard Baker has used MEDITE PREMIER panels to create bespoke furniture for clients, and praises its versatility, machinability and smooth finish.

“This multi-purpose MDF is ideal for creating bespoke structures, from desks and chairs to storage cabinets – making it ideal for home offices. Its sister panel, MEDITE PREMIER FR, boasts the same properties but with added flame retardancy, making it suitable for use in public buildings in spaces that require a fire performance rating of Euroclass B or C. “With kitchens and bathrooms also high on the list of planned home improvements this year, an MDF panel with moisture resistance will prove most reliable. MEDITE MR was chosen

by Infinitus Bespoke Interiors for a luxury bathroom redesign, due to its ability to resist humidity and moisture, as well as its easy machinability.

“With a range that spans 10 different families of MDF product and many variants, MEDITE MDF offers over 400 possible specifications for any interior.

“MEDITE makes it real. Join the exclusive MEDITE MDF community to help take your installations to the next level, whatever the project – register at meditemakesitreal.com”

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30

NEW NORMAL

VIRTUALLY PERFECT With a turnover in excess of £4m, Jarrow-based handmade furnitureand shelf-manufacturer Funky Chunky Furniture is expanding fast. Recently, the business turned to virtual reality (VR) technology to revamp its workshop, maximising output while reducing costs, and allowing production to flow seamlessly, says operations director James Brand … www.funky-chunky-furniture.co.uk

What prompted you to explore the application of VR in your business?

The business had grown rapidly, and we had seemingly maxed out the available space within our workshop. So, we knew the layout needed changing.

Our main aims were to ensure our manufacturing was as efficient as possible, make the best use of available space, and respond to the varying needs of the different manufacturing processes. We worked with the Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing (SAM) Project on addressing these issues, and it was their suggestion that we use VR to model the workshop.

How might you have approached a fresh factory layout otherwise?

Before we started working with SAM we did actually have an alternative layout for the workshop in mind. It was what we felt would be best use of the available space within the building, and also the best workflow for the team. It was interesting to see how our initial idea was remodelled and refined by the VR software.

THE REAL SURPRISE WAS JUST HOW MUCH SPACE WE HAD

Did your tech partner have any previous furniture industry experience?

As a rapidly growing manufacturing business, we needed to seek the advice of industry specialists. The SAM team’s expertise lies in the broader manufacturing sector, and it was this experience we wanted to tap into.

Can you provide some examples of how the findings improved efficiency?

As a result of the project we’ve changed the layout of the workshop and it has created real improvements, both in efficiencies and opportunities. We’ve seen a +30% efficiency gain on our shelving manufacturing, and we have gained space within our existing floorplan, enabling us to introduce new processes and expand existing workflow.

There was an emphasis on creating distinct teams within the workshop, which would focus on specific product areas. This in itself has helped with efficiencies, as the team members’ familiarity with particular product types mean manufacturing times decrease.

Did any surprises/unexpected challenges arise during the process?

We started out with an idea of what we could potentially do to the workshop to improve efficiencies, and used the software to model the workflows.

In a way, the biggest challenge was the data! We weren’t expecting so much useable data from the modelling. So, once we knew how much detail it would provide we could really drill down and try out quite a few different scenarios. It took us quite a long time to get it right.

We knew that changing the workflows and manufacturing would free up some space within the workshop, but the real surprise was just how much space we had! We’ve created space that we’ve still not used yet, and it’s going to enable us to expand our range and introduce new product lines, processes and finishes.

Can you see any further possible applications for VR in your business?

We’re growing rapidly, and at this stage we’re really not sure what our expansion is going to look like. Whatever route we take, we’ll definitely be looking to use VR again to model our workshop.

VR opens up so many avenues for consumer engagement. We’ll be looking to build on our digital presence in the next year or so, and the introduction of technologies that will allow us to create an immersive experience for our consumers is really exciting, and definitely top of our marketing wishlist

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32

EVENTS LONG POINT

LONG OVERDUE Following several false starts, Spring Long Point is finally upon us – and a welcome sourcing opportunity for buyers keen to peruse the latest from a selection of leading UK and international upholstery, cabinet, bedroom and lifestyle accessories brands …

Westfield, Artistic Upholstery

www.longeatonguild.co.uk

Taking place in Long Eaton from 2427th May, Spring Long Point is set to finally break the industry’s trade show fast. Organised by the Long Eaton Guild of Furniture Manufacturers, the biannual fair differs from the trade show norm as it takes place across the Derbyshire town’s myriad furniture showrooms and mills, making it an intimate and inspiring experience, yet enabling visitors to keep a safe distance if required.

“Long Point enjoys the reputation of being the most relaxed and enjoyable furniture exhibition within the UK,” says the guild’s chairman, Andrew Mitchell. “Our autumn event last year was an endorsement of this, when, under strict Covid-19 rules, the sound of manufacturers and retailers enjoying meeting face to face for the first time in months in relaxed surroundings echoed throughout the showrooms.

“Long Eaton continues to be the ideal location for a furniture exhibition, further endorsed by the addition of three new locations and six major brands joining us.

“All signs indicate a growth in furniture sales now that restrictions have been eased, and we hope that you will take this opportunity of viewing the latest collections from all exhibitors.”

Iain James will present its successful Burr Walnut and Rosewood collections.

It says the timeless walnut look sits

AMC 312 and 310, Iain James Furniture

Hurst, G Plan

Bardot, Spink & Edgar Upholstery

Riviera, Alf

33 well with upper-end upholstery ranges, while its Rosewood pieces offer a more contemporary twist.

Spink & Edgar Upholstery will launch Bardot, a model based on a glamorous modern classic with an art deco twist.

The collection features GP &J Baker printed velvets, while Spink & Edgar pocket springs offer comfort and support.

Tamarisk Designs will introduce its Walcot upholstery collection, which features feather seats and backs with ibre lumbar support and two added feather channels, while Tetrad will

present new collections including the Amilie, a modern take on a casual design, with pillow-edge scatter detail.

Carlton Furniture says it has spent the last 12 months innovating and exploring new products, and is looking forward to revealing them – while Italian brands Alf and Bontempi will make their Long Point debut in Harrington Mills, and will remain there for the foreseeable future, with the promise of a rolling launch programme. Read on to discover more about this edition’s highlights.

As well as the established

showrooms in central Long Eaton, this year’s show encompasses several hotel locations: Holiday Inn; Novotel (for a 12% discount on room rate, quote ‘Long Eaton Exhibition’; and the nearby Village Hotel (for a 10% discount on room rate, quote ‘COR10’).

The show is open from 9am-5pm daily, and courtesy transport is available to and from East Midlands Airport and Long Eaton Railway Station to all showroom location – call the exhibition helpline on 0115 973 4481 for assistance

Walcot in new Heritage Pacific luxury velvets, Tamarisk Designs

Roma, Sherborne

Holcot table and Bari chair, Carlton Furniture

Ashbourne, Parker Knoll

Amilie, Tetrad

Metz in Champagne, Wiemann

34

EVENTS LONG POINT

THE ART GROUP www.artgroup.com The Art Group is a market leader in contemporary art publishing.

The business collaborates with artists to create premium wall art that addresses the trends shaping today’s high-end interiors.

The Art Group’s collections are both designed and manufactured in the UK, for guaranteed quality – and promise to deliver statement pieces for those special finishing touches.

The Art Group present a selection of its products in Harrington Mills. For more information, call 0116 284 3640 or email sales@ artgroup.com.

BLUEBONE IMPORTS www.bluebone.co.uk “Bluebone’s summer 2021 collections can best be defined as ‘modern rustic’, says sales manager Elaine Anderson. “Reclaimed boatwood, rustic teak and driftwood are given a contemporary edge when displayed under glass.

“Smooth surfaces in cement and polished minerals are paired with soft gold and brushed gunmetal frames. Natural rattan panels and raffia fringes create a summer vibe, and accessories are designed to work indoors and out.”

Discover a selection of Bluebone’s fresh lines at The Motivation Suite, The Village Hotel, Brailsford Way, NG19 6DL.

ASHWOOD DESIGNS www.ashwood-designs.co.uk Alongside its current bestsellers, Ashwood Designs will present its more recent launches – Huxley (pictured), Malibu and Tailor – along with a selection of new fabrics.

“We may even have some surprises up our sleeve,” teases director, Stuart Youngs. “Please take the time to visit us at the Novotel Long Eaton – you won’t be disappointed!”

www.westbridgefurniture.com Westbridge Furniture’s team are excited to have the opportunity to show its new ranges to customers face to face at Long Point.

The manufacturer has launched three new Westbridge ranges, concentrating on sustainable manufacturing, comfort and value – as well as three sumptuous new Spirit models, which offer the glamour, scale and comfort expected from the Spirit brand.

Find Westbridge in The Inspirational Suite, in The Village Hotel.

Tulip, from Westbridge’s Spirit collection

WESTBRIDGE FURNITURE

24TH

27TH M AY 2021

Ashwood Designs

Alexander & James

Ashley Manor

Ar tistic Upholster y

ALF/Bontempi

Baker Furniture

Bluebone Furniture

The Ar t Group

Carlton Furniture

Collins & Hayes

Buoyant Upholster y

Duresta Upholster y

Gascoigne Designs

David Gundr y Upholster y

Hunter K night

Iain James Furniture

G Plan

John Sankey

Parker K noll

Orbital Vision

Siren Furniture

Spink & Edgar

Sherborne Upholster y

Tamarisk Designs

Tetrad

Steed Upholster y

Wiemann Bedroom

West ridge Furniture

JUNCTION 25 M1 MOTORWAY SEE WEBSITE FOR EXHIBITOR LOCATIONS www.longeatonguild.co.uk OR CALL OUR HELPLINE 0115 973 4481

36

EVENTS LONG POINT

WIEMANN www.wiemannuk.co.uk

Kos

Award-winning bedroom manufacturer Wiemann will unveil two stylish new ranges at Long Point.

Metz and Kos are chic, contemporary wardrobe and accessory collections, offering different looks but sharing the same trademark Wiemann versatility and quality.

Metz, which is available in a selection of colours and finishes, features glass and wood-effect combinations and bi-fold doors. The on-trend Kos, meanwhile, brings a modular blueprint to a trio of sliding doors, well suited to all colour options.

Further chances to view the Wiemann catalogue are: the Summer Furniture Show, Telford, from 1516th June; and by appointment at the company’s permanent showrooms in Harlow, Essex, and Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire.

Longpoint 24th - 27th May

Novotel Hotel Bostocks Lane Long Eaton Nottingham NG10 4EP

Together we make a winning combination!

Metz

We’re looking forward to welcoming you at Harrington Mill at Long Point, Long Eaton, May 24-27.

made in germany enquiries@wiemannuk.co.uk | www.wiemannuk.co.uk

38

EVENTS LONG POINT

PRIDE OF PLACE Since making the transition from Duresta to Collins & Hayes in 2017, the heritage upholstery brand’s sales & marketing director Jo Slaven has steered the business towards an increasingly assured market position – more recently negotiating a pandemic, and still having creativity to spare for this month’s Long Point show … www.collinsandhayes.co.uk

Jo Slaven

2020 REMINDED US OF THE POWER OF TEAMWORK, AND TO ONLY FOCUS OUR ENERGY ON CONTROLLING THE CONTROLLABLE

What was your industry experience prior to joining Sofa Brands International (SBI), and what were your aspirations for Collins & Hayes?

I have been involved in the furnishings sector for nearly 30 years. It is important to me that at this stage in my career I dedicate my energy and skill to the further development of a legacy brand – promoting quality and provenance, but ensuring it is relevant for today.

Being a custodian of Collins & Hayes under the ownership of SBI has been an opportunity to develop the business and restore it to its rightful place in the market.

How has the brand evolved under your stewardship?

Affinity with the product is vital, and I believe it needs to be evident when interacting with the customer.

I genuinely love the Collins & Hayes brand, and I think that comes across to our retail partners. If the Collins & Hayes team value the brand, then they will too.

We believe in sustainable relationships, so have developed a mutually beneficial stockist policy, ensuring the brand remains revered and our retail partners feel supported. This, coupled with a beautiful, commercial collection, has helped us to re-establish our retail distribution, which continues to grow.

Can you describe the brand’s journey since the start of 2020? Has the pandemic changed how you operate?

The Collins & Hayes story started in 1870, so 2020 was our 150th year – a reason for celebration. The year started extremely well, as we won The Furniture Awards with our Bailey & Banks models. It was a fabulous accolade, and testament to the preservation of our design credentials and brand values.

However, who knew what 2020 would bring? It was a very challenging year indeed for our industry and, of course, the entire global community.

In business terms, we’ve had to be creative, resourceful and incredibly flexible – 2020 reminded us of the power of teamwork, and to only focus our energy on controlling the controllable.

The pandemic has absolutely changed how we operate, and ways of working, we believe, will have changed forever.

Furniture News heard that you have conducted virtual tours and design consultations – what kind of interaction did you have with stockists?

It is vital that we communicate with our consumers and provide access to the brand in a very personal way. We live and breathe this creative industry, but consumers don’t buy new furniture that often, so they need support with decision making.

We have a dedicated consumer relationship manager who ensures the consumers are supported and make an informed decision. This has been especially relevant whilst retail has been closed.

They can benefit from a 360° virtual tour of our showroom, a virtual consultation via Zoom, a phone consultation, or by appointment now the doors are open again. This service supports our stockists in turn, as we immerse our mutual consumer in the brand experience and enhance their buying journey.

During March, we used the virtual consultations to present new ranges to our stockists. This also gave them an understanding of the consumer experience, ensuring they will recommend it as a service going forward.

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 39

What was the greatest challenge you faced in the last year, and what have you learned from it?

First and foremost, the greatest challenge was ensuring the safety of our team, their families and the wider community – whilst still being able to manufacture and fulfil our commitments.

We pride ourselves on our service levels, but the pandemic caused supply chain issues beyond anyone’s control. I think the biggest lessons were retaining a sense of perspective, and never taking anything for granted again.

Other than the home furnishing boom, do any particular trends in retail bode well for your brand?

Collins & Hayes has excellent sustainability credentials, and when we redeveloped the proposition under SBI this was front of mind. This is now more relevant than ever, and we are well placed to engender the trust of the consumer and retailer with, amongst others, our lifetime frame guarantee,

Bailey

With consumer demand changing all the time, how is Collins & Hayes adapting its offer?

We have invested in research to ensure we have a better understanding of our consumer. We will further develop our collections with those insights in mind, then tailor our marketing to capture every opportunity.

We will share our research findings and our exciting future marketing plans with our retail partners so they are assured we are driving informed consumers to them to purchase in the forthcoming months and years.

natural fibre fabrics with regenerated yarns and replaceable slip-cover brand USPs. Products made with the environment in mind are here to stay.

Buying locally and buying British are also incredibly important. This sentiment will grow further – and again, Collins & Hayes are well placed to support it.

Does Collins & Hayes have anything special lined up for Long Point?

The Long Point dates have moved several times, so we will be delighted to finally have the opportunity to meet with our retail partners.

We have continued, during lockdown,

to develop new products and introduce beautiful fabrics. Visitors to our fabulous showroom in Harrington Mill will experience our bestsellers, in addition to a new model, which has wide appeal and delivers the incredible comfort expected from Collins & Hayes. We have ensured this model has a sofabed option too, as we know that functionality is important to our consumer.

I would encourage any retailer considering a new supply partner who can convey brand provenance, deliver choice and an exceptional consumer experience in exchange for positive benefits and credible brand support, to visit Long Point to meet with our team

Jefferson

Bailey

40

EVENTS LONG POINT

GO INTO ORBIT

CGI by Orbital Vision

CGI by Orbital Vision

www.orbital.vision

The topic of computer-generated imagery (CGI) and its potential to replace traditional photography has been heavily featured in recent issues of Furniture News – and with technology and skills evolving to a point where a consumer would find it impossible to notice the difference between the two, it’s a conversation that is being had by many retailers and suppliers only now emerging from lengthy periods of closure.

Some might argue that one’s products are only as good as their photographs – especially given the backdrop of an online shopping evolution.

And that is where Orbital Vision comes in. A CGI furniture and fabric specialist with over a decade of industry experience and a team with backgrounds in photography, design and interiors, Orbital has spearheaded the sector’s CGI efforts for the past three years. Being based opposite the famous Harrington Mills in Long Eaton – the perfect position within the Long Point show circuit – it is little wonder the agency has focused on furniture, says director, Rob Walker.

“With the disruption to the industry over the last year, it has become clear that more and more businesses are looking for a new way to present their products to customers,” he explains.

“We are being approached daily by new businesses who have seen the imagery on our website.

CGI by Orbital Vision

As the adoption of CGI marketing gathers pace, industry specialist Orbital Vision invites Long Point’s visitors to discover exactly how its technology can drive sales …

“But it seems that there are still many misconceptions about using CGI to sell products online. We are finding that lots of businesses may have approached CGI either recently or a few years ago, with another agency, and were disappointed with the results – giving up on the concept altogether.

“The other side we are hearing of is businesses who have never considered this way of selling, and have no idea how to get started.

“But CGI to replace traditional photography is a no-brainer! Cost- and time-effective marketing visuals to boost online sales, without leaving your office – not to mention that you can have more imagery than is ever possible with photography.”

Orbital is opening its doors during Long Point, and invites all visitors to learn more about the world of CGI and how it can transform their sales. From suppliers, to manufacturers, to retailers, CGI will soon be necessary to sell a product, states Orbital, and the more one knows, the more powerful their next steps.

“Book a one-hour slot by email (info@ orbital.vision) or phone (01332 552212), to have all your queries answered,” says Rob. “Having one-to-one slots means Orbital can advise on your specific strategy, and on a cost-effective approach bespoke to your journey, along with live demostrations.”

Orbital’s new cafe-style kitchen will also be open, providing hot and cold food and drinks throughout the show – alongside a pool table and comfortable private seating.

Find Orbital in The Exchange, Westend Mill, Leopold Street, Long Eaton NG10 4QD (opposite Harrington Mills)

THE FUTURE OF PHOTOGRAPHY IS CGI IMAGINE...

If you could show every product on a location shoot.

If you could have photo realistic imagery at a fraction of the cost.

If you could see your products in a dream location without lifting a finger... ... You can with CGI

www.orbital.vision | info@orbital.vision | 01332 552 212

42

EVENTS LONG POINT

LIVING ROOM BOOM Roma

Having eagerly awaited the the anticipated reopening of furniture stores on 12th April, Sherborne Upholstery is confident that pent-up consumer demand will fuel another mini-boom period in the weeks ahead, based on the impressive level of sales achieved last autumn following the first lockdown …

Albany

Keswick

www.sherborneupholstery.co.uk

Like all upholstery companies, Sherborne faced unprecedented material shortages in the autumn, which caused major disruptions to its production plans – with the lack of foam in particular necessitating a full week’s factory closure.

More recently, the business has also encountered severe container delays which have potentially jeopardised the arrival of recliner actions – but says that, due to prudent forward planning, these issues have not affected delivery times in recent weeks.

Another difficulty has been the mounting cost of raw materials, with major increases in foam, hardwood, MDF and recliner actions in particular.

“The cost of foam has increased five times in the space of only a few months, amounting to a total increase of approximately +30% – all relating to the rapidly escalating cost of the two main constituent chemicals,” explains a spokesperson. “The cost of recliner actions has also rocketed recently, with a near +35% overall increase due to huge cost hikes in the price of steel.”

In view of the anticipated surge in demand, Sherborne rapidly worked through its large order book prior to 12th April, to bring lead times down and ensure that customers will enjoy much quicker delivery times now shops have reopened.

Sherborne has also been busy developing new products and fabrics for introduction this month. These include, by popular demand, leather versions of the successful Roma, Keswick Classic and Albany ranges. In addition, a completely new recliner/suite range will be launched, bolstering the alreadyextensive choice on offer.

As well as the addition of three further ranges of attractive new chenille fabrics, anew generation of eco-friendly Aquaclean covers has been developed, and Sherborne has chosen an attractive cross-section of these to add to customers’ Aquaclean display carousels.

In addition to their usual easy-clean properties, these are manufactured using a high percentage of recycled materials

E XC I T I N G N E W P RO D U CT L AU N C H E S !

Roma

Keswick Classic

Devonshire

5Guarantee Ye a r ON ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, ACTIONS & FRAMES

Alongside coping with all the trials and tribulations of the last twelve months we have been ‘beavering away’ in the background to bring you a number of exciting new product launches this spring.

These include, by popular demand, new Leather versions of our successful Roma, Albany and Keswick Classic ranges and will also feature a brand new product range.

Many vibrant new covers are also being introduced including three

Albany

new ranges of eco-friendly Aquaclean fabrics, so please check our website from the end of May for full details.

Sherborne Upholstery Limited Telephone: 01274 882633 sales@sherborne-uph.co.uk www.sherborneupholstery.co.uk (including Product Customiser to view all Fabrics and Leathers)

44

EVENTS VIRTUAL SHOWS

THE SHOW MUST GO ON? Tiger King, banana bread, home schooling, hand sanitiser … a product of lockdown as much as a glimpse of a possible future, virtual shows gained ground while the exhibition centre doors remained firmly shut. But do they deliver what B2B professionals want? And what might they look like once ‘normal’ service is resumed? Paul Farley investigates …

They may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but trade shows have always been an essential step in the sourcing journey – as well as an invaluable source of inspiration, information and networking opportunities.

Yet, from the moment in March 2020 in which personal contact was fearfully curtailed, what hope remained of bringing people together under one roof to peruse the latest ranges and renew commercial and personal bonds?

With the trade’s exhibition circuit in ongoing disarray, a new breed of show

sprung into action, promising a wealth of engaging sourcing opportunities unavailable elsewhere, and striving to scratch the trading itch many were acutely feeling.

But did the virtual events deliver?

In this feature, Furniture News hears from the people behind three of the newcomers – two physical event ‘pivots’ plus an original concept – and attempts to gauge the furniture industry’s feelings on digital sourcing opportunities as those lockdown restrictions recede …

www.thefurniture-show.co.uk Spokesperson: Julian Cox, director of furniture & home, Associated Independent Stores (AIS) Give us a brief summary of your event The AIS Furniture Online Event was created to reconnect members and retailers with suppliers, enabling them to view and purchase products. Members were given exclusive access for a week before the event opened to the trade.

When and why did you get involved in the online event business?

The physical AIS furniture and bed shows are important to our members and, whilst we’ve been unable to run trade shows during this unprecedented time, we wanted to support retailers, working with the supply base to deliver a solution.

We embarked on this venture with an open mind and the support of our valued suppliers. It was a long journey, and the team learned many lessons along the way, enabling us to adapt the platform as we moved through the process.

From exhibitors to content, interface and engagement, there’s a lot to consider – but which is most crucial?

For us, the most crucial part of the event was to include content across a

wide range of suppliers, offering options across a breadth of product categories.

Our event was supported by key brands, helping to generate interest and purpose for buyers to visit the site.

Our site traffic was very positive, showing that retailers had made a conscious effort to visit. Whilst the event was not fully interactive, suppliers were greatly encouraged with the responses, which continue to deliver new account opportunities, enquiries and orders. Also, in the same way we would approach the layout of a physical show, it was essential that the site be easy to navigate.

Should online shows try to mirror physical events, or go their own way?

You will never be able to emulate a physical show, and there’s no true substitute. However, you can deliver vital elements – reviewing product and understanding the items available in a range. The event has been a useful tool to create interest in newness, highlight new initiatives and reinforce bestsellers.

What do you do better than anyone in the virtual furniture show business?

Fundamentally, we have a very loyal supply base, and without their continued support and input the event would not have been viable. Looking to the future, we can see the online event evolving to

Julian Cox

AIS FURNITURE ONLINE EVENT

support our physical shows. Whilst we have a robust event foundation, we can see ways to evolve the site, providing a higher level of interaction with users, incorporating live chat and video calling.

Do you think physical exhibitions will ever be the same again – and what future do virtual shows have?

We’re looking forward to getting back to physical shows – there’s nothing quite like them! Our industry thrives on faceto-face contact and the ability to interact with product. When it comes to furniture, it is so important to be able to touch and feel the product. The sit of a sofa, the feel of a mattress, being able to see and touch the finish on a cabinet, enabling you to appreciate the product quality, and buy more effectively.

That said, we recognise the opportunity to run an online element to support physical shows, and will be looking to support this initiative in the future

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 45

www.onlinefurnitureshow.co.uk Spokesperson: Mike Ogle, marketing & design lead and director (and owner of Chord Design).

Give us a brief summary of your event The Online Furniture Show is the immersive online solution for the furniture trade, by the furniture trade, helping all areas of furniture and interiors showcase products to just under 2000 retailers and growing. Our spring show ran from 26-30th April.

When and why did you get involved in the online event business?

The idea of an online show was brought to my attention by my fellow directors at The Online Furniture Show. In the mid-part of 2020, the possibilities for shows and field sales were lowering and delaying every day. With this everextending lockdown causing more shows to cancel and replan, David (one of our directors) began speaking with Peter (another director) about how it would be possible to create an online show platform that was as close to the real thing as possible, to help get furniture moving again.

I came on board shortly after that initial discussion between David and Peter, with Peter’s recommendation of my knowledge of front-end web design and marketing.

As well as technical knowledge, I also work with both suppliers and retailers in the furniture trade to help deliver online and physical print marketing. My ‘ear to the ground’ approach helped us to gauge opinion on both sides of the trade and to get a better understanding of what we should add into the show to further increase the engagement from retailers.

From exhibitors to content, interface and engagement, there’s a lot to consider – but which is most crucial?

The most important part of our show was the reporting functionality that enabled our exhibitors to see in-depth information about their presence there.

At the end of each day of the show, each exhibitor receives a report on who had viewed their stand, what ranges they’d viewed, and other information.

Our exhibitors then distribute these to their sales teams, who have an accurate and updated call list each day.

This concept helped set us apart from physical shows, and further increased the engagement of exhibitors.

Should online shows try to mirror physical events, or go their own way?

During lockdown, the purpose of our show was to fill the void created during the Covid crisis. Our aim was to create a platform that emulated as much as possible the physical shows – even going as far as to copy terminology like ‘halls’ and ‘stands’ to create a likeness retailers and exhibitors knew.

In the longer term, I think without doubt that online shows that persevere and continue post-2021 will need to adapt and change their offering to flourish when we eventually return to normality. To do that means to offer something the physical shows cannot – be it instant updates, international shows with less floorspace, or something else entirely.

What do you do better than anyone in the virtual furniture show business?

Interactivity was our goal from day one, with key features like live chat and live visitor reporting being the main elements we knew would make our show the one to be at.

WE’RE MOVING TOWARDS DATA AND STOCK SYSTEMS THAT CAN COMPLEMENT BOTH PHYSICAL SHOWS AS WELL AS BEING OF EVERYDAY USE FOR RETAILERS AND EXHIBITORS

Mike Ogle

THE ONLINE FURNITURE SHOW

The different ways of putting together an online show have left the new category a bit of an unknown to both suppliers and retailers. We’ve seen platforms released that are almost a noticeboard with not a lot of detail or attractive content to keep visitors interested. We’re making improvements to our platform to boost our initial success, with features such as video chat and further visitor connectivity to improve the ‘show’ feel of our site.

Do you think physical exhibitions will ever be the same again – and what future do virtual shows have?

I think we will easily fall back into old habits not long after the last restriction is lifted. However, I would like to think people will begin to question why they do things the way they do them a lot more in the future. Those who are travelling from afar to visit a show in the Midlands or London, not really knowing what they’re going to find when they complete their day of travel, might just start to believe there is a better way to what they’ve always known.

The future of virtual shows varies depending on who you ask, of course.

For us, it’s moving more towards data and stock systems that can complement both physical shows as well as being of everyday use for retailers and exhibitors.

The idea of being able to virtually browse a show stand before going and seeing it in person means people can make more informed decisions before they set foot in the trade halls.

Our future lies in DataHouse, our new data and product management system that powered our spring show.

We’re excited to be bringing it to some physical shows this summer, with an aim of making it the universal home of furniture product data and pricing for the UK – as well as further afield, too

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EVENTS VIRTUAL SHOWS

www.2021.miff.com.my/highlights/mifffurniverse/ Spokesperson: Karen Goi, general manager, Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF), Informa Markets Give us a brief summary of your event The second edition of MIFF Furniverse took place in March as an online sourcing alternative to our physical show for global furniture buyers. The next edition will take place from 1st-4th September this year, in tandem with our live event.

When and why did you get involved in the online event business?

Our business digitisation journey started early – before the Covid-19 era – when we diversified our marketing focus into the online community.

The development of the global pandemic has affected human life – it changed the way we live, the way we work and the way we do business. In 2020, MIFF had been postponed twice, until September 2021, due to international travel restrictions and other business uncertainties. In order to stay connected with the global furniture markets and help our exhibitors to continue doing business with international buyers, our team have been responsive and adapted to the change by rolling out several digital solutions for MIFF’s community.

Our first online offering was the launch of MIFF Digital Showroom in April 2020, enabling MIFF’s exhibitors to upload their details to an online portal through which buyers could make enquiries. At the same time, we organised a MIFF webinar series. To date, we have organised six webinar sessions.

We then helped our exhibitors and visitors onboarding to digitisation with another big step forward – MIFF Furniverse, the MIFF online exhibition, a virtual event platform for a real-time communication between buyers and

Karen Goi

MIFF FURNIVERSE sellers, where both parties log on to the platform and stay online during the live event period. After browsing the product photos, brochures and videos uploaded by exhibitors to the online platform, buyers can connect with exhibitors immediately via live chat or video call. MIFF Furniverse provides exhibitors and visitors an online, real-time trade experience.

From exhibitors to content, interface and engagement, there’s a lot to consider – but which is most crucial?

For virtual events, there is no one-sizefits-all model. We learned from our experiences that content and data are key to success. For our industry, the main content is the furniture suppliers’ offering – the products/designs available for buyer sourcing, great images or videos with in-depth information are an important part of the sourcing experience. On the other hand, a simple and straightforward platform with easy-to-use features is equally important, to achieve a better user experience.

Should online shows try to mirror physical events, or go their own way?

Online shows are not able to mirror physical events. It is a totally different experience. At a physical event, you will be able to meet face to face and carry out activities together with someone in a common space, through five senses – whereas, at an online platform, both are connected via internet from different locations (even timezones) in isolation.

What works well at a physical event might not be suitable in the virtual environment.

There will be a new set of user behaviours among participants, however – and it is important to understand these behaviours and manage expectations in order to avoid disappointment.

What do you do better than anyone in the virtual furniture show business?

So far, we have organised two editions of

THERE WILL BE A NEW SET OF BEHAVIOURS AMONG PARTICIPANTS, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THESE AND MANAGE EXPECTATIONS

MIFF Furniverse, and the result is getting better each time – especially from the buyers’ side. Although our participants still prefer face-to-face meetings due to the nature of this industry, where touching and feeling the products is so important, exhibitors and buyers are grateful that we have taken the initiative to provide an alternative to fulfil their sourcing and selling needs – especially when the physical show has been halted for two years.

There are no geographical boundaries around the virtual environment – MIFF Furniverse helps us expand our reach beyond our traditional community. We have received over 30% of new buyers logged on to our virtual platform to source from our exhibitors. We have also attracted new exhibitors outside of Malaysia who have not participated in MIFF’s physical show before – such as Ashley Furniture from the US and Sofa Source from Ireland, both of whom took part in our latest virtual exhibition.

Do you think physical exhibitions will ever be the same again – and what future do virtual shows have?

We will complement MIFF’s physical exhibition by adding digital components to the show, and the virtual show will be part of the offering – both exhibitors and buyers will be able to participate in MIFF online and off. Besides meeting buyers in person on the show floor, exhibitors can also get in touch with those buyers who are not able to attend in person via our online platform during the physical show period. Vice versa, international companies can also exhibit at MIFF virtually, to offer their products to our wide range of buyers on our online platform.

To date, MIFF has built its online community throughout the entire digitisation journey

Products.

Dimensions.

Prices.

Stock.

Online Ordering.

All in one place for you to download and use in store & online with ease.

This is the Furniture Data Revolution.

Find out more online today.

www.data-house.co.uk

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EVENTS VIRTUAL SHOWS

ARE VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONS HERE TO STAY? Adam Hankinson (Furniture Sales Solutions): Yes, in some ways for definite – but I think people can’t wait to get together face to face, catch up with old friends and do business in person.

You can’t beat that.

Andy Stockwell (Gardiner Haskins): They could be as part of a supplier’s wider strategy. Trade shows in ‘normal’ times are few and far between, and virtual exhibitions could, in theory, run 24 hours a day. That said, furniture is a tactile product and needs to be tried before being bought – something that can’t be done over the internet. Having visited one of these events, as much as the organisers should be applauded for putting something in place, it was a poor substitute for an actual physical trade show. Essentially there was little difference between this and visiting individual supplier websites. I’m sure they will develop and improve over time.

Royce Clark (Grampian Furnishers): It’s hard to say as I haven’t attended any yet, but as a stop-gap I think it’s better than nothing – but I can’t see these being a replacement for actual exhibitions in the long term. Combined with showvans and at-home shows, I think they will help as part of an overall sales strategy.

THEY PROVIDE ADVANTAGES IN TRAVEL AND HOTEL COSTS, AND ALLOW YOU TO SPEND MORE TIME DIGGING INTO THE DETAILS

Lee Ness (Global Upholstery Solutions): I doubt it. I think it will be a hybrid in future, but there’s nothing like wandering round looking at things in the flesh (so to speak).

Anne Davies (Room to Grow): Virtual exhibitions have been a great compromise during lockdown and have provided a stand-in at a time when we can’t have the live shows. But there is just something you can’t beat about the buzz and interaction of a real exhibition!

I think that’s definitely not an element that can be recreated online.

Mike & Karen Rowley (Core Products): Absolutely.

Dids Macdonald OBE (ACID): Yes, I think so, but I think they will be an additional marketing tool. Nothing can replace seeing new designs, meeting customers, networking and the spontaneity that visiting exhibitions brings. If one can look at Covid-19 in any positive way, it reinforces and reminds us of the value and importance of human contact and interaction.

Gavin Boden (Rhenus Home Delivery (UK)): Even during times like this, they don’t really hit the mark. No atmosphere, personality or ‘vibe’. It doesn’t matter how hard the organisers try, it will never hit the mark.

Steve Adams (Mattress Online): Unlikely – certainly not in their current form (of those I visited). I was hoping for more of a vlog-style video chat format and product demonstrations. What I found was a staid and traditional online brochure that felt dated. I won’t be rushing back to virtually attend.

Henrik Pontoppidan (S2U Design Containers): Virtual exhibitions are a great idea, but I doubt they will be replacing conventional ones, since

they can’t deliver on two important features: you can’t get aquainted with the products in the flesh; and, perhaps more importantly, meet people face to face. Here to stay? Probably, but only as ‘an extra string to the bow’.

Mike Murray (Land of Beds): Yes, I’m sure that these will develop and complement the traditional face-toface events. They provide advantages in travel and hotel costs, and allow you to spend more time digging into the details with your spreadsheets and report beside you.

Emma Leeke (Leekes Retail): Yes. Peter Harding (Fairway Furniture): I expect we will see these continue, being used by suppliers for a more ‘iterative’ product portfolio refreshment programme, saving travel for reps and agents and maximising the freshness of in-store displays between major shows.

Adam Ashborn (Reborn Marketing & Design): I believe there is a time and place for virtual shows, and, with the pandemic going on, it’s the right time now. However, in the long term, I don’t see these events overtaking actual physical shows. Virtual events have allowed businesses to continue to promote new and existing products lines online, but, due to the nature of the furnishing industry and the target demographic, it’s a fix for now yet I don’t expect them to be here for the long term. People are itching to get outside, socialise and see things in person again, rather than from behind a screen.

Rob Scarlett (Scarlett Design): I hope not. I suspect it’ll follow a bricks-andclicks model. Online has its place and hopefully it’ll encourage businesses to improve the online experience, but seeing products in the flesh is also super-important

21 - 22 Sept 2021 | Telford Bringing The Bed Industry Together Again

Mattresses | Divans | Bedsteads | Headboards | Pillows Futons | Sofabeds | Tickings | Fillings | Springs | Foam Machinery | Components

NEW for 2021 - Supplier Innovation Zone

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PRODUCTS

HEALTH CLUB Health and wellbeing specialist Mammoth has launched a first-ofits-kind retail mattress collection in partnership with leading premium content and experience business – and publisher of Women’s Health & Men’s Health – Hearst UK … www.mammothuk.com

Mammoth’s founder and CEO, John Tuton

AT MAMMOTH, WE BELIEVE THAT HEALTHY CHOICES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ALL

As household names and trusted voices in the health and wellbeing space, the reputation and consumer reach of Women’s Health & Men’s Health make this partnership a proposition unlike anything in the bed industry right now.

Women’s Health & Men’s Health are already well established in the licensing space, with consumer brand extensions including successful gym equipment, grooming products and a premium meal delivery service.

As an NHS award winner, official partner of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and a go-to brand for elite athletes, Mammoth’s heritage in healthcare and market-leading sleep technologies make it an ideal brand partner for Hearst UK – and, at a time in which consumers have never been more focused on their health and wellness, 2021 represents the perfect opportunity to expand the collection for those who wish to make informed health choices when purchasing their next mattress and pillows.

Following the successful launch of the Women’s Health & Men’s Health Fit and Lift models with Argos in November, this latest collection is now available exclusively to independent bricks-andmortar retailers. It has been carefully developed for the modern, healthconscious consumer, and reinforces the importance of sleep for physical and mental health, fitness and performance.

The mattress collection features everything consumers could want from a mattress, and more, says Mammoth – pocket springs, memory foam and soft CoolPlus heat- and moisture-wicking fabric. At the core of every mattress, Mammoth’s naturally cooling Medical Grade foam provides postural support and pressure relief so sleepers can wake feeling refreshed and pain free, no matter how hard they worked out. The collection will also include an all-new pillow design.

As Mammoth’s founder and CEO, John Tuton, explains: “This exciting new collaboration demonstrates the

COVER STORY 51 Mammoth’s new Women’s Health & Men’s Health is availably exclusively to bricksand-mortar independents, and is set to broaden the mattress brand’s reach

The Women’s Health & Men’s Health collection by Mammoth

commitment of two leaders in their fields coming together to produce a compelling consumer proposition that retailers can really get behind.

“This collection has been carefully designed with attainability in mind.

At Mammoth, we believe that healthy choices should be available to all, and so these products make our brand, technologies and credentials accessible to a new, broader customer base.

“Through the pandemic, we know retailers have been hit hard, and we’re truly excited by this opportunity to get health-conscious consumers engaged with sleep as shops begin to open up.

This proposition represents a valuable point of difference in the marketplace to anything we’ve done before, and an opportunity for retailers to stock a collection from master brands – in Women’s Health & Men’s Health – that

every store visitor will be familiar with.

“This exciting announcement marks the latest stride forward from Mammoth, and continues to demonstrate both our commitment to health and wellbeing, and our reputation for innovation.”

For stockist information on the Women’s Health & Men’s Health collection by Mammoth, contact sales@ mammothuk.com

THIS PROPOSITION REPRESENTS A VALUABLE POINT OF DIFFERENCE IN THE MARKETPLACE TO ANYTHING WE’VE DONE BEFORE

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PRODUCTS INNOVATION IN BEDDING

CIRCLE OF LIFE Across Europe, some 30 million mattresses are thrown away every year – making their disposal/reuse a critical challenge for manufacturers and the environment. Material science pioneer Dow Polyurethanes developed RENUVA, a circular economy programme, to recycle end-of-life polyurethane products across various sectors in partnership with key stakeholders in the supply chain – and its work in the bedding industry thus far gives much reason for optimism, explains Dow’s EMEAI sustainability leader Lucie Porcelli, and global market segment leader, ComfortScience, Ricco Borella … www.dow.com/renuva

Can you summarise the RENUVA programme for bedding – its aims and key stakeholders?

Lucie: RENUVA is a circular economy programme which aims to recycle polyurethane foams from old mattresses back to raw materials to create new foam – for use, initially, in new mattresses!

We’re pioneering this in France and collaborating with key partners from across the product life cycle – Ecomobilier (waste recovery experts), Orrion Chemicals Orgaform (chemical recycling operator), and Vita (foam manufacturer).

How much impact do old mattresses have on the environment, and what are your personal feelings around what the programme can achieve?

Lucie: For me, the environmental impact can be summed up in one striking figure – approximately 30 million old mattresses are thrown away in Europe annually.

That’s a staggering figure. The fate of an old mattress is to be either incinerated (emitting CO2) or dumped.

We all want to see reductions here. I’m passionate about solving sustainability

challenges like this, and for me RENUVA offers a truly pioneering approach.

Ricco: Absolutely. When designing the RENUVA Mattress Recycling Program, we wanted to find a solution to stop materials from going to waste so that we can keep using them long after they’ve outlived their useful life. We wanted to show that comfort can work hand in hand with circularity, and that there is no need to compromise on either.

How does demand for eco-conscious bedding credentials manifest in the various marketplaces you cover?

Lucie: All of us are aware of the impact we are having on the environment.

Consumers are (rightly) demanding more sustainable products and less waste.

Let me offer the example of France, where our project is located. Demand for a more sustainable approach led to the establishment of a dedicated EPR scheme represented by the Ecomobilier organisation – thanks to the participation of the bedding and wider furniture industry.

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 53 The reuse of foam is a particularly hot topic in the conversation around sustainable bedding products, and RENUVA has made breakthroughs in the process

What are the tangible differences in the foam that is made through this process?

Lucie: Because this raw material has been created from recycled mattresses, new foam made from RENUVA products will ultimately provide brand owners with a more sustainable offering, without sacrificing durability, quality, or indeed comfort.

The C02 reduction (30-40%) achieved through these new processes is remarkable – can you provide any other headline figures that reflect what it achieves?

Lucie: We’re proud of this reduction.

We are currently having the lifecycle assessment of RENUVA reviewed externally and look forward to publishing it soon, so we can provide more details.

One of the most important achievements we expect is in terms of the volumes of mattresses the plant will process – we’re looking at a capacity of 200,000 mattresses per year. In the foam itself, RENUVA will replace up to 30% of standard raw materials with ones made from recycling.

science approach to a very subjective, psychological and personal subject.

We start by measuring three ComfortScience dimensions – ergonomics, microclimate, and sensation.

For us, ergonomics is all about the fundamental body support a mattress and pillow need to deliver – which entails measuring the compression set to understand the durability of a given material and mattress construction over its life cycle.

Microclimate – where we consider how temperature and humidity move within materials, and how we can ensure the body’s temperature is just right during sleep – is getting a lot of market attention now.

Ricco Borella

Lucie Porcelli

What is Dow’s ComfortScience approach, and how does it manifest in partners’ products?

Ricco: ComfortScience represents Dow’s efforts to better understand, quantify, and ultimately improve individual comfort.

To do so, we are taking a material

WE WANTED TO SHOW THAT COMFORT CAN WORK HAND IN HAND WITH CIRCULARITY, AND THAT THERE IS NO NEED TO COMPROMISE ON EITHER

I’d argue that sensation is the leastunderstood dimension. It’s difficult to quantify because it’s personal – but it’s also the most powerful. Within sensation, we look at parameters such as touch, feel, haptics, and initial micro-compression to understand how materials and constructions are experienced.

We integrate all this knowledge in what we call ‘sleep science’, and work with our partners and customers in the bedding industry to bring mattresses and pillows to the market that are more comfortable and respond better to individual consumer needs.

How are the programme’s benefits communicated to the end-consumer?

Lucie: Since the launch of RENUVA, we have sought to involve partners from across the product value chain. We are working with leading foam manufacturer Vita to both produce foam from the recycled material and help inform brand owners of the benefits of this programme.

I’d encourage brand owners to get in touch with us and Vita to learn more.

Dow stresses that collaboration is a necessity in this kind of project. How do you work with partner manufacturers such as Vita to achieve your goals?

Ricco: Collaboration enables everything that we do at Dow, because we know that we can achieve so much more when we work together. In our ComfortScience Studios we have the capability to develop prototypes of finished products starting from the raw materials, and we do that with our partners to test new concepts and more. We’re committed to making a difference through the products we bring to market and through the relationships we build with partners.

PRODUCTS INNOVATION IN BEDDING

Dow is developing sleep comfort technologies in partnership with some of the industry’s key stakeholders

54

Can you comment on the importance of the mattress retrieval process – do you have any involvement in reclaiming mattresses to be recycled, and might this be an issue in the UK? Lucie: Expert collection is crucial to its success. In RENUVA, it’s how we source material that is ready for recycling. Our partner Ecomobilier specialise in the collection and processing of used furniture – mattresses in particular – whereas our expertise at Dow is in material science and manufacturing products.

I’m confident that the success of RENUVA will inspire the expansion of EPR [extended producer responsibility] schemes elsewhere.

Is Dow looking at extending the programme to cover other areas of home furnishings, such as upholstery or cushions?

Lucie: The new raw materials created through the RENUVA process will be initially targeted for use in flexible foams for mattresses. They will also be suitable for use in rigid insulation foams.

But, like our project partners, we’re not lacking in ambition! We are keen to explore other applications in due course, and would love to hear from manufacturers and brand owners who may be interested in joining us in this exploration.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENTS WE EXPECT IS IN TERMS OF THE VOLUMES OF MATTRESSES THE PLANT WILL PROCESS Dow stresses that collaboration is a necessity in this kind of project. How do you work with partner manufacturers such as Vita to achieve your goals?

Ricco: Collaboration enables everything that we do at Dow, because we know that we can achieve so much more when we work together. In our ComfortScience Studios we have the capability to develop prototypes of finished products starting from the raw materials, and we do that with our partners to test new concepts and more. We’re committed to making a difference through the products we bring to market and through the relationships we build with partners.

Can you comment on the importance of the mattress retrieval process – do you have any involvement in reclaiming mattresses to be recycled, and might this be an issue in the UK? Lucie: Expert collection is crucial to its success. In RENUVA, it’s how we source material that is ready for recycling.

Our partner Eco-mobilier specialise in

the collection and processing of used furniture – mattresses in particular – whereas our expertise at Dow is in material science and manufacturing products.

I’m confident that the success of RENUVA will inspire the expansion of EPR [extended producer responsibility] schemes elsewhere.

Is Dow looking at extending the programme to cover other areas of home furnishings, such as upholstery or cushions?

Lucie: The new raw materials created through the RENUVA process will be initially targeted for use in flexible foams for mattresses. They will also be suitable for use in rigid insulation foams.

But, like our project partners, we’re not lacking in ambition! We are keen to explore other applications in due course, and would love to hear from manufacturers and brand owners who may be interested in joining us in this exploration

NATURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT OUR CORE, BUT NOW WE’RE TAKING OUR TASK FURTHER THAN EVER BEFORE. VEGAN MATTRESS TICKING IS DESIGNED TO KEEP US SLEEPING SOUNDLY AND HEALTHFULLY WITHOUT HARMING PEOPLE, PLANET, OR ANIMALS.

DOES NOT CONTAIN PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM ANIMAL SOURCES.

NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND ECOLOGICAL.

NATURAL INGREDIENTS ARE PREFERRED.

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PRODUCTS INNOVATION IN BEDDING

THRIVE WITH FIVE Continually taking steps to innovate and raise the standard for both itself and the industry, Jay-Be launched its first adult mattress into the UK market last year, despite the challenges of Covid-19 … www.jaybe.com

Benchmark, launched under Jay-Be’s Feel Good, Sleep Well philosophy, considers all aspects of the company’s five-step product life-cycle analysis: how the raw materials are harvested; how the raw materials are delivered to the factory; how the raw materials are processed; how the raw materials are delivered to the consumer; and how the raw materials end their product life.

By ensuring all materials are from recycled sources wherever possible, and are constructed in a manner which makes them easily recyclable at the end of life, Benchmark mattresses are an attractive choice for the eco-conscious consumer.

Benchmark S3 (Memory)

Benchmark S5 (Hybrid)

Benchmark S1 (Comfort), packed and rolled for dispatch

Benchmark mattresses are 100% foam free and contain eco award-winning Advance e-Fibre comfort layers, featuring polyester made from 100% recyclable plastic bottles. What is more, this technology is proven to offer significant environmental benefits, including 90% less CO2 emissions, 99% less water use, and 99% less land use (these statistics are based on the lifecycle analysis when compared to cotton, and verified by an independent body).

“By replacing foam with e-fibre comfort layers in our mattresses, we are really pleased to have prevented more than 80 million plastic bottles from going into landfill or our oceans so far,” says Liona Ripley, Jay-Be’s director of commercial & corporate responsibility.

“Our Hybrid and Tri-brid models also feature a Micro e-Pocket layer, which is arguably one of the most advanced pocket spring technologies available today,” she continues. “Sonic-welded fabric pockets remove the need for glue, so they are easier to recycle at the end of life.”

According to Liona, the deep e-Spring cores in these mattresses require less energy to produce, and contain recycled steel. The wire is mechanically de-scaled so there are no harmful chemicals used in the drawing process – and the wire plant itself is cooled using a semi close-coupled water system, saving water resources.

With “absolutely no sacrifice when it comes to comfort”, the mattresses’ super-soft knitted fabric sleep surface – along with all other fabrics – have been carefully chosen to be durable and cosy while also simplifying the end-of-life recycling process.

Offered by Jay-Be via stockists as a DHD fulfilment proposition, Benchmark mattresses are vacuum packed and rolled, which not only reduces their packed size by 70%, but also keeps the mattresses as fresh as the day they were made.

Following positive reviews from consumers – and with the range recently shortlisted in the NBF Bed Industry Awards’ Bed of the Year category – there are more reasons than ever to sleep smart with Jay-Be, states the manufacturer

A new adult mattress range offering exceptional comfort while helping to protect the future of our planet. Developed using the latest sustainable materials there are four distinct mattresses to choose from available in four sizes.

Discover more – visit jaybe.com

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PRODUCTS INNOVATION IN BEDDING

Global components giant Leggett & Platt is set to showcase its expertise across four product stages at upcoming online event interzum @home, taking place from 4-7th May … www.beddingcomponents-intl.com

Leggett & Platt International Bedding will utilise the global components fair – taking place in a digital format this year – to present multiple product stages and highlights, as well taking part in roundtable discussions about its bed-in-a-box capabilities.

Leggett & Platt is prepared to host and answer questions from customers and industry professionals during this digital-only tradeshow via video and phone conferences, and is looking forward to the opportunity to interact with industry professionals from around the world. interzum @home will see Leggett & Platt share in-depth insights into its bed-in-a-box capabilities, which include producing compressed innerspring and foam mattresses, manufactured in accordance with the customers’ final specifications and labelled with their brand’s name.

It will also present its ActivEdge spring perimeter solutions, which create a durable and dynamic edge for superior support and comfort, improving performance consistency across an entire mattress while decreasing mattress assembly costs

ActivEdge and Anatom II combine to create a durable, dynamic sleep system with added customisable precision

Leggett & Platt will discuss its bed-in-a-box capabilities in roundtable discussions at the upcoming interzum @home

INTERNATIONAL INNOVATOR and improving recyclability.

Yet ActivEdge will not be the only innovation in the spotlight. Leggett & Platt’s Anatom II precision sleep systems are engineered to expand range and height potential, and provide customisable solutions with multi-level comfort.

Then there are Leggett & Platt’s Comfort Layers, which feature advanced performance, with fine wire and foam innovation for comfort and durability closer to the sleep surface, plus sustainability through re-engineered, next-generation technologies that maximise product performance and optimise raw material content – outperforming industry standards and delivering real value and advantage at every turn, states the manufacturer.

Attend the online show via www. interzum.com/fair/interzum-home/ to find out more

Sustainable innovation runs through Leggett & Platt’s impressive Comfort Layer technology

any comfort level, anywhere, for anyone...

Next-generation Anatom®II – the latest iteration of Leggett & Platt’s revolutionary Anatom technology – creates superior mattress solutions with bespoke, multi-level zoning that delivers personalised comfort…for everyone.

Add Anatom®II to your range and provide support where it matters!

Discover more at interzum @home #interzum or visit BeddingComponents-intl.com/Anatom-II

© 2021 Leggett & Platt, Incorporated.

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PRODUCTS LIVING

THINK ZINC Zinc Home offers a vast selection of home decor, accessories, giftware and artwork. Through its ever-expanding portfolio, Zinc combines current trends and colour palettes with a unique design handwriting to create fresh and innovative products, explains sales director Claire Bell … www.zinchome.co.uk

After 20 years in the furniture retail and home design business, Claire decided to partner with a successful German supplier to bring a range of unique collections to the UK marketplace – and she has not looked back since.

“Having retailed these ranges for many years, I already had experience of the collection’s quality and diversity, so presenting it to the trade came naturally,” says Claire. “I knew that the product selection was fantastic, and always progressive.”

This propensity to evolve has served Zinc Home well – particularly given today’s heightened demand for home accessories. Yet while Zinc’s lines have worked well online, it is in-store that they truly shine, says Claire.

“We’re really getting behind bricksand-mortar stores,” she says. “That’s our main market. And, whilst we’re proud of the Zinc brand, we’re keen to get behind our stockists’ own brands and help them to market our products.”

With this strategy in mind, Zinc Home has debranded some of its ranges, giving retailers greater control over pricing and an added safeguard against being undercut by online rivals.

“We don’t want to encourage ‘showrooming’ at our stockists’ expense,” Claire explains, “and our products really need to be inspected in person, to appreciate their quality – for Zinc Home, it’s incredibly important that we offer pieces that we’d choose for our own homes, right down to every last detail.”

This is true across Zinc’s ranges, which vary from modern to traditional.

Many are made in Europe with the help of Danish and Portuguese designers, and nothing goes to market unless it has been thoroughly tested.

“Loyalty is an important – yet often lacking – part of the supplier/retailer relationship,” says Claire, “and an emphasis on loyalty, uniqueness and quality is the driving force behind our brand.”

Zinc offers three distinctive and exclusive collections, all backed up with good UK stocks, enabling it to work with retailers of every size and style. “Our current retail partners have enjoyed the diversity of our collections – especially the larger stores, which may have a dedicated homewares/gift shop, but might also have a design department or need larger pieces to dress the furniture around the showrooms,” Claire explains.

Prospective stockists can contact Claire on sales@zinchome.co.uk to discuss their specific selection and display requirements, or avail of Zinc’s curated product packages – while a B2B webshop enables retailers and their teams to access Zinc’s sales platform 24/7

Contemporary trends to timeless classics, we have decorative and functional products ideal for everyday living, stunning statement pieces to dress the home and gifts for every occasion.

Whatever your style, our collections are proving highly successful with our retailers, making their customers come back for more!

Join us and become one of our exclusive partners for your area.

www.ZincHome.co.uk Sales@ZincHome.co.uk | 01294 212 577

29B MacKintosh Place, South Newmoor Industrial Estate, Irvine, KA11 4JT

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PRODUCTS LIVING Ripple sideboard

GALLERY DIRECT www.gallerydirect.co.uk

Ripple display unit

The Ripple collection from Gallery Direct offers a sophisticated apartment living look. The doors and drawer fronts are routed to create a ripple effect, which catches the light to give an eyecatching impression. To add the finishing touch of glamour, the black mango wood is combined with a gold-finished metal base on each piece.

The range offers a sideboard, display unit, console table and media unit, which can be used as standalone pieces or paired together.

For more information, call Gallery on 01795 439159 or email sales@gallerydirect.co.uk.

Bardot

SPINK & EDGAR www.spinkandedgarupholstery.com Spink & Edgar Upholstery has launched a new model based on a glamorous modern classic with an art deco twist.

The sumptuous Bardot collection features GP & J Baker printed velvets, plus award-winning Spink & Edgar pocket springs cleverly placed in the seat, providing a high degree of comfort and support.

Bardot will be on display at this month’s Long Point show (see p32 for details).

TAMARISK DESIGNS www.tamariskdesigns.co.uk At Long Point this month (see p32 for details), Tamarisk Designs will present its eye-catching Walcot collection (pictured in the new Heritage Pacific collection of luxury velvets).

The Walcot features feather seats and backs with a fibre lumbar support and two further feather channels above it, promising an impressively comfortable sit.

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Introducing the Women’s Health & Men’s Health retail collection by Mammoth Women’s Health and Men’s Health have teamed up with Mammoth to create a blockbuster mattress and pillow collection. Combining the most trusted voices in health and wellbeing with the NHS-award winning experts in sleep and comfort at Mammoth, this collection is the perfect fit for consumers at a time when making healthy choices has never been more important.

And because it’s Mammoth, the collection has Mammoth’s unique Medical Grade™ foam at its core.

Brands with reach: 2.2 million print and digital readers 3.4 million combines social media reach

For more info contact the Mammoth sales team on:

0845 838 7767 or sales@mammothuk.com 1/2 page landscape.indd 1

20/04/2021 10:15

YOTFC

Ye Olde Traditional Furniture Company

WE ALWAYS TRY HARDER TO GO THE EXTRA MILE!

Call us on 01604 890956 email md@yotfc.co.uk or visit our website

www.yotfc.co.uk

YOTFC_MayJA.1.indd 1

19/04/2021 16:46

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PRODUCTS TRADE SERVICES

CLICK AND CONNECT

Cube assembly with Threespine click technology

www.threespine.com

The game-changing Threespine click joint means M&S customers can benefit from bolt- and stress-free assembly that is up to 10 x faster – and more stable and sturdy – than flatpack furniture using traditional fittings, states Välinge Innovation.

“We wanted an assembly system that was fast and easy for our customers,” says Dave Atwell, furniture technologist, Marks and Spencer. “Often, furniture fixings can loosen over time – with Threespine technology it’s secure and strong.”

The extensive range features Scandinavian-inspired contemporary styling and is produced by William Furniture in China. The collaboration showcases Välinge’s unique position as the technology provider and as an important link between manufacturer and retailer.

“Threespine is unique – not just in the amazing technology, but also because of our close relationships and the network we have with furniture producers

Threespine fixings create a secure joint quickly and easily

Sometimes, business relationships just click perfectly into place – Marks and Spencer has embraced the click furniture revolution, utilising Välinge Innovation’s patented Threespine click technology across 40 products in its new furniture range …

and machine suppliers,” says Jonas Banestig, senior key account manager, furniture technology, Välinge Innovation.

“We can act as the matchmaker that helps retailers find the perfect manufacturer, and vice versa. We can then work together to create furniture that can really unlock the advantages of leveraging to a digi-physical retail experience and puts the highest-quality home-assembly furniture into the hands of consumers around the globe.”

The launch sees Marks and Spencer become the first UK company to release products using Threespine – leveraging the clear streamlining and future-proof benefits that the technology offers companies adapting to an evermore digitally focused retail experience. The move also coincides with M&S expanding its online presence in more than 100 new countries.

For consumers, Threespine aligns perfectly with the famous British retailer’s core values, which include quality, innovation, and trust – offering their customers not only a superior product, but also a more rewarding experience.

“We want our customers to have a pleasant experience assembling our furniture,” says Dave. “A happy customer, we hope, is a returning customer. We look forward to developing more ranges utilising the technology.”

Jonas adds: “We are very excited and proud to work with a globally reputed retailer like Marks & Spencer. It once again confirms the relevance of the technologies developed by Välinge Innovation as being future-proof and suitable for the changing retail landscape and omnichannel expansion. I’m very proud of the result so far – although I’m certain that M&S will not stop there”

Brian Adam’s

Transport

BRIAN ADAM’S TRANSPORT IS A FAMILY RUN FURNITURE DELIVERY SPECIALIST WORKING THROUGHOUT SCOTLAND & NORTHERN ENGLAND FOR CLIENTS ALL OVER THE UK & EUROPE OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: • 1 & 2 person deliveries • White glove delivery • Retail deliveries • Assembly services • Old item disposal • Stock control • Storage & trunking Full service can be tracked live 24/7 via customer specific portal Exceptional levels of customer communication Real time stock levels & data Solutions tailored to exact customer needs We can collect from any UK warehouse on our own trunk vehicles

0141 952 7222 info@executivehomedelivery.co.uk

www.executivehomedelivery.co.uk Brian Adam’s Transport Ltd, Unit 6, The Alpha Centre, 10 South Douglas Street, Clydebank G81 1PD

HOME & RETAIL FURNITURE DISTRIBUTION

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PRODUCTS TRADE SERVICES

BRINGING IT HOME Sedus Stoll has come a long way since it first invented the swivel office chair some 150 years ago, and it is now ready for its next major challenge – to expand yet further into the UK post-Brexit marketplace.

To help achieve its targets, it partnered with Chaucer, the world’s largest dedicated furniture logistics provider, as part of an ambitious threeyear programme to double its market share in the home, office and retail sectors – and in just a few months it has recorded rapid increases in sales and a growing interest in the Sedus brand.

According to Ben Wheeler, MD of Sedus UK, the partnership has enabled the company to transform its entire operation across every part of the country. Chaucer has totally optimised his company’s entire collection and delivery process, which in turn has enabled its customer services department to deal more efficiently with each order.

This has further freed up the sales team to better communicate Sedus’ message – correcting price perceptions and explaining in more detail how the business is able to make offices work more efficiently – and this is already resulting in increased business.

Ben explains: “One of the perceptions that we needed to challenge is that Sedus only manufacturers high-end office furniture, which is not true. We also produce mid- and lower-priced ranges. which is part of the message we are now successfully communicating to our customers.

“For 2021 we are also supplying products such as the Se:Note,

Growth and innovation have always set the standard for Sedus Stoll, one of Europe’s leading office furniture manufacturers – but to deliver on its ambitions in a post-Brexit world, specialist expertise was called for … www.chaucerfurniturelogistics.com

Sedus UK MD, Ben Wheeler

Chaucer CEO, Scott Dunn

WE HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY BREXIT HOLD-UPS, AND DO NOT EXPECT THERE TO BE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE

lightweight micro workstations which recognise the growing need for hotdesking. These are also suitable for short-term meetings and similar events.

“Much of this has to do with our continued commitment to innovation, such as desks that will adjust their height at the same speed as a person stands up – without spilling a drop of coffee or disrupting vital papers.

Innovations like this set the pace for the company in 1871, and little has changed for more than a century and a half.

Sedus is still producing groundbreaking designs for the modern marketplace, which we are about to unveil in the UK.” Sedus has already overcome its first challenge – Brexit, and any potential delays associated with it – thanks to its connection with Chaucer, which has successfully recorded hundreds of vehicle movements across the Channel since the start of the new year without any problems.

According to Scott Dunn, Chaucer’s CEO, logistics companies and truckers facing problems at UK ports cannot put all of the fault on Brexit or the Government – they have only themselves to blame. Contrary to most media reports, the majority of trucks continued to flow easily through UK ports post-Brexit because the industry had been well prepared with all the right paperwork in place before the start of each delivery.

In the first eight days of 2021, Chaucer completed almost 200 cross-Channel freight movements with no hold-ups, because all the paperwork was in order before trucks left or arrived at the company’s depot in Rainham, Essex.

This included traffic coming both into the UK and out from every part of the EU. “We appointed a ‘Brexit buddy’ in December 2018 to ensure that we were ready for any changes,” says Scott. “We knew that even if there was a trade deal, there would still need to be customs checks and other documentation in place.

“Our Brexit buddy discussed all the various possibilities in advance with our customers and put everything into place, and as a result we have not experienced

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Sedus is committed to innovating across various office furniture segments

Office and hospitality refurbishments have kept Chaucer busy in recent months

any hold-ups and do not expect there to be major problems in the future.”

Chaucer claims it is the freight companies which thought that everything would remain the same once the UK had negotiated a trade deal that have been caught out, and that such companies failed to realise that the UK was no longer part of the EU Customs Union, which was why so many were caught off-guard.

The good news is that the UK and European furniture industry seem to have remained buoyant in spite of Covid-19 and Brexit, says Scott.

Chaucer continues to provide logistics services for a growing number of UK furniture manufacturers to customers in every part of the EU. Similarly, EU manufacturers seem to be equally as busy with shipments to the UK. “We are seeing a growing number of offices and hospitality venues refurbishing and getting ready for when Covid is under control,” says Scott. “We are also seeing more and more people working from home and requiring office furniture, and this side of our business continues to grow rapidly.”

It is a trend which Sedus is also experiencing, and part of its success in delivering on it has been the ability to electronically track sales and stock from the moment furniture leaves the factory in Germany until it is finally delivered to an end-user at home, the office or in-store.

As an international logistics company, Chaucer is able to integrate and record its traffic movements using EDI (Electronic Data Integration), so can take furniture from UK manufacturers into Europe and return with product from companies such as Sedus.

With home working expected to continue and increase for at least the next two years, manufacturers such as Sedus have used EDI to work successfully with several major blue-chip companies to co-ordinate deliveries.

“We have been able to significantly reduce our admin costs and improve our customer service levels as a result,” explains Ben, “which in turn is helping us to meet our sales targets to double our business in the next three years.”

Sales mean something slightly different to a company such as Sedus, where all net profits are donated directly to charity. It has no shareholders, and with this kind of structure it is able to provide millions of euros in donations to good causes such as hospices.

Its manufacturing processes are also fairly unique in a world where automation is king. Craft skills are still very much part of the company’s

philosophy – one person will be responsible for building an entire item of furniture from start to finish.

“It means that our production staff take ownership of everything that we produce,” says Ben, “and this also ensures that our quality control remains consistently high. It is different to most other manufacturers, but works for us and our customers.”

It is one of the reasons why Sedus has the coveted GRI accreditation from the UN – a quality certificate which exceeds all ISO 14001 accreditations. As part of that certification, the company outsources just 1% of its business, to increase sustainability and reduce its carbon footprint.

All this means that Sedus is now ready for its next chapter – and Chaucer will be alongside to help it deliver (in every sense of the word). For both companies, it is a partnership success story that is only just beginning

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OPINION THINKING AHEAD 70 STUCK IN A RUT? To diversify, or double down? Furniture News’ Paul Farley looks at how the trade has responded when faced with supply disruption

72 CROWD-PLEASERS Against a backdrop of huge technological and social change, DownYourHighStreet’s Daniel Whytock suggests what today’s furniture shoppers want, and how retailers can provide it

74 FRICTIONLESS FINANCE Hitachi’s Brian Flesk looks at how PoS finance can help capture the opportunity that comes with renewed shopper footfall

76 Work on it, not in it It’s easy for business owners to fall into the daily grind of retail deliveries, cleaning and display maintenance, but these distractions can be dangerous, writes RetailSystem’s Jesse Akre

78 Tales from the showroom floor Furniture Sales Solutions’ Adam Hankinson suggests what salespeople can learn from Guinness World Records’ selling supremo, Joe Girard

81 Partner comment BFM MD Nick Garratt explains how the association is helping its members understand and tackle the challenges before them

82 Feedback Most of us can’t wait to get back to trade shows – but which ones are we most looking forward to?

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OPINION

STUCK IN A RUT? Prompting widespread delays, disruption and shortages, Covid-19 has put unprecedented strain on supplier relationships – but while some battle to diversify, others’ ties are stronger than ever, writes Paul Farley …

When it comes to business relations, is divorce on the cards, or a renewal of vows? (image credit iStock.com/raisbeckfoto)

BUSINESSES THAT HAD PLACED ALL THEIR EGGS IN ONE BASKET BECAME ACUTELY AWARE OF THE NEED FOR DIVERSIFICATION

On 23rd March, the Ever Given, a 400m-long container ship, wedged itself in the Suez Canal, holding up more than 400 vessels at either end of the 120-mile waterway for the best part of a week.

The debacle encapsulated the occasional fragility of global trade – reflected throughout the pandemic through material shortages, delays and price hikes, which, when coupled with lockdowns and factory outbreaks, meant that in supply terms, certainty was hard to come by.

It was not just imports which suffered – national manufacturing operations floundered when the components and materials vital to their work failed to arrive in time.

Faced with furloughed staff, online acceleration and an insatiable consumer hunger for homewares, many had no option but to see Covid-19 as a recipe for change. Businesses that had placed all their eggs in one basket became acutely aware of the need for diversification, so the hunt was on for alternative supply sources, identifying fall-back options to mitigate the risk.

No stone unturned Thanks to the widespread cessation of traditional sourcing channels (from trade shows to factory visits, both near and far), exploring new options has proved no mean feat.

“Emergence will be a transitional process where we must look to Government to help, trade bodies to raise awareness, and to ourselves to use creative thought and research innovative solutions through identifying new markets,” says Dids Macdonald OBE, the CEO of IP rights champion, ACID. “The reality is that this has a significant impact and puts unnecessary stress on an already stressed and frustrated industry. There is no quick fix, apart from identifying the issues and raising awareness, then sharing information on issues (such as the lack of foam).”

Importers such as Core Products were forced to adapt to the material supplies available, says CEO Mike Rowley – yet the appetite to engage new partners has also created opportunity.

“All plans got brutally derailed in the spring of 2020,” says Henrik

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 71 International shipping has been hit hard by the pandemic (credit iStock.com/dan_prat)

IN SUPPLY TERMS, CERTAINTY WAS HARD TO COME BY

Pontoppidan, director of Vietnambased sourcing agency, S2U Design Containers. “But for me, it’s not all bad – there’s probably more need for my kind of business now people can’t travel.”

Through thick and thin While some felt a growing need to reach out, others put renewed faith in existing partnerships. After all, who better to help negotiate unprecedented crises than a tried-and-tested partner?

By maintaining as much continuity as possible, backed up by strong lines of communication, many suppliers truly proved their worth, helping forge lasting bonds with their customers.

“I believe the core suppliers in this country have done a great job in making sure they’ve supported our local businesses who previously sourced from overseas,” says Adam Ashborn,

founder of Reborn Marketing & Design.

“Undoubtedly there has been major disruptions and long lead times – not just due to Covid but also Brexit – yet increasing your local supplier relationship list is only going to be beneficial.”

Royce Clark, MD of independent retailer Grampian Furnishers, says that thanks to the strength of his existing relationships, there was no temptation to change the way his business discovers, negotiates and obtains new products: “We work closely with our key suppliers, who have been open and honest about the problems faced,” he comments. “We’ve worked through these together, rather than trying to go elsewhere.”

Rational thinking National or international, what works for one business may not suit another.

Throughout the pandemic, Fairway

MANY SUPPLIERS TRULY PROVED THEIR WORTH, HELPING FORGE LASTING BONDS WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS

Furniture’s Peter Harding has favoured an approach which recognises the need for both continuity and newness.

“The past 12 months have seen the lowest turnover of product within our catalogue in my 25 years in the industry,” he says. “We’re working with existing suppliers and looking for new ones using every possible method – apart from attending exhibitions, of course!”

However, given the effort involved, might the answer not be diversification, but rationalisation? Rather than trying to address every problem area, Mattress Online’s CEO Steve Adams decided to focus instead on what he could reliably source, and skew his offer accordingly.

“We have to remain agile with our product offering, working with manufacturers to identify their consistent component supply and majoring on a high volume of key lines,” he says. “Essentially, we mothballed close to 50% of our range, focusing on purchasing stock that worked for our suppliers and our customers.”

If necessity is the mother of invention, there will few periods of such intense change as the one we’re going through – creating numerous examples of business that are far stronger and better connected for the experience

72

OPINION

CROWD-PLEASERS With so many changes taking place across technology, ecommerce and consumer trends, it can be hard for furniture retailers to know what customers want – let alone how to provide it for them – says Daniel Whytock …

Working with so many brands, doing research into the retail space and promoting DownYourHighStreet has given me a unique perspective on what consumers value most, and how retailers can offer it to them …

1. Convenience Ecommerce has spoiled consumers for choice, but delivery has always been a sticking point. A product may be slightly cheaper online, but once you add delivery charges, the cost can end up higher. This can easily be the case with large items such as furniture. And since the customer can’t try the product before they buy, there is less trust and far more returns.

However, websites like Amazon have spoiled customers with their free nextday delivery, and companies like fashion giant ASOS are dominating in their sector with their easy returns policy.

While it is very difficult for smaller brands to compete, it should still be possible to find a middle ground, where shipping costs are kept to a minimum and arrive within a few days of placing an order.

There are now comparison sites for couriers, for example, dramatically reducing delivery costs and opening more online retailers to competitive delivery options.

Local retailers are in the perfect position as they can offer free in-store returns, as well as allowing customers to touch and feel the product, and compare colours with samples from home, before buying. This can increase trust, reassure customers that they can

By DANIEL WHYTOCK www.downyourhighstreet.com

CUSTOMERS TYPICALLY DON’T EXPECT MUCH FROM A DELIVERY, SO THE BAR IS PRETTY LOW

get support or return items, and open independent retailers to more click-andcollect options. The challenge for local retailers is getting found.

2. Cost One of the main drivers of ecommerce has been the cost benefit to consumers.

Not only do they often cost less, but consumers can quickly and easily compare prices across multiple brands and websites to find the best deal. There are even shopping assistant browser extensions to alert users to the best prices found online.

This puts smaller retailers in a difficult position. They may not be able to offer the same price point, yet don’t want to miss out on being listed on an online marketplace. How can you benefit from being part of a marketplace without being compared to cheap (and potentially nasty) versions of your products?

One answer is to carefully pick where you list. Not all online marketplaces are created equal. Amazon, for example, suffers from an influx of overseas retailers offering sub-quality items for much, much less.

Consumer shopping habits are changing, however, with a preference for local goods that both support the local economy and lead to fewer product miles. Finding a marketplace for more local goods means you are being compared to LFL products and services, not cheap imported goods.

Another answer is to create your own audience of engaged brand fans using your social channels. Creative marketing through platforms like Facebook and Instagram connects brands directly to customers, allowing you to build a relationship like never before. This is contributing to a re-emergence of brand loyalty which, in a marketplace of cheaper goods, can be the deciding selling factor for smaller brands!

3. Local search There has been a big trend towards purchasing from local businesses.

Buying local supports the local economy, is more traceable, and is often perceived

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SMALL BUSINESSES CAN BE MORE ADAPTABLE AND TRY OUT DIFFERENT APPROACHES as being higher quality. Truly local retailers also benefit from being able to offer something unique – an evermore important quality shoppers are looking for, especially in the Instagram generation.

However, the trend towards local doesn’t excuse local businesses from having an online presence. Customers still want to be able to search, compare and complete purchases online. They’re just happier if the product is local, they can touch and try it, and they know they can pick it up/return it quickly and easily.

One solution to this competition of needs is the creation of Business Improvement Districts (BIDS), where local businesses get together and chip in to create a combined ecommerce presence. Local retailers list their shop and products, allowing customers to find and compare products online before coming in-store to complete their purchase. The customer is happy that they’ve got the best product at the best price, while local retailers gain more business for a lower cost than setting up and managing their own web presence.

4. Surprise Something customers miss from in-store experiences is the element of surprise and delight. When in a physical shop, there may be videos, imagery and of course the opportunity to try out furniture. There may be something fun to do or an experience to be had that is almost entirely missing from the online shopping experience.

These experiences connect people to brands and generate customer loyalty. The good news is, online retailers can benefit from surprising and delighting customers just as physical stores can – perhaps even more so.

Customers typically don’t expect much from a delivery. They want it to come on time and in good condition. That’s about it.

So, the bar is pretty low. Going one step further and thinking about how to surprise and delight your customers with their deliveries can supplement in-store experiences and generate that same brand loyalty.

It could be something like a hand-written note thanking the customer for their purchase, or a small gift or sample (perhaps a furniture polish). Connecting these experiences with your online presence, via your social media pages, for example, is a great way to capitalise on the feelgood factor and keep the connection going.

Whether you are an in-store or ecommerce-only retailer, there are some things you can do to offer your customers what they value most. And customers will appreciate your effort if it is genuine.

Find innovative ways of delivering to meet your customers’ needs. Small businesses can be more adaptable and try out different approaches. That way, you’ll discover what works for you, and delight your customers – bringing them back to you in the future when they next need a perfect piece of furniture

SEIZE YOUR DAY IN THE SUN June’s issue celebrates British-made and the return of the trade show As summer approaches, we’re looking at the success of British-made lines, and the events enabling suppliers to reach out to the market.

Together with the latest Bedroom, Dining, Living and Trade Services coverage, June’s issue will offer the following special features: Best of British – celebrating British-made furniture and the campaigns to drive sales The Summer Furniture Show – previewing June’s multi-faceted Telford exhibition, so the perfect opportunity for exhibitors to fly the flag before the doors open The Online Furniture Show – the best new product from the virtual fair’s second edition Call Sam Horscroft on 07764 650655 or email sam@gearingmediagroup.com BOOKING DEADLINE: FRIDAY 14th MAY

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OPINION

FRICTIONLESS FINANCE With lockdown eased, furniture retailers across the UK are hoping to make the most of renewed footfall – and they’ll have to look closely at their finances to do so, says Hitachi’s Brian Flesk …

POS FINANCE MAKES THE PURCHASING PROCESS AS FRICTIONLESS AS POSSIBLE

By BRIAN FLESK www.hitachicapital.co.uk/retailfinance/

While we’ve seen a surge in ecommerce sales during the pandemic as many retailers invested in their digital channels, shoppers have been missing the in-store experience. From comparing colour swatches and feeling sofa fabrics to appreciating the size and profile of a new dining table, bricks-andmortar homeware stores create the experiential factor that consumers have been devoid of for most of the last 12 months.

Despite the emergence of AR and VR helping consumers in their pre-purchase decisionmaking during multiple national lockdowns, physical stores that can bring the ‘theatre’ into the furniture retail sector will be well placed to capitalise on an anticipated surge in consumer spending.

However, in the post Covid-19 landscape, consumers’ expectations have changed, placing an even greater emphasis on retailers to provide a fast and seamless customer journey, whatever channel they choose to purchase through. This puts greater onus on furniture retailers to provide a frictionless and interactive experience – both in-store and across ecommerce platforms.

Converting browsers into buyers When lockdown restrictions eased for the first time in 2020, Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance’s retail partners reported a +20% increase in demand across bricks-and-mortar on the same period in 2019. As the UK’s vaccination roll-out boosts consumer confidence to its highest level in almost a year, we’re likely to see a similar, if not greater spike, this spring.

The challenge will be converting this potential into sales in a highly competitive market. Ensuring you have the right tools in place to meet that demand is vital, which is where PoS finance plays a prominent role, in making the purchasing process as frictionless as possible.

Alongside customer service, the availability of finance at the PoS plays

a huge role in converting browsers of big-ticket items into buyers, whether in-store or online. It’s one of the key drivers for customers, with 50% of those surveyed stating that it is one of the key reasons they chose to go ahead with their purchase in 2020. Within the furniture market, Hitachi Capital data also reveals that 42% said they felt they spent more because finance was available.

Embracing an omnichannel future At the start of the pandemic, retailers rushed to create an online presence to meet consumer demand – a strategy which paid off, as online spending increased YoY by +31%.

At Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance, we saw a massive +63% YoY increase in the volume of business on ecommerce platforms alone, after retailers integrated with our mobile-optimised PoS finance platform.

Many of the consumers driving this spend were exploring new categories, brands and retailers for the first time, as they were forced to adapt to life at home. Yet despite the shift towards online, there are certain aspects of bricksand-mortar retail that cannot be easily replicated, which is where an effective omnichannel approach becomes more important and must be replicated in the PoS finance solution.

The pandemic has shaken the furniture sector, forcing the industry to accelerate the speed of digital transformation exponentially. Many retailers have adapted quickly, adding ecommerce channels. But, at the same time, we have seen a growth in the number of retailers integrating flexible PoS finance solutions into the customer journey to accelerate purchasing decisions and drive sales.

Retailers that have taken this approach are likely to be in a strong position to benefit from buoyant post-pandemic retail sales

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OPINION

WORK ON IT, NOT IN IT In retail, it’s hard to escape the daily grind of deliveries, cleaning and display maintenance – but these distractions can cause business leaders to lose sight of what really matters, writes RetailSystem’s Jesse Akre …

BY JESSE AKRE www.retailsystem.com

‘Work on your business, not in your business’. How many times have we heard this? Plenty. But, as owners, operators, leaders and entrepreneurs, it is like a bug to the bright light.

“I feel like I have to do it all.“ “I can’t afford anyone to do it.“ “I don’t trust anyone to do it.“ “I can’t keep people/don’t have the person, therefore I have no choice.“ The list is endless. Often, ‘doing’ is the path of least resistance for some. Many struggle to relinquish control, letting go of the rope as they discuss in EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System – check it out if you don’t know what it is!).

And, if we are honest with ourselves – many owners that had that great idea really belong there – in the trenches – because that is how they are wired.

An even bigger challenge for those individuals is hiring someone that will be their leader! Heck, even Google’s dynamic duo hired a boss. They invented Google – and needed a boss (just pause on that for a moment – there’s way more to that story – but even the visionary needs a leader).

As the RetailSystem team engages with retailers, we hear it so often – people who are too busy ‘working in their business’ to work on their business.

For clarity – what does that look like?

Loading trucks, shopping products, selling products, cleaning? Yep. Picking up the water bottle or coffee cup left on the sales floor? All those things that must happen.

I get it. We scramble from the opening bell to the closing till. Where did the day go? The retail daily grind – it happens.

Without question, leaders are pulled to work in their business all the time – like a sucking vortex – when working on their business would better it.

Make it stronger. Make it better

prepared for the good times and the bad (a huge point right now, in case you missed it!).

Working on your business will make you a stronger retailer. It will probably also lead to having to work less in your business.

What’s the catch?

It sounds so so easy, but it’s not. Like anything else, results take disciplined efforts, and the tenacity to plot a course and execute. The willingness to invest uncomfortably big, and the ability to make hard, scary and bold decisions.

Just imagine if you had defined and documented your key processes and communicated them to your team so those regular activities happen the same way, each day – the way they are supposed to.

How many times have you had to jump in because they aren’t? What if you had taken the plunge and invested correctly in a decent website, and the team to run it like you do your store, when you first wrote down that you needed a new website?

What is the reluctance to spend money, when not doing so costs you opportunities from the get-go? What if you had fought the good fight with the change-resisters on your team, and made the investment in an EPoS that positioned you for the future, instead of still being stuck with the comforts of the past?

“I hate it, but we are so comfortable with all these workarounds – it’s the way we’ve always done it.“ So, you’re saying you don’t hate it?

Nothing is ever easy. Is watching others pass you by easy? Heck no!

No matter what it is, unless you start, you will never get there. There are always trucks waiting to be loaded and unloaded

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78

OPINION TALES FROM THE SHOWROOM FLOOR

THE MONEY TREE What can salespeople learn from the best in the business? With the postlockdown boom (hopefully) in full swing, now’s the time to get personal and plant the seeds for future success, writes Adam Hankinson …

JOE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS FAR EASIER TO SELL TO SOMEONE WHO HAS BOUGHT FROM YOU BEFORE THAN IT IS TO ATTRACT AND SELL TO A WHOLE NEW CUSTOMER

Have you ever heard of Joe Girard?

Joe holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for the greatest ever salesperson. For 14 years, Joe worked for a Chevrolet dealership in Michigan, USA, and in that time, he sold over 13,000 cars and averaged six vehicle sales per day.

In his best-ever month he sold 174 cars (according to Huffington Post, the average car salesperson sells about 10 cars per month, with even great salespeople selling an average of only 20 a month).

There were five key follow-up strategies that Joe cited for his sales success.

1. Follow up Within a week of closing a deal, Joe would call the customer to check up on how the car was doing and to make sure they were completely happy with their purchase. Then, if things were going well, he would kindly ask for a referral to a friend or family member. Otherwise, if there was an issue, Joe would go above and beyond to solve it and make the customer happy.

2. Stay front of mind Every single month, Joe would send greetings cards to his customer list. He knew that most people would want to buy another car at some point in the future and so wanted to ensure that he was top of their mind when that time came around.

Importantly, Joe didn’t send sales messages inside these cards – instead, he gave the recipient value in the form of a local news story, a book review or birthday greeting.

3. Upsell Joe also utilised this method of continuous communication to let his customers know about other products that the dealership could offer them. He understood that it was far easier to sell to someone who has bought from you before than it is to attract and sell to a whole new customer.

By ADAM HANKINSON www.furnituresalessolutions.com

4. Keeping it personal Sending these cards to the first 10 people that you sell to doesn’t sound like too

much work – perhaps even the first 100 sounds quite easy. However, once your client list starts to grow into the thousands like Joe’s did, it’d be very tempting to start sending out mass client emails for the sake of convenience.

Joe, however, knew the value of personalisation, and he even went so far as to keep files with information about every customer – including their family members’ names, birthdays, professions and hobbies – so that he could personalise every message.

Because of this extra step, his customers knew that they were dealing with a real person who actually cared about them, and not just another big corporation only concerned with hitting their sales quota by flogging them any old product.

The modern sales environment is increasingly reliant on tools and hacks to increase the ease and efficiency of every aspect of the sales process, including communication with your customers.

However, there are some parts of the sales and follow-up process which are worth spending your time on.

Nearly all of Joe’s business was from recommendation or referral. If he hadn’t taken the time to find out about each and every customer, making sure they were constantly looked after and happy with their purchase, and had instead moved on instantly to the next new customer, he would have been just like every other average salesperson, and his results would have reflected that.

By the time you’re reading this, we’ll hopefully have enjoyed three weeks of buoyant business, with the pent-up demand amplified by the lack of any certainty on when we might be able to enjoy a foreign holiday.

With all these delighted customers, it would make sense to utilise their goodwill to spread the word about your people, products and services.

How many times have you ever been asked by a workman, salesperson or anyone providing you with a service to recommend them to friends or colleagues? I ask this question a lot, and I have never once had anybody say they’ve been asked to do it.

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 79 Think of business cards as money tree seeds that create opportunities when you most need them, suggests Adam (image credit pixabay.com/eko pramono

It would be nice to think that happy customers would automatically tell family, friends and colleagues, but unfortunately this doesn’t happen without prompting.

Firstly, of course, you have to have earned the right to ask for referrals, making sure that you have met and exceeded the customers’ expectations and fulfilled their needs completely.

By an overwhelming majority, the usual salesperson’s protocol is to then take a business card, staple it to the receipt, fold the receipt in half, and slip it into a folder. Finally handing it over to the customer, accompanied by the dreaded phrase: “If you’ve got any problems please give me a call.”

And what inevitably happens to that folder? As soon as the customer gets home, they place it in a drawer along with piles of similar paperwork from years gone by, never to be seen again.

There is a simple process, which I have found to be extremely effective as an alternative. Take two of your business cards, handing one over to the customer and telling them with a slight bow that, that one is “just for you, for whenever you need your next sofa/bed/table/etc, or when you start your next project”.

IT WOULD BE NICE TO THINK THAT HAPPY CUSTOMERS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY TELL FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT PROMPTING Next, you take out a second business card, handing it over to the customer with both hands with a slight bow, asking sincerely if they know anyone who would benefit from your services in the future – genuinely asking and waiting for a name before letting the customer take the card.

This does a couple of things. First, it imparts more value on the business card, as if the card was a representation of you, the salesperson. Handing them over in this slow and deliberate manner makes the customer feel as though you’re giving them something of high value – namely the person that they should be dealing with. They will then, therefore, be far less likely to throw

away or discard the card, because it represents a person.

Secondly, having the customer name a referral plants this in their mind, meaning that they’re much more likely to actually hand the card over to them.

Coincidentally, this ties in to Joe’s fifth (and most important) point …

5. Always ask for a referral – but only at the right time Think of business cards as money tree seeds that, when properly planted, produce a warm, smiling lead on a wet Wednesday afternoon that comes into the store asking for you – even though you’ve never spoken to them before.

Please try it – I promise it works

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OPINION

81

DRIVING DEMAND As the UK starts to tentatively move away from Covid-19 restrictions, Nick Garratt, MD of the British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM), talks about how the association is gearing up to further support its members this year …

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

By NICK GARRATT www.bfm.org.uk

As we move into better weather and, hopefully, better retail opportunities ahead, the BFM is preparing to support the sector with a range of initiatives.

In the Covid-19 crisis, we instigated rapid changes in all aspects of our support to help our members, since the first lockdown began. That’s included providing timely, industryspecific information to help members get fast access to the facts. We’ve also provided a variety of resources to keep people up to date and get the assistance they need – including dedicated hotline support and webinars, as well as our members’ area information service, which is constantly updated.

Now it’s time to change our position again, and help our members make the most of the opportunities that an upturn in buying habits will bring.

With a lack of clarity and confidence in foreign travel in 2021, the public could – like last year – look to continue to invest in their homes. A clear priority for us as a trade body is to promote the Buy British message to the general public to tap into this trend.

Last year, we joined forces for the Buy British Furniture Event, a British Furniture Confederation (BFC) scheme, organised and promoted jointly by ourselves and the National Bed Federation (NBF). It was very well received, and we plan to restart

the campaign again in 2021 for our members.

Over the last few months, the BFM team has also been working on the new website. This has been completely revamped and rebuilt, with features including the opportunity for our members to have a much greater profile of their own businesses, with an enhanced area to showcase their company. This will help enhance the business operations of our members – and enable them to get their best-ofBritish message across in an exciting format.

There’s definitely an increased sense of positivity in our industry but, as well as looking at the opportunities, we are still mindful of potential issues ahead.

Matters surrounding Brexit remain on the horizon – some positive and some negative. We’ve been ensuring that the industry is kept up to date of the oftencomplex factors, and provided help and assistance as required.That is being achieved through regular briefings, as well as through detailed information in the members area of our website. That will continue in the weeks and months ahead, as we navigate the year before us.

Hopefully, we’ll see a calmer time ahead in 2021, but it’s more undeniable than ever that, as an industry, we are stronger together – and it’s crucial that we provide a service that meets the demands our industry now faces

IT’S TIME TO HELP OUR MEMBERS MAKE THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT AN UPTURN IN BUYING HABITS WILL BRING

82

OPINION

THIS MONTH, WE’RE ASKING …

Lee Ness (Global Upholstery Solutions) Clerkenwell Design Week Peter Harding (Fairway Furniture) I believe the AIS and NEC shows in January 2022 will be the most important for decades, as, hopefully, the furniture industry is able to reset

Steve Adams (Mattress Online) The Telford Bed Show, the most focused show for our business, and we can’t wait to see our supplier partners in person – it’s been a while

Henrik Pontoppidan (S2U Design Containers) VIFA, Saigon – I bought and paid for the booth and design of it for 2020, which was postponed to 2021, only to be postposed again to 2022 Mike & Karen Rowley (Core Products) The January Furniture Show, whenever it can next safely take place Anne Davies (Room to Grow) I’m really looking forward to imm cologne

Dids Macdonald, OBE (ACID) January Furniture Show – more especially because the current master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, David Woodward, is going to galvanise our industry to ‘Step 2 It’ to get our industry behind giving something back to those who need a helping hand Gavin Boden (Rhenus Home Delivery (UK)) The next one, whenever that will be. I always love Manchester because of the social aspect and how the industry comes together. Also, imm cologne is an amazing show. I can’t wait to get back there Andy Stockwell (Gardiner Haskins) January Furniture Show. It’s the industry’s biggest and most important event. I’d like to think that the cancellation this year will give everyone involved a chance to reassess and review the show and bring it back bigger and better than ever in 2022

WHICH FURNITURE EXHIBITION CAN’T YOU WAIT FOR?

Adam Ashborn (Reborn Marketing & Design) All exhibitions have their rightful place on the calendar, but with the pandemic still going on, it is not easy to determine which shows will go ahead and which ones will be postponed – so it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact show

Royce Clark (Grampian Furnishers) The first one to actually happen! I think we all miss the January Furniture Show, but it looks like the Manchester Furniture Show could be the big one this year. Will anyone be brave enough to head to China this year? Will Nicola or Boris allow any of us to go?

Adam Hankinson (Furniture Sales Solutions) The NEC is fantastic but vast, and I love the AIS show as it’s great to catch up with old friends Emma Leeke (Leekes Retail) The good-old NEC – it will just be great to see the trade Mike Murray (Land of Beds) It’s got to be the NBF Bed Show

#380 May 2021 www.furniturenews.net

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