Hello

[coxfurniture]

Hey ya'll! I'm from Texas so I had to throw in the the greeting. Anyway, I just look forward to the post and learning more about the furniture I sell. Ha. I've seen the decline in quality over the past decade and have decided I have to upgrade my current suppliers. In part to differentiate myself from the "Big Box" retailers that are taking over. Any help with recommended medium priced lines will certainly be considered.

Thanks and have a great day!

[soster]

Its hard to be value-oriented these days. Many good mid-priced lines are either gone or have raised their prices too much. Without knowing your store or market its hard to recommend something, so tell us a little more about yourself. Hope your weekend is great.

Steve

[coxfurniture]

We have sold Broyhill as our main supplier until about 2 years ago. Having products made overseas has certainly led to a decline in quality from what I've seen with them. We carry La-Z-Boy, Broyhill, Riverside, Sealy and Serta. I found WoodCo Turning a solid wood manufacturer for my dining room that I really like and mid price points. I would love to find a nice solid bedroom company to replace Vaughan-Basset and Broyhill on my floors as well.

[soster]

Check out Carlton, Palliser, Klaussner, Hickory Hill (depending on how the Norwalk deal goes) for upholstery. For dining there's also Bermex and Saloom. Can't help you with bedroom.... we're more contemporary oriented so I don't know who would be a good alternative to VB. Sealy and Serta are nice bedding lines, you should consider Tempurpedic as well.

[drcollie]

Tough call. Right now the hardest market segment is smack in the middle. I have high-end in my store, and its more niche, but it seems my business is actually a bit brisk - contrary to what most are seeing.

My observations:

* There is a definite backlash against imports, that started with the lead paint on toys, and was further compounded by the pet food 'gluten' occurences. That has crossed over into other consumer goods as well, including furniture. USA-made is the way to go.

* Sell quality vs. price. At least in my market. Too often, stores rely on focusing on price points. Everyone wants a deal of course, but most of all they want a piece that will hold up over time as well.

* Treat your customers like family. That's a huge aspect of this business. Be honest about your products and making coming to your store fun. Not with silly gimmicks, but just know their name when they walk in and chat a while about something not furniture-related.

As for furntiure lines, take a look at Flexsteel. All but the 'Lattitudes' collections is made in the USA, they have good POS support, the product holds up well (though its not finely tailored), and prices are reasonable. Flexsteel is actually on a 'up' trend with their business, so they're doing something right. Finally Hancock and Moore if you can draw high-end customers. That brand is finest upholstery line - is virtually problem-free in all aspects, and is a great company to do business with.

[coxfurniture]

I just want to thank you all for your comments! I'm thinking the higher end is certainly the way to go. Wish me luck, I'll need it. I hope your business continues to grow Duane, you seem like a great person.

We are within a few miles of 4 of the largest furniture stores in the country and it has certainly hurt me some but by moving up in quality at least I can distiquish myself from the pack.