Article originally published on Furniture Today
HIGH POINT — Ashley Furniture Inds. said it has its largest introduction in the history of the company planned for the June 5-9 High Point Market, a launch that the company said hits multiple categories and price points.
The lineup includes items the company added to the mix earlier this year, as well as product that was first shown at the April Premarket and that is being shown in June, said Rick Coppola, president of sales for the U.S. and Canada.
The company said it is adding a significant amount of upholstery, including sectionals, which have grown to about 55% of its stationary business, up from 42% pre-pandemic. The mix includes a broad swath of price points, with promotional and better-end goods.
The center part of the showroom in H-900 of the International Home Furnishings Center will be devoted to motion upholstery. A big part of the mix will include reclining sofas with massage functionality, lumbar support, power headrests and USB charging. In this category, too, there will be a mix of price points including promotional and better goods.
The case goods offering will include lifestyle looks in bedroom, dining room and occasional furniture.
While Ashley did not show at the April Las Vegas Market, it had strong attendance at Premarket with some 300 accounts, compared with about 200 at the September 2020 Premarket and 250 at the High Point Market in October 2020. Coppola said that the company hopes to see 500 to 600 dealers in June.
While that number is still roughly a third of the typical 1,500 dealers it sees at an average High Point, Ashley is hoping for higher attendance than last fall as markets return to more normal attendance.
“The reason we want people to come is that we have to make sure we stay relevant and that dealers stay relevant and have fresh, trend-right product on their floors as supply chain issues get better and better,” Coppola said, noting that attending market also gives dealers inspiration on how to display the mix on their own floors. “There will be a lot of great ideas on how to show this product.”
In addition, the company is showing some 300 new accessories ranging from lamps, tabletop items and wall art to accent cabinets and correlating chairs.
It also is adding some new mattresses as well as product to its indoor and outdoor RTA lines that can ship flat pack across the U.S. This mix has a devoted area in the showroom, featuring outdoor tables and seating as well as indoor furniture that includes bedroom, dining room, home office, home entertainment, youth furniture and upholstery.
“People should come to market for ideas and to get their orders in for new products,” Coppola said, adding that as the supply chain improves, they can be in line early to get the goods and thus receive “trend-right product on their floors” sooner vs. later.
