Furniture Stores Industry Overview

Excerpt from Furniture Stores Report

The US furniture retailing industry includes about 25,000 companies with combined annual revenue of about $50 billion. Major companies include Ashley Furniture Industries, Bassett Furniture, Haverty Furniture, La-Z-Boy, and Rooms To Go. The industry is fragmented: the 50 largest companies generate about 35 percent of revenue.

Competitive Landscape

Household furniture sales are closely linked to home sales. Office furniture sales are linked to employment growth and new business formations. The profitability of furniture stores depends on merchandising and marketing. Small stores can co-exist with large ones by carrying special goods that appeal to a particular type of customer.

Products, Operations & Technology

A typical furniture store sells living room, dining room, kitchen and bedroom furniture, and mattresses. Products are sometimes classified as "case goods" (wood furniture) or upholstered products. Most retail furniture stores sell a broad range of products, but some concentrate on one furniture type, such as mattresses, sofas, or office or children's furniture. Store operations involve sales management, merchandising (deciding which products to sell), inventory management, and (sometimes) credit financing.