Another High Point Market has come and gone, complete with product introductions, hallway and showroom conversations and the age-old question of “What’s new?”
Interestingly, for the spring 2026 market, one topic kept popping up in just about every showroom. It involved a good/better/best angle regardless of the manufacturer’s price point level, and it underscored a few key developments that will be interesting to watch as the year progresses.
Who’s buying?
There’s no debate that business is challenging for most manufacturers right now. At the promotional end, several off-the-record conversations nodded to the fact that budget furniture shoppers are facing tough financial times at the moment, challenged by rising costs on everything from gas to groceries. Add to this scenario the fact that many promotional furniture purchases are financed, and the equation becomes every trickier since credit cards might be maxed out from necessity purchases and there’s little wiggle room in the discretionary income category.
So, who does that leave? Yes, you guessed it: the consumers at the mid-to-upper income levels. Although this group might be tightening the belt a bit, they can still afford to buy a new sofa if they choose – and if the story is compelling enough to persuade them to take the plunge.
Creating demand
With an eye on consumers who still have dollars to spend, numerous manufacturers at market were outlining a good/better/best product strategy, even those who have traditionally been at the lower end of the price spectrum.
After all, it makes sense — if your usual consumer has snapped the wallet tightly closed in meaningful numbers, then you either scale back your operations or you expand your focus to find a new buyer audience. Consequently, while there are still rock-bottom prices to be found, many showrooms were instead focusing on their next level offering — giving retailers new options to attract a consumer interested in “better” if not “best.”
To be certain, the debate over whether or not a consumer should still be able to buy a sofa for less than $500 retail has gone on for a while, but now it seems that even those who tried to stay in that price range are currently rethinking their strategies, recognizing that lowest price might not be the same attraction it has been in the past.
A new definition of value
Although the “better” conversation was top of mind for many executives, it’s important to note that it was often discussed hand-in-hand with a value component. Perhaps the most notable takeaway is that the definition of value is no longer tied strictly to price; instead, it has become a “more bang for the buck” dialogue.
Think about a sofa with immersive sound, hidden storage or sliding chaise features or a dining table with expansion capacity via remote control, that something “extra” that elevates a furniture piece to must-have status while providing the added justification for price.
Value is no longer a race to the bottom; it’s now a race to relevance. If you want a consumer to purchase your furniture instead of everyone else’s, be ready to tell your value story in a new language that elevates product over price.
Most execs in the furniture industry acknowledge that we now live in an age of frequent disruption. Whether economy, geopolitical or demographic issues, the challenges aren’t likely to subside. However, despite the change from the past status quo, optimism remains prevalent.
Whether operating at the good, better or best levels, furniture manufacturers are still innovating, exploring and creating new reasons for consumers to buy. It’s just not a conversation solely centered around lowest possible price anymore.
