High Point — A quick glance at furniture ads in any weekend newspaper shows that price is a key driver in recliner sales.
It's rare when an ad doesn't tout a "buy one, get one free" sale, or a "special purchase," or "prices too low to advertise."
However, producers have discovered another key sales driver — comfort — that may be just as important as price. Many are adding features that enhance the comfort, and they're finding consumers often are willing to shell out a few more dollars for a truly cushy chair.
Ways toward comfort
Whether it's a reformulated foam in the seat cushion, or a mechanism that raises the ottoman an inch higher, or a seat that's a couple of inches wider than the norm, producers now seem to be going out of their way to make a recliner that's undeniably comfortable.
"When people buy motion furniture, we think comfort is their No. 1 objective," said Chuck Tidwell, product manager at Franklin. "Color, price and styling also are important, but first of all, people want to be comfortable."
Tidwell and other executives say comfort is an easy selling point for the retail sales associate, and can even be an effective "silent salesman" when the consumer is on her own in the store.
"It's a way to differentiate yourself ... and it's a way to command a higher price," said Wayne Stephens, president of Barcalounger, which specializes in upper-end models.
And for those who are still skeptical about the sales power of comfort, take a minute to examine the success of a new five-chair lineup from La-Z-Boy featuring "ultra-plush" seating. The line, which was unveiled in High Point in April and began shipping last month, was a clear home run.
"Our initial order rates are just through the roof," said Paula Hoyas, director of upholstery merchandising. "We're already looking at other areas where we can use this seating."
The new seat is designed around new foam cushioning that La-Z-Boy officials won't describe in detail, but say it's a very soft foam that allows the consumer to sink into the chair.
Franklin, on the other hand, has enjoyed success by reshaping the backs of its recliners into a slightly bowed configuration that, in essence, wraps around the consumer to provide a more ergonomically friendly chair.
Dubbed the cradle back, the design was such a hit when it was introduced in a few recliners in 2003 that it was added to motion sofas this April.
"We want our customers sitting in the furniture, not on it," said Franklin's Tidwell. "It helps them meet the demands of today's stressful lifestyle."
Other comfort-enhancing features that have been successful in recent months include Catnapper's new Polaris mechanism, Berkline's cushy papasan chair design, and Lane's "perfect fit" headrest, which tilts forward to allow the consumer to comfortably watch television while the chair is fully reclined.
"It has been very successful ... and you'll probably see the lineup expanded in the coming months," said Bob Young, Lane's merchandise manager for recliners.
Klaussner, meanwhile, recently added Reflex foam, which is used in many upper-end mattresses, to its seat cushions, and has beefed up the structure of the ottoman so the consumer's legs aren't propped at an uncomfortably low level.
"The height of the ottoman adds to the comfort," said Jay Foscue, vice president of merchandising for motion furniture. "We make sure ours don't allow the legs to drop at all."
Foscue and other executives also noted that extra seat width and depth can enhance comfort as well, which explains the plethora of large-scale recliners added in recent months.
A matter of inches
Such models have seats at least two inches wider than the typical 22- to 24-inch seat, and many also have backs that are often five inches higher than the typical 42- to 43-inch back. (Best Home Furnishings has a model called The Beast whose back exceeds 50 inches in height.)
But Ken Salm, senior vice president of sales at Douglas, cautions that large-scale recliners sometimes don't sit well when the ottoman is closed because the seat depth prevents the consumer's legs from touching the floor.
If that happens, the lack of comfort will almost automatically send the shopper looking elsewhere. "It must be comfortable in the closed and open position, and that's not always an easy combination to hit," Salm said, noting that a consumer usually decides whether or not to buy a chair within seconds after sitting down.
"And the ease of operation of the mechanism is very, very important."
The focus on comfort is nothing new for upper-end producers such as Norway-based Ekornes, whose best-selling Stressless reclining chair models typically retail for $1,200 or more.
Ekornes officials often tout the chair's unique tilting mechanism, its lumbar support, and the free-standing ottoman that is sold with each chair.
Some models also come with an adjustable headrest, and many of the 30 models available in the U.S. market are available in two or three sizes.
"We simply want to be the most comfortable product out there," said marketing manager Trond Thomassen. "Design is less important than comfort."
