Motion: Both old and new did well at market
By Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, February 11, 2008
Las Vegas — Motion seating from some old, some new and some returning manufacturers fared well at the Las Vegas Market.
Master Design was the newest player to enter the popular category, adding two motion frames here. Tania Sandhu, marketing coordinator, said the company was pleased with the interest and will add more at High Point in April.
PeopLoungers, which according to its executives has restructured and obtained new financing, showed its made-in-Mississippi line of leather and fabric motion seating here.
Broyhill unveiled two motion sofas dressed in top grain and splits priced from $1,299 to $1,799. Six more frames, including a leather/fabric combo and a fabric-only entry, will bow in High Point this spring.
"Long-term, we see great opportunity," said Anthony Teague, vice president of upholstery merchandising at Broyhill. He said the category was selling nicely.
Douglas added two motion sectionals including the overscaled Hondo Command Center, with memory foam seating. Michael Cohen, vice president of sales, west, said he was pleased with the response in Las Vegas.
"We are bringing the price points up a bit with better fabrics and such 'cutesy' things as memory foam or a motion push-back chaise," he said. The frames, priced from $1,499 to $1,999, are made in Tijuana, Mexico.
At Leather Italia USA, President Michael Campbell said his showroom was standing room only for the first three days of market. "Our western buying group has 300 active dealers and we opened 85% of them," he said.
Leather Italia saw success with its new "Great 8" program, a recliner assortment retailing at $699 each. "We sold 3,500 recliners in three days with no minimums," Campbell said.
Catnapper said it did spirited business here with its Pow'r Lounger series. "(Motorized) power was a hot category," said Keith Jackson, senior vice president of sales. The company also reported success with recliners in bonded leather covers.
Ashley hooked dealers this market with innovations, said President Kerry Lebensburger. Such additional features as iPod hookups, speakers, tray tables, reclining chaises attached to sofas, power and home theater options boosted sales commitments.
"It took dealers a long time to get through the showroom because there was so much to see," Lebensburger said.
In addition to unveiling two recliners, Lane Home Furnishings promoted its visual merchandising package to build sales. The presentation for retail floors features a DVD loop with testimonials, point-of-purchase materials, banners, hangtags and pedestals highlighting six distinctive recliner categories.
"It rolled out about 18 months ago and we have 100 placements so far," said Brian Ingram, Lane merchandising manager for recliners.
