Consumers tell it all
FT, HGTV survey 12,330 shoppers
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 31, 2008
High Point — What do you get when you ask more than 12,000 Americans about their furniture shopping habits?
Quite a lot of useful information, according to officials at Furniture/Today and cable television's HGTV, which partnered to conduct an online survey in January through HGTV's weekly Ideas Newsletter.
Responses poured in from 12,330 recipients of the newsletter, an audience that is highly interested in home improvement and decorating. Furniture/Today will publish several reports this year drawn from the survey's exclusive data, starting next week with a look at how consumers shop for and buy sofas. It will tackle questions such as:
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Where do consumers go first to shop for a sofa?
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Why do they choose one sofa retailer over another?
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What kind of product information do they want to help them feel comfortable with their purchases?
"This series of reports will be a great way for us to share some valuable information with our readers," said Kay Anderson, director of research at Furniture/Today, who worked with Dana French, senior research specialist, to analyze the data.
"The collaboration between HGTV and Furniture/Today is just a joy to see," said Cherie Oswald, senior vice president, business development for HGTV. She said the information collected in the survey will be valuable for both partners' missions — for Furniture/Today, to help the industry sell more effectively, and for HGTV, to provide consumers with the guidance they need to help them buy home furnishings with confidence.
This isn't HGTV's only involvement with the industry this year. It also is partnering with the National Home Furnishings Assn. to launch what is expected to be a $20 million campaign starting this summer to educate and motivate consumers to make informed decisions on furniture purchases. Retailers who take part will be in a Preferred Retailer Program, which could steer business their way.
NHFA and HGTV officials will host breakfast meetings for retailers at the High Point Market to explain the program from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday, April 7, and Tuesday, April 8. Reservations are required by e-mailing hgtv@nhfa.org or calling (800) 888-9590, extension 0.
