The trajectory of the furniture industry is rapidly changing, in no small part due to the turbulence experienced during 2020. Much of the changes affecting this industry though are occurring around innovations in technology and the move towards moreecommerce options. From changes in marketing, to adapting the means by which people view and purchase furniture—the industry is quickly moving towards meeting the needs of their customer from both a digital and in-store perspective. Here we highlight a few areas that are evolving to better meet consumer needs digitally, and how they are influencing retailers.

In an instant gratification society, customer experience is King, and one way to meet these needs is through tailored experiences. More than half of shoppers generally are expecting brands to offer up tailored suggestions andpersonalize the experiencefor them before they even engage with a brand. And each year the competition for this level of personalization increases. In order to meet this demand for personalization, businesses are collecting as much data as possible and using product information management (PIM) software so that the interests and behaviors of the consumer can be properly aligned with the right products. Personalization and tailored experiences work particularly well for lifestyle retail categories such as furniture, and provides another avenue to capture consumers by showing them that a brand’s product can meet their furniture needs.

Once a consumer has committed to a big furniture purchase, many do not have the patience to wait anymore for that piece to be in their home—and any delayed gratification, could be a deal breaker. Millennials are the largest furniture buying demographic, and having grown up in an ecommerce world, don’t want to wait. They are used to instant gratification with their shopping experiences, so are naturally gravitating towards purchasing directly from brands, or through companies who can immediately supply their purchase. This is obviously a challenge for in-person retailers though due to the need to keep a lot of inventory on hand to meet these needs. One avenue to address this is by offering fewer upholstery options in pre-assembled pieces so that the customer can have that cash and carry option.