by When it comes to buying new furniture, consumers want great designs, quality construction, durability and lots of color options.
That observation was confirmed by a recent survey by Consumer Insights Now, a sister publication to Home News Now.
When consumers who were planning to buy furniture late last year were asked for considerations that would impact their purchases, the majority of consumers polled listed those four elements as being key to their purchasing decisions.
In one regional sampling, 77% of respondents said quality was key, 76% cited durability, 76% mentioned design/style and 69% indicated color was key to the purchase.
Worth noting is that, despite rising costs because of inflation and a challenging economy, price, or the cost of the furniture, was not among the top four drivers, consumers said.
These consumer demands bode well for furniture made in Poland, the second-largest global exporter of furniture in 2021, according to Statista.
Here’s why: Poland, which is centrally located in Europe, offers consumers best-of-all-worlds styling, having embraced the most popular design elements from Italy, Germany and Scandinavia.
As a result, Polish furniture incorporates stylish, contemporary designs, precision constructions, and a full range of colors, fabrics and price points to satisfy the needs of virtually every consumer.
It’s not surprising that those competitive advantages have enabled Poland to become the largest supplier of furniture to European retail chains.
While some consumers mistakenly equate great designs and precision construction only available from high-end furniture, keep in mind that Ikea, a vertically integrated retailer known for appealing contemporary design and affordable prices, is a dominant retailer throughout the vast majority of Europe.
Here at home, led by queries from their customers asking for contemporary furniture and the need to clear out old inventory that has sat in their stores since the Covid-19 epidemic, a growing number of American retailers are on the hunt for new suppliers with a proven track record for supplying contemporary designs, quality construction, competitive pricing and consistent delivery.
For a growing number of American retailers, furniture from Poland has been the answer.
To name names, Black Red White, Meble Wojcik, Intermeble and Gala Meble are just some of the perfect examples of companies offering Ikea-like furniture shipped flat-packed.
For retailers looking to source step-up goods, Polish suppliers Wajnert, Spin and Homenestry have proven themselves as successful and reliable sources of well-made European upholstery.
In addition to being a leading global exporter of furniture, Poland is also a primary exporter of flat-packed furniture, better known as RTA (ready-to-assemble) furniture.
Since RTA furniture has been a staple for European consumers, it’s not surprising that flat-pack furniture from Poland runs the gamut from basic goods made from particleboard up to RTA furniture offered in solid wood and wood veneers.
However, whether the furniture is made from particle board or solid wood, all the RTA from Poland is made from certified sustainable wood, and all particleboard products provide retailers and consumers with the lowest formaldehyde emission levels.
The fact that the furniture ships packed flat makes it a perfect category for online sales and also allows brick-and-mortar retailers to allow customers to take their furniture home immediately.
While flat-packed furniture is often more affordable than a comparable fully assembled piece, study after study, including the Consumer Insights Now survey referenced earlier, confirms the idea that price tends not to be the driving factor when consumers buy furniture.
A recent study from Polish furniture maker B+R Studio indicated that consumers would spend up to 50% more than their initial budget when they find furniture that has the functionality and designs they are looking for.
That assumption is further solidified by a recent study from Small Business Trends that found that 31% of consumers will pay more than their budgeted amount if they find the perfect item.
The fact that furniture from Poland offers fresh new designs, a full palette of colors, and lots of modern and contemporary styling could not come at a better time for American retailers who needed to freshen their assortments.
According to a study by online bedding source Puffy, a full 55% of Americans made a significant change to their home decor since Covid-19 — and 71% also said that, after 2020, during which they spent more time at home than ever, they’re planning to take the project to the next level in the new year.
Top decor style shifts pursued by respondents in 2020 included making over a room in contemporary/modern (35%), traditional (22%) and midcentury modern (12%) design styles.
Eclectic (9%) and minimalist (9%) styles also made an impression, and these will likely continue to be popular.
The growing appetite by American consumers dovetails with the vast majority of upholstery from Poland, which heavily embraces contemporary designs.
This translates into light, comfortable frames that feature sweeping curves, bold, bright colors and rich textures.
Many of the upholstered furniture pieces from Poland also incorporate state-of-the-art mechanisms and motion technology. The country has also gained a positive reputation as a supplier of sofa beds, recliners and items that offer users ample storage options.
Some of the leading upholstery producers in Poland include manufacturers like Wajnert, known for products including its generously proportioned sofa, Misty, which features motion and has a FOB price of about $950.
Another supplier, Spin Furniture, already produces upholstery frames for high-end French, German and other European brands and also has a full line of its own designs as well.
Another burgeoning but successful luxury brand is Homestry, which has recently debuted its Sunbeam sofa. The sofa, which has a FOB opening price of $1,500, has state-of-the-art motion mechanisms for silent and smooth reclining options.
In terms of lead times, Polish furniture factories turn around finished goods from four to six weeks from the order, followed by three to five weeks for freight.
The most popular port to ship from Poland is Gdansk/Gdynia while other areas of Poland can ship from Bremerhaven, Germany. Shipping from Germany can shorten transit time for an additional week. The cost of transportation for many years now is significantly lower than from Asia — especially for the East Coast. Currently, according to Freightwaves.com, (https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fbx-report-september-15-2023, ocean freight for Europe is about $1,200, with a comparable cost for Asia coming in at about $2,900.
Most observers agree that shorter lead times and a fast rotation of products from Poland can let you earn even more a year. This philosophy, along with fresh designs, good quality, and the looks and styles consumers are asking for makes a compelling case for purchasing furniture from Poland. Invest less money and get higher ROI with Poland.
For more information about furniture from Poland or the suppliers mentioned in this article, contact Tomasz Wiktorski at tomek@brstudio.eu or visit the companies at market in Space 5-1, Fifth Floor, C&D Building.
