As ever, the consumer is king. Any retailer or designer who can’t respond to what the consumer wants, or influence what they want through clever marketing, will struggle. That’s never changed. ekonglong elegent sofa 

 

The British furniture industry has a great opportunity to increase margins by focusing on design and using designers to market furniture. Fashion has been doing this for many years, using fashion shows and well-known designers to push boundaries that are then marketed to consumers and brought into the mainstream. This adds value to the industry and keeps demand high, as people look to keep up with trends. The Furniture Makers has recognised the importance of design with the introduction of our Design Guild Marks. Changes to the IP laws might also help – giving designers more protection for their work and encouraging investment in design.

 

For retailers it’s really important to focus on service as a differentiator and a profitability generator.

 

What brings a smile to your face in this industry?

 

Any of the many characters in the furniture industry bring a smile to my face, and there are plenty of them! I’ve been lucky enough to work and interact with some amazing people through Gloster and my work with the Furniture Makers, and there are too many funny stories to tell!

 

This is an extract from an article published previously in Furniture News magazine. For more stories like this, you can subscribe to receive a regular physical copy of the magazine, or sign up to have a free digital issue delivered to your inbox each month.