Free Newsletter
HIGH POINT – New Classic Furniture introduced product across all of its offered furniture categories at the High Point Market but with a focus on new motion and stationary upholstery.
The company’s introduction count this time around was comparable with last market, with around 30 new collections. New lines are not whole home per say, bucking a current trend seen in much of the industry to offer collections that are more all-encompassing.
“Most people’s homes don’t align neatly throughout,” said Michele McPherson, the company’s vice president and general manager. “We had a whole home focus this market, but all of our collections are independent of one another. They’re all of individual categories and values.”
McPherson said the whole home trend, and the push many companies are making into new categories, is logical for the industry as business is tough, but it’s challenging to achieve success.
“You have to make sure you have good people managing,” she said. “You can be a great case goods merchant, but that doesn’t mean you’ll move seamlessly into upholstery. You’re going to need your own upholstery experts to make it work. It’s also challenging to find the right suppliers. Quality has to be consistent.”
New Classic operates in both the mid and promotional price point ranges. The focus this market was on both, with new product spread across each range.
“Promotional has been stronger over the past eight months or so,” McPherson said. “We’ve really been focused on getting more value into our product while keeping prices low. Our upholstery especially has seen success in the promotional range.”
Value means features, the company said, with the more things to talk about, the better. That’s true in both upholstery and case goods.
“We touch on many different looks and styles, but in the promotional price point where I feel we are the best value in the industry,” said Scott Hill, president of sales. ”It is all about the clarity of the finish, the shaping of the cases and the chairs.
“In a lot of people’s minds there isn’t a whole lot you can do to make a $399 retail dinette different than others, but that is where Bill Dominguez, our vice president of product development, really gives us an advantage. His attention to detail on a category where many people are walking away from in promotional dining is second to none.”
