May 27,
2008 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on May 2008
The International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has postponed the deadline for a preliminary determination on an antidumping investigation of uncovered innerspring units from China, South Africa and Vietnam by 50 days.
That ruling now is due by July 30. Leggett & Platt had petitioned for the investigation, which DOC initiated in late January.
Preliminary determinations on such investigations are due no later than 140 days after initiation. On May 20, 2008, Leggett & Platt made a request for a 50-day postponement of the preliminary determinations in order to allow the Department additional time to do a thorough investigation of the respondents.
“Although the petitioner did not file its request 25 days or more before the scheduled date of the preliminary determination, the Department has determined to accept the request pursuant to its authority under 19 CFR 351.302(b).” said a statement in Tuesday’s Federal Register. “We find that good cause exists to extend the deadline in order to allow the Department additional time to analyze the questionnaire responses in the investigation of uncovered innerspring units from the PRC. Further, for purposes of administrative efficiency, the Department concludes that the Vietnam, South Africa and PRC cases should remain on a consistent timeline.”
The deadline for the final determinations will continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determinations, unless extended.
May 27,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on May 2008
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell again in May, for the fifth consecutive month, this time dropping to a 16-year low. The Index now stands at 57.2 (1985=100), down from 62.8 in April. The previous low, set in October of 1992, was 54.6.
Two associated indices, the Present Situation Index and the Expectations Index, also declined, to 74.4 from 81.9, and to 45.7 from 50, respectively.
Also taking a hit were consumers’ plans to buy some big-ticket items, such as cars and homes. The percentage of consumers expecting to purchase an automobile in the next six months declined to 4.8 percent in May from 5.8 percent in April, and 2.1 percent of consumers said they planned to buy a home in the next six months, down from 2.5 percent in April.
Consumers’ appraisal of current conditions grew more pessimistic in May. Those claiming business conditions are “bad” rose to 30.6 percent from 26.5 percent last month, while the number of consumers saying business conditions are “good” declined to 13.1 percent from 15.4 percent in April.
The current labor market continued to be a sore point for consumers, with 28 percent saying jobs were hard to get, versus 27.9 percent last month. The outlook for jobs in six months was virtually unchanged from April expectations, with 8.7 percent saying more jobs would be available compared with 8.8 percent a month ago.
Consumer confidence was identified as the number one measure of how the economy was performing by respondents in
Home Furnishings Business’ exclusive economic survey, published in the October 2007 issue of
HFB.
Regionally speaking, seven of the nine U.S. areas recorded declines in confidence in May, with the largest decline, 21.7 points, posted in the West North Central region. The two regions showing gains in confidence were New England, up six points to 49.7, and the Mountain region, up 9.3 points to 76.8 points.
“Weakening business and job conditions coupled with growing pessimism about the short-term future have further depleted consumers’ confidence in the overall state of the economy,” said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board Consumer Research Center.
“Consumers’ inflation expectations, fueled by increasing prices at the pump, are now at an all-time high and are likely to rise further in the months ahead,” Franco added. “As for the short-term outlook, the Expectations Index suggests little likelihood of a turnaround in the immediate months ahead.”
The Consumer Confidence Survey is based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households. The cutoff date for May’s preliminary results was May 20.
May 27,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on May 2008
Eco-conscious home furnishings manufacturer Groovystuff, Dallas, has added almost 2,000 more square feet of space to its High Point Market showroom. The company has grown from 200 square feet to 2,700 square feet on Suites at Market Square’s ground floor, G-1148.
“Our growth is the direct result of our extraordinary customer base,” said Chris Bruning, founder, designer and chief marketing officer. “It’s a great problem to have when you need more space to show your products.”
Groovystuff debuted at the October 2000 Market with a modest 200-square-foot showroom on the top floor of the Suites at Market Square and grew to an 800-square-foot ground-floor space in the same building the following Market.
As a member of the Sustainable Furniture Council, the American Home Furnishings Alliance and the International Casual Furnishings Association, Groovystuff is dedicated to sourcing the finest in sustainable home furnishings for each of the specialty markets it serves. The company celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
May 27,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedroom on May 2008
Jane Seymour has teamed with Highland Design to develop a line of home furnishings that will debut by January 2009. The three collections—reflecting Seymour’s three homes—will include case goods and upholstery with master bedroom, dining and living/occasional components.
Well-known for her title role on “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” Seymour has been a frequent guest star on a variety of programs in recent years and was on the seventh season of “Dancing With The Stars.”
Highland Design’s Curt Christian said celebrity-endorsed furniture products are growing at a rate many times faster than the market as a whole, and Seymour addresses a gap among consumers over 35-years-old. He said Highland Design’s consumer research found an unusually strong level of favorable response, especially among affluent consumers.
“We were excited to begin with, but these results blew us away,” Christian said. “People love her and trust her, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work closely with Jane.”
He said Seymour, an accomplished painter, will be involved in developing collections reflecting a Western flavor, an English country slant and a more casual Malibu style.
“My new furniture collection reflects my varied styles of living,” Seymour said. “It is designed to complement my current textile, lighting and decorative accessory collections. Now my customers will be able to discover their own style and put it all together in their own homes.“
Christian intends to market the Seymour Home Furniture Collection to a national network of strong regional furniture retailers that will have exclusivity within their markets.
May 27,
2008 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on May 2008
Home Furnishings Business Senior Editor Jo Fleischer says “Sex and the City” can give a glimpse into the lives of single female consumers in an update to his Web log. Click
here to read about it.