The U.S. Market for Home Office Furniture
Jun 1, 1997
128 Pages - Pub ID: LA466
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  1. Executive Summary
    The Products
    • Background of Market
    • Three HOF Product Categories
    • Five Product Types

    The Market
    • Manufacturers' Shipments Top $1.1 Billion in 1996
    • Table 1-1: U.S. Manufacturers' Shipments of Home Office Furniture, 1992-2001 (dollars): Ready-to-Assemble, Case Goods/Contract Retail Sales Estimated at $1.7 Billion in 1996
    • RTA Category Is Over Half the Market
    • Figure 1-1: Share of U.S. Manufacturers' Shipments of Home Office Furniture by Product Category, 1992 vs. 1996 (percent): Ready-to-Assemble, Case Goods/Contract
    • Desks Account for Close to Half of HOF Design
    • PC and Home Office Trends Spell Strong Future

    The Marketers
    • A Growing Number of Players
    • Shifting Market Shares for RTA, Case Goods, and Contract
    • Innovation and Diversification Are Name of the Game
    • Flexibility and Innovation Apparent in Multi-Use Products
    • Over $56 Million Devoted to Consumer Advertising

    Distribution and Retail
    • Most Sales Are Direct to Retailers
    • Two Main Types of Outlets
    • Mass-Market Outlets
    • Specialty Outlets

    The Consumer
    • About One in Twenty Americans Is WAHer
    • One in Ten WAHers Is HOF Purchaser

    Scope and Methodology
    • Market Parameters
    • Report Methodology
  2. The Products
    Scope of Report
    • Home Office Furniture vs. Total Office Furniture
    • Background of the HOF Market

    Product Categories and Types
    • Three HOF Product Categories
    • Product Distribution Outlets
    • Two Standard Market Segments: Wood and Non-Wood
    • Five HOF Product Types
    • Desks
    • Computer Furniture
    • Storage
    • Seating Products: Two Forms
    • Tables
  3. The Market
    • Figure 3-1: U.S. Manufacturers' Shipments of Home Office Furniture, 1992-1996 (dollars)

    Market Size and Growth
    • Home Office Furniture Difficult to Segregate
    • Methodology of Sales Estimates
    • Sales Top $1.1 Billion in 1996
    • Table 3-1: U.S. Manufacturers' Shipments of Home Office Furniture, 1992-1996 (dollars)
    • Retail Sales Estimated at $1.7 Billion in 1996
    • Figure 3-2: Share of U.S. Manufacturers' Shipments of Home Office Furniture by Product Category, 1992 vs. 1996 (percent): Ready-to-Assemble, Case Goods/Contract

    Market Composition by Product Category
    • RTA Category Is Over Half the Market
    • Case Goods Account for Most of Balance
    • Contract Furniture a Tiny Presence
    • Table 3-2: Share of U.S. Manufacturers' Shipments of Home Office Furniture by Product Category, 1992-1996 (dollars and percent): Ready-to-Assemble, Case Goods/Contract
    • Sales by Product Segment: Non-Wood Accounts for Three-Quarters
    • of TOF Sales

    Market Composition by Product Type
    • Desks Account for Close to Half of HOF Design
    • Computer Furniture Second in Home Office Furniture
    • Storage a Standard Part of Both Markets
    • Seating and Tables a Negligible Part of HOF Design
    • Table 3-3: Market Composition by Product Type in 1996 and % Change from 1992: Home Office Furniture vs. Total Office Furniture (percent): Desks, Systems/Computer Furniture, Storage, Seating, Tables

    Market Composition by Region and Season
    • Purchasing by Region
    • Purchasing by Urbanicity
    • Sales by Season

    Factors Affecting Market Growth
    • PC and Home Office Trends Spell Strong Future
    • Increasing Ownership of Personal Computers
    • Number of Home Office Workers Rising
    • HOF Market Runs Countercylical to Economy
    • Upgrading the Home Office
    • More Home Offices Comprise Dedicated Rooms
    • Marketers Courting Consumers with New Products
    • Furniture Stores Placing More Emphasis on HOF
    • Figure 3-3: Projected U.S. Manufacturers' Shipments of Home Office Furniture, 1996-2001 (dollars)
    • Figure 3-4: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Home Office Furniture, 1996-2001 (dollars)

    Projected Market Growth
    • Manufacturers' Shipments to Near $1.9 Billion in 2001
    • Table 3-4: Projected U.S. Manufacturers' Shipments of Home Office Furniture, 1996-2001 (dollars)
    • RTA Goods to Post Double-Digit Growth
    • Case Goods to Post Slower Growth
    • Table 3-5: Projected Share of Manufacturers' Shipments of Home Office Furniture by Category, 1996-2001 (dollars and percent):
    • Ready-to-Assemble, Case Goods/Contract
    • Retail Sales Projected at $2.7 Billion in 2001
    • Table 3-6: Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Home Office Furniture, 1996-2001 (dollars)
  4. The Marketers
    Industry Structure
    • A Growing Number of Marketers
    • Marketers Classified by Category
    • Niche Marketers Include Producers of California Oak
    • Four Classes of Marketers
    • Table 4-1: Selected Marketers of Home Office Furniture (category and product type): 22 Marketers

    Competitive Situation
    • Shifting Market Shares for RTA, Case Goods, and Contract
    • The Rise of Ready-To-Assemble
    • Case Goods Marketers Situated in Higher-Priced Fare, Different
    • Retail Channels
    • Past and Current Elements of Market Shift
    • Consumer Trends Will Continue to Alter Market
    • RTA Manufacturers Compete Mainly on Price
    • Price-Factor Also Important in Case Goods Arena
    • HOF Competition in the Contract Arena
    • Cross-Category Competition on the Rise
    • Broader Industry Concerns

    Competitive Profile: Ameriwood Industries International Corp.
    • A Leader in Wooden Ready-to-Assemble

    Competitive Profile: Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc.
    • A Veteran in Residential Furniture

    Competitive Profile: Bush Industries, Inc.
    • Active in Both RTA and Case Goods

    Competitive Profile: DMI Furniture, Inc.
    • A Turbulent History, But Recovery in Sight

    Competitive Profile: Furniture Brands International, Inc.
    • A $1.7 Billion Furniture Behemoth

    Competitive Profile: Kimball International, Inc.
    • A Giant in Case Goods and Contract Furniture

    Competitive Profile: Ladd Furniture, Inc.
    • Case Goods HOF One of Three Operating Groups

    Competitive Profile: O'Sullivan Industries Holdings, Inc.
    • A Market Leader in RTA

    Competitive Profile: Sauder Woodworking Co.
    • Among the Top Ten U.S. Furniture Manufacturers

    Competitive Profile: Stanley Furniture Company, Inc.
    • Focused in Upper-Medium-Priced Residential

    Marketing Trends
    • Innovation and Diversification Are Name of the Game
    • Home Office Design Spurred by Recognition in the Trade
    • Mid-Range Segment Expands
    • Home and Commercial Office Markets Coming Together
    • Lifestyle Positioning Part of Marketers' Strategies
    • Home Office Furniture Is Fashion-Oriented
    • Marketers Working More Closely with Retailers

    New Product Trends
    • Flexibility and Innovation Apparent in Multi-Use Products
    • Design Joins Price as Major Consideration
    • Computer Function Is Key Consideration
    • Ergonomics Enter the Home
    • Lighting Becomes Part of the Furniture
    • Universal Compatibility within Product Lines
    • Space Efficiency Is Essential, But So Is More Workspace
    • HOF Function Includes Product Mobility
    • Hiding the Home Office, and Making It Secure
    • Unique Materials Add More Variety to the Mix
    • New Products as Collections and Modular Configurations

    Consumer Advertising and Promotions
    • Over $56 Million Devoted to Consumer Advertising
    • Three Companies Account for Most Spending
    • Ethan Allen Is Biggest Spender
    • FBI Spends Almost as Much
    • Haworth and Bassett Are Other $1 Million-Plus Spenders
    • Smaller Spenders Include O'Sullivan and Ladd
    • A Variety of Media Used
    • Internet Also Used
    • Examples of Consumer Advertising

    Trade Advertising and Promotion
    • Trade Advertising
    • Trade Shows Important for Showcasing Wares
    • Growing Number of Marketers Offer Retailer Assistance
    • Examples of Trade Advertising
  5. Distribution And Retail
    Distribution
    • Most Sales Are Direct to Retailers
    • Wholesalers Used by Smaller Retailers
    • Indirect Sales Through Interior Designers and Architects

    Retail Outlets
    • Two Main Types of Outlets
    • Mass-Market Outlets
    • Specialty Outlets
    • Alternative Outlets

    At the Retail Level: Mass-Market Outlets
    • The Primary Channel of Distribution
    • Office Superstores Are Leading Mass-Market Outlet
    • Other Mass-Market Retailers
    • Smaller Office Supply Stores Feature HOF Products,
    • Compete with Office Superstores
    • Mass Retailers Capitalize on Existing Strengths,
    • Expand Departments
    • Margins in the 35%—40% Range
    • Assortment Centered on RTA Goods
    • Retailers Aiding in Assembly
    • Advertising and Promotion
    • Trends in Advertising Home Office Furniture

    At the Retail Level: Specialty Stores
    • Late Entries into Home Office, But Growing Interest
    • Furniture Stores Increasing Market Presence
    • In-Store Location of Home Office Furniture
    • Furniture Galleries Another Source
    • Home Furnishings Retailers Featuring Home Office Furniture
    • Oak Specialty Stores Are Hot
    • Margins
    • Retailing an Office Rather Than Furniture
    • Marketers Work with Retailers to Develop Sophisticated Sellers
    • Retailer Advertising and Promotion

    Distribution Strategies Used by Marketers
    • A Variety of Distribution Channels Used
    • Marketers of Oak Home Office Furniture
    • The Consumer
    • The Consumer
    • The Simmons Consumer Survey
    • Data Available for Those Who Work at Home and Make
    • Home Office Furniture Purchase Decisions
    • About One in Twenty Americans Is WAHer
    • Most WAHers Are Full-Timers, But Part-Timers More Likely
    • to Be WAHers
    • WAHer Demographics: A Professional Profile
    • Table 6-1: Demographic Characteristics Favoring Working at Home, 1996 (U.S. adults who work at home)
    • One in Ten WAHers Is HOF Purchaser
    • HOF Purchasers Pull in Big Household Incomes
    • Occupation Another Strong Indicator
    • Table 6-2: Occupation of Those Who Work at Home and Purchasers of Home Office Furniture, 1996 (U.S. Adults)
    • Purchasing Skews to College Graduates
    • Table 6-3: Education of Those Who Work at Home and Purchasers of Home Office Furniture, 1996 (U.S. Adults)
    • Age Another Significant Marker
    • Whites Are Primary HOF Purchasers
    • Metro Residency Important for HOF Purchaser Subgroup
    • Large Majority of HOF Purchasers Spend $1,000-$4,999
    • Table 6-4: Demographic Characteristics Favoring Purchase of Home Office Furniture in Last 12 Months, 1996 (U.S. Adults who Work at Home)

    Appendix I: Addresses Of Selected Companies
    Appendix II: Examples Of Advertising And Promotions
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