10 minute read
FORWARD THINKING
Is your bed business ahead of the curve, or has it some catching up to do? For this year’s Bed Buyer, Furniture News asked a selection of our regular contributors to share their thoughts on the market’s directions – and the National Bed Federation’s role within it …
(Image credit: 123RF.com/everythingpossible)
What’s in? What’s out? And how well positioned is your business to react to changing demand?
Against a backdrop of squeezed budgets and fluctuating costs, we ask the trade’s experts for their take on incoming (and outgoing) product trends and the most significant changes ahead, and to share which aspects of the NBF they most value.
Thanks to our contributors: Adam Ashborn, founder and creative director, Reborn Marketing and Design; Andy Stockwell, senior retail manager, Gardiner Haskins; Huw Williams, MD, Toons Furnishers; Mike Murray, director, Land of Beds; Rebecca Maloy, beds, cabinet and semi-fitted bedroom selector, AIS; Steve Adams, CEO, Mattress Online; Steve Pickering, CEO, Sussex Beds; and Steve Reid, CEO and co-founder, Simba Sleep.
WHAT PRODUCT TRENDS DO YOU SEE COMING IN (AND GOING OUT)?
Adam Ashborn: More focus on sustainable/recyclable products/ materials. Within the last few years we have started to see some mattress producers begin to solve the issues surrounding the problem of how to recycle a mattress more efficiently, with easy-peel pocketed coils and biodegradable fillings. I see this trend continuing for the next few years as the world comes to grips with climate control measures.
Andy Stockwell: It’s all about sustainability in materials, fabrics, production processes and recycling. Mattress recycling is due to take huge leaps forward in the next 12-18 months.
Huw Williams: I think that after a long run of customers understanding the need for a quality bed and the steady increase in price points as a result of that, the current cost-of-living crisis will probably mean aspirations will be lower, with many customers buying the best bed they can afford rather than the bed they actually want.
Mike Murray: I think natural earthy colours and materials will be popular this year. After everything the world has been through recently, we now want more than ever to create a tranquil, safe and comfortable sanctuary to retreat to. Therefore, anything that connects us to nature is likely to resonate with consumers.
Rebecca Maloy: We are in for some challenging trading over the coming months which will inevitably influence the trends in the market, making great value (at any price point) and recognised, trusted brands more important than ever.
Sustainability is certainly on the agenda, and will continue to be so from a consumer point of view.
There is lots of great work going on in the industry to drive awareness around new ways of working, including recycling practices. This will make manufacturers look at different ways of working and product make-up to provide great product.
In the short term I think there will be a shift to added value and trusted brands as consumers are up against rising bills, hot weather and redirecting their spend to holidays following the inability to travel during Covid. As the market normalises, following a period driven by far more considered and distress purchasing, I believe lifestyle products will become more important. Retailers will have to work harder than ever to provide great service and to give consumers a high level of reassurance in relation to their purchase.
Steve Adams: Ottoman bed frames are continuing their upward trend, whilst the bottom end of the memory foam market seems to be stalling.
Steve Pickering: Recycled products with a focus on sustainability and environmentally friendly will grow. The colour trends seem to be more pastel and beige/creams, rather than the greys that have been really strong for a number of years.
Steve Reid: I believe the movement to hybrid mattresses will continue, as, I hope, will a continued reduction in ‘traditional’ foam usage, in order to lower the industry’s carbon footprint drastically. I also think there will be an increasing desire for brands to offer services to customers in regard to sleep advice.
From left: Adam Ashborn; Andy Stockwell; Huw Williams; and Mike Murray
WHAT DOES THE NATIONAL BED FEDERATION (NBF) MEAN TO YOU?
Adam Ashborn: The NBF is the standard bearer to ensure high standards in quality bedding materials within the UK. At feelingreborn.com we have noticed a growing consumer awareness of the NBF brand and what it symbolises when used in conjunction with a mattress producer’s marketing campaign.
The NBF has also created a comprehensive independent collection of informative bedding-related marketing materials and videos that consumers can access freely to help aid their purchase.
Andy Stockwell: It gives us confidence that our suppliers are first and foremost producing quality products, and Britishmade products at that.
Huw Williams: To me, selling products under the NBF umbrella means I am supplying products to my customers that are of a good quality and, more importantly, safe.
Mike Murray: The NBF means a great deal to us as business. As an organisation they are passionate about creating a world-class industry with exacting standards. When suppliers have been approved by the federation it signals to us that they have committed to the stringent codes of practice to ensure quality standards are adhered to. These standards are then audited and accredited, giving us confidence that ethical business practices have been followed throughout the operation, in turn creating confidence for us as a business to deal with these suppliers. I am glad I work in an industry with a trade body like this.
Rebecca Maloy: The NBF is an important organisation that has a lot to offer its supplier base, but also the retailers buying from those suppliers. The work taking place around sustainability and recycling, and the launch of the Pledge for Our Planet, shows the industry is taking responsibility and working together for a better future. This ties in well with a lot of suppliers and their shift towards working hard for sustainable solutions.
As an industry we should always strive for the best, and the NBF supports and, with its code of practice and due diligence programmes, is a driver in this.
Steve Adams: Reassurance – knowing the NBF are auditing our key suppliers and promoting best practice in our sector helps me sleep at night. Going forward, the NBF sustainability pledge is the only tangible industry initiative keeping us accountable for the future.
Steve Pickering: The NBF sets out a clear code of practice which suppliers are required to abide by. This provides us with confidence and reassurance when purchasing that they will meet both quality and ethical standards. The NBF also provides us with great training tools and marketing support.
Steve Reid: We believe that Simba has had a positive impact in our sector in the UK since we launched six years ago – we now account for 10%+ of the sales in our sector. We’ve felt a bit of an outsider in the past, but we are absolutely delighted that the NBF have now introduced brand memberships and that we are now a member of this fantastic federation.
To me, therefore, it means inclusivity and membership – being part of something bigger than just yourself – and as we all know from anything in life, teamwork is the key to enabling change and movements forward quicker than can be achieved on your own. So, to me, the NBF is a terrific enabler of driving change, quicker.
From left: Rebecca Maloy; Steve Adams; Steve Pickering; and Steve Reid
WHAT’S SET TO BE THE BIGGEST GAMECHANGER IN HOW YOU OPERATE?
Adam Ashborn: feelingreborn.com is not bed-manufacturing business, but after working over 10 years at one of the world’s largest producers of innersprings technology, and now supporting furniture brands with their marketing, I have seen more focus on sustainability and recycling than ever before. With the necessity to lower our global climate, finding new, innovative ways to maintain quality and production whilst keeping emissions low is going to be the biggest challenge businesses will face. Do we start to see more lightweight mattresses being produced to reduce transportation emissions? Will mattress producers start to offer a full-lifecycle service (sales, delivery, and then recycle once it’s reached its end of life)?
Andy Stockwell: We have a huge opportunity with the internet – not even necessarily in terms of online sales, but in terms of what we have, what we do, how we do it, and how we inspire people to shop with us. It’s something we really aren’t making the most of at the moment, but the resources are there if we really want to make a go of it.
Huw Williams: I think it will be the costof-living issues which will be the main gamechanger for the near future, with lower-priced products being purchased more. We will probably need to change our ranges to reflect that.
Mike Murray: Logistics expertise is one area of focus for us – we have quality products, great choice and in-house expertise, we just need to package this up and deliver to consumers across the country, seven days a week, in one piece, at a time that suits, whilst offering add-on services such as installation and recycling of old goods. We must also be able to manage the returns process in an effective and efficient manner – all run by systems and good people.
I often ask myself, are we a bed retail business that uses tech, or are we a tech business that sells beds? The platform we have developed in-house over the last 10 years that manages our multichannel strategy will hopefully give us the flexibility and opportunity to continue to grow at pace.
Rebecca Maloy: Product is clearly very important here, but whilst offering value at every price point is key, I truly believe it’s all the other factors – including presentation, knowledge and reading your customer – that can really make a difference. My advice to retailers is to make sure your bed department is loved as much as other areas of your store – it can deliver a profitable segment within your product and margin mix. Make sure it’s a nice environment for customers to shop – it can feel uncomfortable trying beds in front of people. It’s about making customers feel at ease as much as possible, and confident to buy.
Take advantage of supplier training, ensure your sales team are knowledgeable not only about product, but also sleep. Some customers will love to know all the spec details, and at the other end of the scale it just comes down to the feel. Sales teams need to read each customer as to how much detail to share – share information, but don’t baffle! Ultimately, we should all centre around selling a good night’s sleep and the right product to each customer. We all need to look at our departments through the eyes of the consumer.
Steve Adams: A wider national brand presence will enable us to reach more customers and provide improved economies of scale for our back-end operations. Steve Pickering: Data and information will be the biggest gamechanger for our bed business. This means the key data on demand in real time, presented to every department and team member.
Over the next 12 months we are overhauling our entire IT infrastructure, replacing the current multitudes of systems with a singular ERP system. The result will increase efficiency, improve customer service and also provide every team member throughout the business with their personal data dashboards, displaying their own key KPIs and targets in real time.
Steve Reid: I have played around with virtual reality (VR), recreationally rather than professionally, and I think, as we can see in fashion and some other sectors, it is a place that brands will need to be. I think it could have profound impacts on real estate values (in the real world), how we work, and how customers engage with brands or retail experiences. Our learnings from social media are that these technologies rarely go away, and I think it could become something we are all participating in, one way or another, a lot sooner than we think – whether we agree with the idea of a virtual world or not!
