As people build multipurpose backyard retreats for entertaining and relaxation, the popularity of outdoor living spaces is predicted to grow in the coming year. Meanwhile, outdoor retailers are focused on increasing sales with products that meet the demand.
These retailers say they are looking for a variety of products that will enable them to create eclectic offerings on their floor as the 2023 winter market season gets underway and numerous outdoor showrooms open their doors for the Atlanta Market.
- Forward Focus
La Verne, California’s outdoor elegance, includes outdoor furniture, barbecues, fountains, pergolas, heaters, umbrellas and outdoor accessories on its retail floor. According to company representatives, the store’s top-selling brands are Sunset West and Polywood, and they added that broadening the range of price points is a key strategy for the upcoming year.
“We are focusing on trying to bring a greater range of price points in for the product lines we sell,” said Rob Decker, sales manager. “Because of inflation and the pandemic, we have seen a substantial increase in the cost of goods. We will be focusing on some lower price point products for 2023 to try and maintain a broad price range to help capture a greater variety of customers.”
In Richboro, Pennsylvania, at the Gasper Home & Garden Showplace, the product mix showcases more than 30 lines of outdoor furnishings including Accessories, pillows, umbrellas, clothing made of acrylic, pottery, and home gift items are all available alongside Big Green Egg products. Eli Hymer, the general manager, intends to increase the number of teak products significantly in 2023 in response to customer demand.
“Teak has been our largest category for the past several years, period,” Hymer said. “But since the pandemic, there seemed to be a shortage of teak products or a lack of materials. This year, I was able to order much more from different vendors in order to have a large selection.”
The management team at Sunnyland Outdoor Living in Dallas is planning to reduce inventory, just like many furniture retailers. In addition to Big Green Egg products, the retailer also sells outdoor furniture, in-pool furniture, outdoor accessories, and decor.
“2023 is all about what we have,” said Brad Schweig, vice president of operations. “With so many things coming late in 2022 due to manufacturing and shipping delays, we have product to sell, and that is what we want to move, which means less focus on custom orders for the immediate future.”
CEO of Village Green Jessica Salisbury stated that her team is adjusting its product strategy to better meet customer demand, noting that deep seating made of wrought iron, aluminum, and cast aluminum has seen a rise in sales. Along with fashion-forward goods like rugs and throw pillows, low-maintenance polymer furniture is also on the merchandising radar for 2023.
“With grill sales down, we took a close look at that category: What brands are selling, where do we need to diversify, and how can we stand out in the world of dot-com and big box stores,” Salisbury said. “We are committing to new vendors and doing a total rebrand in outdoor grilling.
“Recycled/polymer furniture continues to have a high demand, and Village Green is committing to a larger footprint in that category as well.”
- Buying Mindset
In the wake of the pandemic, consumers turned their attention to everything related to the home, which benefited the outdoor categories. According to many predictions, this trend will persist in 2023. Retailers are gearing up for a busy holiday shopping season, despite concerns about inflation dampening consumer enthusiasm.
“We’ve always been known as a special-order store, giving the customer the option of ordering a specific set in the fabric, frame and assortment they wanted,” Hymer said. “But due to restrictions or due to supply issues and long wait periods, customers were forced to purchase stock instead of having to wait the months that were required.
“This year, I feel things are getting back to the old normal. Lead times are down, and we are once again encouraging special orders,” he added.
“I think the mindset in 2020 and 2021 was to spend more time at home, redo the outdoor space and feel comfortable,” Salisbury said. “We saw that continue into 2022. However, this fall sales noticeably slowed down, and I think the consumer is now focused on inflation and the economy. … If industry partners can get their lead times back to a more reasonable time and eliminate surcharges, that would be great.”
The same kind of consumer interest in outdoor spaces, according to Decker, has been observed at Outdoor Elegance.
“The past two years of the pandemic have been our busiest years in our store’s history,” he said. “With everyone staying at home during that time, they became more focused on their properties and invested money in fixing up both the interior and exterior spaces. Because of this, our industry saw a substantial surge in business and sales.
“With us being in Southern California, we are fortunate enough to be able to utilize our outdoor spaces year-round,” Decker continued. “Because of this, people have been more willing to invest in these spaces. With such a wide variety of products and materials available that are now made for exterior use, there is a seemingly infinite number of choices available now to the consumer to choose from.”
- To Market, to Market
Outdoor retailers are making new travel arrangements for 2023 as a result of the Casual Market’s relocation from Chicago to Atlanta, and although the timing will change for the new year, Decker expresses the hope that the focus will remain on the product.
“We generally go to the various trade shows that cater to our industry and the product lines we represent,” he said. “We go to shows like HPBA for fireplace and barbecue categories, in addition to Casual Market.
“Industry partners can continue to work on bringing in new potential vendors to these shows, so we are able to see a wider and more diverse range of products when we visit the shows,” Decker added. “Nothing is more frustrating than making the trip to these shows only to see the same product lines and lines of clothing that you saw in previous years.”
Hymer agreed.
“I rely upon visits to our manufacturers’ factories and showrooms and also our industry publications (to source product),” he said. “I start to conduct some online research after I’ve narrowed it down.
“By providing access to information about their products, manufacturers could simplify this process. Oh, there are sizes, fabric and frame choices, etc. — knowing these things make it much simpler to source products when all the information is available to you.”
At markets, Sunnyland will also be present.
“We have been going to the Chicago market and will be going to Atlanta,” Schweig said. “It would be easy if all players were in one market. While the majority of the vendors appear to be at the Casual Market, some appear only in High Point or Vegas. Having them present would be convenient for a one-stop shop.”
Source: furnituretoday.com
