Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
Executive Summary
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- Market size drops to $5 billion in 2008 as broader macroeconomic woes compound housing crisis
- In 2009, furniture is low priority in discretionary spending
- From 2006-08, metal, wicker and wood segments show gains as plastic continues to lose ground
- Mass merchandisers and home centers are dominant retail channels
- Major retailers offer exclusive, imported collections and highlight value in 2008-09 offerings
- Lack of new homebuyers has significant impact on outdoor furniture demand
- Broad-based recession affects consumers across income brackets
- Interest in outdoor living and staycations offers “silver lining”
- Green living trend will play growing role in product choices and shaping market
- Fragmented supply structure with direct imports dominating market at the expense of smaller, domestic suppliers
- Brand qualities
- Major areas of innovation: green living, new designs, branding and flexibility with retailers
- Advertising and promotion: Suppliers’ print ads showcase beauty & style, retailers’ highlight value, special offers, and eco-friendliness
- Consumer findings: Regional climate variations shape the amount of time spent outdoors
- Consumer findings: While outdoor furniture has broad appeal, Baby Boomers and high-income consumers spend the most
- Consumer findings
- Boomers own the most furniture, and tiered branding/pricing warranting
- Seating products dominate, while product interest varies with lifestage, income and region
- Having screened-in or covered outdoor areas varies regionally and increases time spent outdoors
- Diverse retail channels
- Couples with children spend more time outdoors, but favor basic products; couples without children favor enclosed, more luxurious outdoor rooms
Insights and Opportunities
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- Targeting homeowners, even with the downturn
- Making “green” outdoor furniture the centerpiece of a more natural, simple eco-friendly lifestyle
- Cross-promotions of furniture and porches, patios and other enclosed outdoor living spaces
- Product offerings, ad campaigns and marketing approaches should target consumers at different lifestages
- Focus on Echo Boomers: Affordable, compact, eco-friendly furniture and integrating high-tech elements into outdoor rooms
- Targeting Gen-X families with durable, affordable dining sets and pieces for kids
- Targeting Baby Boomers with higher-end offerings and emphasis on making the most of outdoor living
Inspire Insights
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- Brand Tribe
- What's it about?
- What we’ve seen in patio living
- Specifics
- Opportunity
- Search for Meaning
- What's it about?
- Marketing implications—Talk to me
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Sales drop in 2008 as broader macroeconomic woes compound housing crisis
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- Figure 1: Total U.S. retail sales of outdoor furniture, at current prices, 2003-13
- Figure 2: Total U.S. retail sales of outdoor furniture, at inflation adjusted prices, 2003-13
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- As consumers prioritize necessities, expenditures on non-necessities drop in 2007 and 2008
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- Figure 3: Distribution of household expenditures, by consumer unit, 2003-08
- Furniture is low on priority list for consumers with extra money
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- Figure 4: Where consumers spend their “extra” money, July 2008
Overall Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Segmentation on the basis of material used
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- Figure 5: Sales of casual furniture market, segmented by material, 2006 and 2008
- Metal is dominant segment, with recycled and recyclable products being showcased
- Plastic continues to lose share, despite innovations in color, texture and “green” processes
- Wicker is widely used and heavily imported—now seen in collections across price points
- Wood segment is boosted by interest in natural, eco-friendly options
- Umbrellas are integral to major collections
Retail Channels
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- Key points
- Mass merchandisers and home centers are dominant retail channels
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- Figure 6: Place of purchase of outdoor furniture, February 2009
- Larger retailers and online stores tending to fare better in the downturn
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- Figure 7: U.S. retail sales of outdoor furniture, by channel, 2006 and 2008
- Major retailers offer exclusive, imported collections and highlight value in 2008-09 offerings
- Walmart
- Home Depot
- Lowe’s
- Target
- Kmart
- Online retailers multiply, offering consumers more options
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Home ownership and the housing market are key drivers for the outdoor furniture market
- Home ownership
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- Figure 8: Bought lawn/porch/patio furniture in the past 12 months, by home ownership, July 2007-September 2008
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- Figure 9: Outdoor home improvements in the past 12 months and grill ownership, by home ownership, July 2007-September 2008
- Buying and selling of homes propels purchasing of outdoor furniture
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- Figure 10: Bought lawn/porch/patio furniture in the past 12 months, by recent purchasing of home, July 2007-September 2008
- New and existing home sales fall for third consecutive year
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- Figure 11: Sales of new and existing homes, 2003-08
- Macroeconomic downturn compounds housing woes
- Higher-income households purchase more outdoor furniture
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- Figure 12: Purchased lawn/porch furniture in the past 12 months, by income, July 2007-September 2008
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- Figure 13: Amount spent by HH on lawn/porch furniture in the past 12 months, by income, July 2007-September 2008
- Figure 14: Household income distribution and spending on outdoor furniture and all home improvement in past year, 2007
- Home values and equity values serve one-two household wealth punch
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- Figure 15: S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index, January 2000-January 2009
- “Outdoor rooms” and “staycations” generate some sales
- Broader interest in “outdoor rooms” and improvement of outdoor areas
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- Figure 16: Amount spent on lawn, porch or patio furniture, and on all home improvements in the past 12 months, 2002-07
- Figure 17: Total U.S. shipments of barbecue grills, 2003-08
- “Staycations” seen as positive aspect of economic downturn
- Suppliers seek to balance offering quality with bringing down prices
- “Green” movement drives demand in outdoor furniture
- Broader green living trends spur demand for “green” products and practices
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- Figure 18: Degree of concern relative to environment, October 2008
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- Figure 19: Belief that shopping habits make a difference in the world, October 2008
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- Figure 20: Took or plan to take green factors into account when purchasing furniture, October 2008
Leading Companies and Brand Share
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- Key points
- U.S. suppliers face overseas competition, post flagging sales in 2008
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- Figure 21: Estimated retail sales of outdoor furniture in the U.S., by manufacturer, 2006 and 2008
- Suppliers of outdoor furniture collections in mixed material
- Agio (Shianco)
- Brown Jordan International Inc.
- Flanders Industries (Lloyd/Flanders)
- Furniture Brands International (Laneventure and Thomasville)
- Homecrest Industries Incorporated
- Meadowcraft Incorporated
- Tropitone
- Suppliers of resin-based plastic furniture
- Grosfillex
- Keter Group (Resin Partners, Inc., US Leisure, Sunterrace)
- Vassallo Industries (Syroco)
Brand Qualities
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- Key points
- Agio
- Brown Jordan
- Homecrest
- Laneventure (FBI)
- Lloyd/Flanders
- Meadowcraft
- Thomasville (FBI)
- Tropitone
Innovation and Innovators
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- Key points
- “Green” Innovations
- Major retailers showcase eco-friendly product lines
- Suppliers expand “green” offerings and practices
- Smaller manufacturers develop innovative green products in 2008-09
- Eagle One’s Greenwood Line
- Braun Horticulture’s products made of jute
- NatureDura’s FireFly collection
- Brentano Eco-Fabrics
- Design Trends and Innovations
- Select innovations in color, texture and finishes by major suppliers
- Brown Jordan introduces stackable modern collection, leather-like weaves
- Homecrest’s offerings include new table tops, new designs, new seating heights
- Telescope Casual’s new colors, textures and finishes
- Tropitone’s TropiKane weave, new colors, Stoneworks looks
- Family Brands’ new hand-painted finishes
- Whitecraft’s Woolrich new fabrics and collections
- Glen Raven’s Sunbrella styles, textures and water-repellent fabrics
- Design innovations from smaller manufacturers
- iRoc Rocker Collection
- Array Collection
- Skyline Designs
- Innovative branding strategies
- Taking “indoor” brands outdoors
- Stores that shuttered in 2007-08 introduce branded products in 2009
- Agio: Cross-branding with Disney
- Glen Raven: Refreshed branding and extended warrantees
- Innovations in working with retailers: expediting shipping and extending credit
Advertising and Promotion
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- Key points
- Suppliers’ advertising and marketing strategies
- Print media heavily used to promote brands and introduce collections
- Luxury retailer Agio highlights pleasure, elegance and style
- Brown Jordan makes beautiful, fashionable models the centerpiece of print ads
- Other marketing opportunities
- Websites become a vital retailing tool and marketing platform
- Licensing and celebrity images used to define brands and market products
- National retailers’ advertising and promotional strategies
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- Figure 22: Media expenditures, largest outdoor furniture retailers, 2007
- Value and promotion of “outdoor living” are key themes in websites of largest retailers
- Five largest retailers' websites and online promotions highlight marketing strategies and showcase exclusive brands
- Walmart emphasis on value, even in eco-friendly offerings
- Target offers value, but also highlights style and exclusive designers
- Kmart showcases exclusive Martha Stewart brand, Sears highlights outdoor entertaining
- Home Depot emphasizes broader outdoor living projects and highlights savings
- Lowe’s showcases outdoor living in “Explore Spring” program
Time Spent “Living Outdoors”
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- Key points
- Climate drives regional differences in time spent outdoors
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- Figure 23: Time spent “living outdoors,” February 2009
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- Figure 24: Time spent “living outdoors,” by region, February 2009
Purchasing and Amount Spent in the Past 12 Months
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- Key points
- Incidence of purchase spread across all ages
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- Figure 25: Purchased outdoor furniture in the past 12 months, by age, July 2007-September 2008
- Amount spent lowest among 18-24s, highest among 55-64s
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- Figure 26: Amount spent by HH on outdoor furniture, by age, July 2007-September 2008
- Income drives likelihood of purchase and amount spent
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- Figure 27: Purchased lawn/porch furniture in the past 12 months, by income, July 2007-September 2008
- Figure 28: Amount spent by HH on lawn/porch furniture in the past 12 months, by income, July 2007-September 2008
Ownership of Outdoor Furniture
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- Key points
- Ownership high among over-35s
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- Figure 29: Ownership of outdoor furniture, February 2009
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- Figure 30: Ownership of outdoor furniture, by age, February 2009
- Income drives ownership, but tiered pricing warranted
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- Figure 31: Ownership of outdoor furniture, by income, February 2009
Types of Outdoor Furniture Owned
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- Key points
- Seating and dining sets most popular, with strong interest seen in range of patio living products
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- Figure 32: Type of outdoor furniture owned, February 2009
- Product preferences vary with lifestage
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- Figure 33: Type of outdoor furniture owned, by age, February 2009
- High-income households seek dining sets, luxury seating products and greater array of outdoor living products
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- Figure 34: Type of outdoor furniture owned, by income, February 2009
- Some regional product preferences
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- Figure 35: Type of outdoor furniture owned, by region, February 2009
Amount Spent
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- Key points
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- Figure 36: Amount spent on outdoor furniture, February 2009
Covered or Exposed Outdoor Living Area?
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- Key points
- Regional climate shapes demand for covered outdoor living area
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- Figure 37: Outdoor living areas that are covered or enclosed, by region, February 2009
- Having enclosed outdoor spaces increases year-round outdoor living
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- Figure 38: Time spent “living outdoors,” by exposure of outdoor space, February 2009
- Having enclosures leads to increased use and appreciation of outdoor areas
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- Figure 39: Attitudes towards and usage of patio, deck, pool area, screened porch or other outdoor living area, by exposure of outdoor space, February 2009
How Do You Feel About Your Outdoor Living Area?
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- Key points
- Over-55s show most frequent use of outdoor living areas
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- Figure 40: Attitudes towards and usage of patio, deck, pool area, screened porch or other outdoor living area, by age, February 2009
Place of Purchase of Outdoor Furniture
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- Key points
- Home centers and mass merchandisers are dominant retail channels
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- Figure 41: Place of purchase of outdoor furniture, by gender, February 2009
- Under-25s use greater range of retailers
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- Figure 42: Place of purchase of outdoor furniture, by age, February 2009
- Home centers, club stores and specialty stores favored by upper-income HHs
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- Figure 43: Place of purchase of outdoor furniture, by income, February 2009
Online or Catalog Purchase of Outdoor Furniture
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- Key points
- About one in 10 respondents use online and catalog retailers
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- Figure 44: Online or catalog purchase of outdoor furniture, by gender, February 2009
- Under-45s show higher use of internet and catalogs
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- Figure 45: Online or catalog purchase of outdoor furniture, by age, February 2009
- Upper-income HHs show higher use of internet and catalogs
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- Figure 46: Online or catalog purchase of outdoor furniture, by income, February 2009
- Children also drive use of internet and catalogs
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- Figure 47: Online or catalog purchase of outdoor furniture, by presence of children, February 2009
Race and Ethnicity
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- Key points
- Non-white ethnicities less likely to have purchased furniture in past 12 months
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- Figure 48: Purchased lawn/porch fuirniture in the past 12 months, by Hispanic origin/race, July 2007-September 2008
- Whites show highest use of outdoor areas, blacks the lowest
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- Figure 49: Time spent “living outdoors,” by race/ethnicity, February 2009
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- Figure 50: Attitudes towards and usage of patio, deck, pool area, screened porch or other outdoor living area, by race/ethnicity, February 2009
Cluster Analysis
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- All-American Backyard
- Who they are
- Opportunity
- Living It Up Outdoors
- Who they are
- Opportunity
- Barely Interested
- Who they are
- Opportunity
- Cluster characteristics
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- Figure 51: Patio living clusters, February 2009
- Figure 52: Amount spent on patio furniture in the past three years, by patio living clusters, February 2009
- Figure 53: Ownership of outdoor/patio/lawn/pool furniture or related items, by patio living clusters, February 2009
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- Figure 54: Outdoor living areas that are covered or enclosed, by patio living clusters, February 2009
- Figure 55: Attitudes towards and usage of patio, deck, pool area, screened porch or other outdoor living area, by patio living clusters, February 2009
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- Figure 56: Place of purchase of outdoor/patio/lawn/pool furniture, by patio living clusters, February 2009
- Figure 57: Place of purchase of outdoor furniture, by region, February 2009
- Cluster demographics
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- Figure 58: Patio living clusters, by gender, February 2009
- Figure 59: Patio living clusters, by age, February 2009
- Figure 60: Patio living clusters, by income, February 2009
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- Figure 61: Patio living clusters, by race, February 2009
- Figure 62: Patio living cluster, by Hispanic origin, February 2009
- Cluster methodology
Custom Consumer Groups: Couples With and Without Children
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- Key points
- Couples with children show higher overall use of outdoor areas
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- Figure 63: Time spent “living outdoors,” for couples with and without children, February 2009
- Couples with children actively acquiring more furniture than those without
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- Figure 64: Amount spent on outdoor furniture, for couples with and without children, February 2009
- Couples without children who spend time outdoors, show strong interest in outdoor living
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- Figure 65: Attitudes towards and usage of patio, deck, pool area, screened porch or other outdoor living area, for couples with and without children, February 2009
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- Figure 66: Outdoor living areas that are covered or enclosed, for couples with and without children, February 2009
- Couples without children own more specialized products for outdoor rooms
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- Figure 67: Type of outdoor furniture owned, for couples with and without children, February 2009
- Couples with children show high use of mass merchandisers and warehouse clubs
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- Figure 68: Place of purchase of outdoor furniture, for couples with and without children, February 2009
Appendix: Trade Associations
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