Marketing upholstery to generations X and Y

Upholstery Journal | February 2010

by Amanda Brown and Lizzie Nguyen

Although baby boomers have the longest run as the biggest population of consumers in American history, a newer group of consumers has recently moved to the forefront: Generations X and Y.

These two generations, ranging in age from 20s to 40s, outnumber baby boomers by over 30 million, according to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau, and largely influence business practices and consumer marketing in American society. They are drawn to elite products that allow them to individualize their style, and are driven by technology.

So how does this new population affect the upholstery world? Members of Generations X and Y are entering the nesting stages of their lives. Fully integrated into the work force, Generation X is settling down, purchasing and furnishing homes. Generation Y is quickly following suit. While these generations are creating their home environments, baby boomers, who have parented many of the members of Generations X and Y, are passing down furniture. The newer generations have an appreciation for quality and a vision for integrating older pieces into current space. Fortunately for upholsterers, this creates a growing market with a new set of needs and desires.

More than previous generations, X and Y long for products that allow them to individualize and be creative with their personal space. Although upholstery facilitates their need for individualism and customization, Generations X and Y are also less familiar with the process and many have turned to mass produced furniture over upholstery. Identifying generational trends in home decor and presenting these options will help attract X and Y consumers. By providing inviting storefronts, clear and friendly information, and freedom for them to make informed decisions regarding their furniture pieces, these generations will step out of their comfort zones and feel less intimidated about using an upholsterer to customize their space.

Updated approaches to advertising and marketing, such as online advertising, websites and portfolios, make upholsterers more accessible to this technologically advanced population. A recent survey of X and Y consumers, conducted by Spruce Furniture Redesign, revealed that 90 percent valued online advertising more than radio, television or print ads. Being online enables these consumers to educate themselves about upholstery in an environment in which they are comfortable. This is especially important for upholsterers who do not operate during normal business hours or do not have a public-facing storefront.

How do we know?  We are the consumer we are targeting. We are women in our late twenties who upholster furniture full-time and run a successful upholstery shop in Austin, Texas. Before opening our shop, we had many pieces upholstered and recognized the need for upholsterers who could communicate well with our demographic and produce the designs we wanted. Many of the upholsterers we encountered provided no customer service, no online portfolio, and no suggestions for meeting the goals we had in mind for our furniture. Our frustrations led us to learning the trade and beginning our own upholstery business. It is our unique perspective of being the client and the service provider that has made it possible to offer information and services we foresee will be valuable to Generations X and Y.

Understanding and adapting to the needs of Generations X and Y allows upholsterers to service a much larger and longer lasting group of customers. 

Through this series of columns, we hope to shed light on how to appeal to these generations through an updated approach to customer service and marketing. Upcoming articles will focus on popular trends and appealing to this demographic, marketing and selling methods, challenges to the industry, and the necessary business changes needed to obtain Generation X and Y customers.

It is up to upholsterers to educate this new population about the benefits of repurposing older, better-made furniture in lieu of buying new.

Amanda Brown and Lizzie Nguyen began Spruce in January 2008 to bring an updated approach to upholstery and furniture design. They provide custom upholstery services, carry a large selection of designer and vintage fabrics, teach weekend upholstery workshops, and create rejuvenated and inspired furniture pieces from vintage and antique furniture available for purchase in their Austin, Texas showroom. For more information, visit www.spruceaustin.com.

Comments

There are not yet any comments.
You can submit a comment using the form below.