HIGH POINT — In this week’s edition of Consumer Insights Now, we offered a deep dive into the primary bedroom category.
Ranking at No. 6 on a list of 23 categories covered in the survey, it was among the most-sought-after products, with some 22% of consumers surveyed planning to buy bedroom furniture in the second half, according to the research, sponsored by Bread Pay and PayTomorrow.
Younger consumers also ranked high with 25% of older millennials and 29% respectively of Gen Z and younger millennials seeking to buy the category compared to 20% of Gen X and 10% of baby boomers.

It also reveals what consumers plan to purchase by age group, with the bed — as expected — ranking as the most-sought-after item by 67% of those surveyed, followed by the dresser at 54%, the nightstand at 52% and the mirror at 36%. Other products less in demand include the chest at 23%, a wardrobe at 15% and a chaise or other chair at 10% respectively.
It’s also worth noting that younger consumers also saw these as important areas of consideration, including the nightstand and mirror, which were especially popular among those ages 18-43, while the dresser was most popular among baby boomers (66%), younger millennials (60%), Gen X (59%) and older millennials (50%). It was of least interest to Gen Z, yet at a still respectable 41%.
Innovative features and other types of functionality were another area the survey considered with a product warranty topping the list of desired components for the bed in particular among 68% of those surveyed. Some 47% said they would be willing to pay more for this feature and 36% said while important they wouldn’t pay more, with another 17% saying it was not important.

Also important for the bed among 55% of those surveyed was storage, although just 37% said they would be willing to pay more and 35% saying while important, they wouldn’t pay more. Third on the list of important features was sustainability among some 45% of those surveyed, with only 29% willing to pay more and 37% saying they would not pay more even if they considered it to be important.
Further down the list of important features and benefits included: USB/phone-charging capabilities among 43% of those surveyed; comes fully assembled 43%; made in the USA 34%; has lighting in the headboard; 28% and has speakers in the headboard, 17%. The chart shown above shows what percentages would be willing to pay more for these features versus those who wouldn’t.

Also worth noting is how long consumers expect the bed/headboard to last. Some 40% of those surveyed said they expect it to last 5-9 years, compared with 29% that expect it to last 10-14 years and 16% that expect it to last 2-4 years. That last stat indicates that people are expecting to replace these pieces more often and thus likely willing to spend much less. The survey addresses this topic as well, noting that some 27% of those surveyed plan to spend under $300 for the bed/headboard compared with 21% that expect to pay between $300 and $499.
Some 13% respectively said they plan to spend between $1,000 and $1,999 or $2,000 or more. Another 15% said $500 to $749 and 11% said $750 to $999. The survey also shows how much people plan to spend on other ancillary pieces such as the dresser/chest and the nightstand. As is seen in the chart below, the data also is broken down by how much different generations plan to spend per item.

Another area that we hope proves useful to those designing, developing and selling the category is what percentage of consumers prefer a coordinated set versus something more mix and match. Some 43% of those surveyed prefer to mix and match. 39% prefer a coordinated group and 18% said they were not sure. The desire to mix and match, the survey notes, is more common among Gen Z and older millennials and those with households under $50,000. A companion map shows what the preferences are by several major metro areas of the country. And don’t forget to check out the comments section offering reasons why consumers prefer to shop in this manner.

Lastly, and what we believe is a positive note for brick-and-mortar retailers, some 62% of consumers said they plan to buy in-store versus 38% who said online. Those who plan to shop in-store include baby boomers, Gen Z and younger millennials as well as homeowners, married couples and those with incomes of more than $100,000. The data also breaks down the percentages of consumers — 50% evenly split — that will shop more based on price and those who will shop more based on quality. Again the data, is broken down by age group and income levels as shown in the chart below.

As always, we hope this data proves useful in understanding the wants and needs of consumers across various age groups and income levels. And we hope it also helps you successfully navigate the large amount of product introductions to be seen at the upcoming High Point Market. While shopping for furniture can be an adventure of sorts, it’s always a plus to be able to do it in an educated manner and we hope this along with what’s already selling in your marketplace provides a road map for your buying decisions.
Below is a list of our six reports and their publication dates
+ Sept. 23 — Consumer Insights Now Second Half Overview
+ Sept. 30 — The Living Room
+ Oct. 7 — The Primary Bedroom
+ Oct. 14 — Mattresses
+ Oct. 21 — The Economy Report
+ Oct. 28 — The Design Report