by The longtime furniture executive discusses challenges facing independent furniture retailers
HIGH POINT — Recently, Tom Liddell, senior vice president and managing director of Planned Furniture Promotions, commented on Facebook regarding Tennessee-based Quality Furniture, which had shut down after a successful 55-year run.
With the trend of family-run independent furniture stores closing shop on the rise, Home News Now reached out to Liddell — whose company has been helping furniture retailers ready to exit the business since 1962 — to get his take on this issue.
Liddell, who has literally been in the furniture business since he was 12, said he’s never experienced so many independent retailers calling to ask about closing sales.
Some are looking three months ahead, others a year — but few are thinking beyond that.
Why They’re Getting Out
According to Liddell, the “handwriting on the wall” for many independents is grim:
+ Competition from all sides — Big chains are getting bigger, while new “design trade services” and buying groups are selling directly to designers — or anyone with a tax ID — often 20% over cost. Even small towns now have multiple “kitchen table” design sellers competing with brick-and-mortar stores.
+ Online saturation — In the past, a store might have a handful of accent tables to show a shopper; now, a customer can see hundreds online without leaving the couch. The perception — if not always the reality — is that e-tailers like Wayfair and Amazon are taking large chunks of business.
+ Bedding collapse — Mattress sales, once a reliable profit center, have been eroded by online players. Liddell cited one retailer whose business with one of the “Big S” companies dropped from $300,000 at cost to $125,000 in just two years.
+ Relentless price volatility — Between tariffs and supply chain issues, prices can change almost daily, making it hard to tag and sell with confidence.
+ Staffing challenges — Recruiting and retaining quality sales staff has become a full-time job, even for larger chains.
+ Rising overhead — Landlords are raising rents steeply; insurance premiums — especially workers’ compensation — can skyrocket after even a minor claim.
A Shift in Attitude
Liddell talked of a long-time retailer who once loved every aspect of the business — buying trips, fabrics, new styles — but in the past 18 months had become so disillusioned he “can’t wait” to sell his real estate and walk away.
If You’re Staying, How to Compete
While Liddell acknowledges the challenges, he insists independents can survive — and even thrive — if they rethink their approach, especially in marketing:
- Own your social media — Don’t outsource it to a distant agency or hand it to an untrained employee. Post content that entertains and informs — not just sale ads or manufacturer photos. Get involved locally, host community events and use your social channels to build fans, not just customers.
- Get back to direct mail — Simple postcards still get attention, unlike cluttered “marriage mail” packets. Target your message and brand.
- Think creatively about placement — One retailer Liddell works with became a national leader in lift chair sales by running a small weekly ad in the newspaper’s obituary section — where his older target market was sure to see it.
- Avoid the “clearance event trap” — Liddell warns against cash-raising sales that liquidate floor stock but leave stores depleted and no more profitable.
The Core Belief
“It’s all about customers,” Liddell said. “If you’ve got people in the store, you can keep good staff, generate excitement and survive. But you have to be willing to change the way you market and run your business,” he said.
