“Consumers prioritise practicality and functionality when choosing furniture products, while still valuing the unique design and aesthetics of furniture that allow them to express their personality and taste. Furniture brands should strike a good balance between functionality and distinctive design. Additionally, there is increasing demand for furniture specially designed for children and pets. Brands should seize these segment market opportunities to differentiate themselves from competitors.”
– Helen Ren, Research Analyst
This Report looks at the following areas:
- Consumers’ spending on furniture and why do they purchase various types of furniture.
- Where do consumers search for information and purchase furniture.
- What features of furniture would attract consumers to buy and how can furniture brands attract consumers’ attention.
Collapse All
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key Issues covered in this Report
- Covered in this Report
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- The market
- Domestic furniture market still shows growth potential
- Policies support and ongoing urbanisation drive the development of the furniture industry
- Figure 1: China’s urbanisation rates, 2013-22
- Consumer confidence picks up, spending on home expected to recover
- Figure 2: Consumer confidence about improving financial situations in the next three months – very confident, 2022-23
- Figure 3: Consumers who have spent more on home sector, 2022-23
- Companies and brands
- Furniture and building material retailers integrate online and offline to bring better experience
- Well-known furniture brands focus on whole-house customisation and develop online channels
- Emerging furniture brands promote their original designs
- International home brands provide lifestyles rather than products
- Provide a rich offline experience
- Engage with consumers through story sharing
- Charity activities to convey a warmer brand image
- Specially designed furniture for children
- Furniture designed with pets and pet owners in mind
- Sustainable furniture using recycled materials
- 3D-printed furniture provides unique aesthetics
- The consumer
- Furniture designed for children and pets in great demand
- Figure 4: Changes in spending on home furniture, 2023
- Consumers purchase furniture mostly out of practical reasons
- Figure 5: Reasons for purchasing furniture, 2023
- Online channels have become the main source of furniture information
- Figure 6: Furniture information channels, 2023
- Offline continues to be the main furniture purchase channel while comprehensive shopping websites on the rise due to pandemic impact
- Figure 7: Furniture purchase channels, 2023
- Functionality over design in furniture consumption
- Figure 8: Attractive features of furniture, 2023
- Service is the key for furniture brands to engage consumers
- Figure 9: Aspects to trigger interest in a furniture brand, 2023
- Product still the key to furniture
- Figure 10: Attitudes towards furniture purchasing, 2023
- Improve online experiences to trigger more high-value purchases
- tFigure 11: Attitudes towards furniture purchasing, 2023
- Use recycling services to encourage sustainable furniture consumption
- Figure 12: Attitudes towards furniture purchasing, 2023
- What we think
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Issues and Insights
- Functionality remains a priority while diversity should not be overlooked
- Figure 13: ORIGAMI Sofa from HC28, 2023
- Experience and service are the focus of differentiation
- Figure 14: IKEA AI-driven digital design tool “IKEA Kreativ”, 2022
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- Figure 15: IKEA launched a virtual space on Tmall, 2022
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- Figure 16: Trade-in service launched by Easyhome on Dongwo app, 2022
- Functionality remains a priority while diversity should not be overlooked
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Market Overview
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- Figure 17: Total retail sales of furniture, China, 2018-22
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Market Factors
- Policies support the refined development of the furniture industry
- Ongoing urbanisation helps sustain furniture demand
- Figure 18: China’s urbanisation rates, 2013-22
- Consumer confidence picks up, spending on home expected to recover
- Figure 19: Consumer confidence about improving financial situations in the next three months – very confident, 2022-23
- Figure 20: Consumers who have spent more on home sector, 2022-23
- Policies support the refined development of the furniture industry
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Key Players’ Performance
- Furniture and building material retailers integrate online and offline to bring better experience
- Well-known furniture brands focus on whole-house customisation and develop online channels
- Emerging furniture brands promote their original designs
- International home brands provide lifestyles rather than products
- Furniture and building material retailers integrate online and offline to bring better experience
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Marketing Activities
- Provide a rich offline experience
- Figure 21: IKEA launched spring sleep activity with sleep capsules, 2023
- Engage with consumers through story sharing
- Figure 22: “Fnji at home” story sharing activity
- Attitudes towards Sustainability – China – 2022Charity activities to convey a warmer brand image
- Figure 23: Oppein launched “Little Orange House for stray cats” charity activity, 2022
- Provide a rich offline experience
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New Product Trends
- Specially designed furniture for children
- Figure 24: A series of children’s furniture by Fnji, 2022
- Figure 25: A detachable modular bed launched by PUPUPULA, 2023
- Furniture designed with pets and pet owners in mind
- Figure 26: MUJI launched pet furniture and product with the same design as human products, 2022
- Figure 27: ZAOZUO introduced Cranberry Sofa that is resistant to cat scratching, 2023
- Sustainable furniture using recycled materials
- Figure 28: Stool made from recycled plastic, 2022
- 3D-printed furniture provides unique aesthetics
- Figure 29: 3D-printed furniture by UNICOGGETTO, 2022
- Specially designed furniture for children
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Spending on Home Furniture
- Furniture designed for children and pets in great demand
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- Figure 30: Changes in spending on home furniture, 2023
- Furniture designed for children and pets in great demand
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Reasons for Purchasing Furniture
- Consumers purchase furniture mostly out of practical reasons
- Figure 31: Reasons for purchasing furniture, 2023
- Highly educated consumers emphasise personalisation
- Figure 32: Reasons for purchasing furniture, by education, 2023
- Reasons to purchase furniture related to living situation
- Figure 33: Reasons for purchasing furniture, by living situation, 2023
- Consumers purchase furniture mostly out of practical reasons
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Furniture Information and Purchase Channels
- Online channels have become the main source of furniture information
- Figure 34: Repertoire analysis on furniture information channels, 2023
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- Figure 35: Furniture information channels, 2023
- Offline continues to be the main furniture purchase channel while comprehensive shopping websites on the rise due to pandemic impact
- Figure 36: Repertoire analysis on furniture purchase channels, 2023
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- Figure 37: Furniture purchase channels, 2023
- Offline channels attract high income earners
- Figure 38: Furniture information and purchase channels – offline, by monthly personal income, 2023
- Online channels have become the main source of furniture information
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Attractive Features of Furniture
- Functionality over design in furniture consumption
- Figure 39: Attractive features of furniture, 2023
- Younger generations prefer furniture with distinctive styles and flexible combinations
- Figure 40: Attractive features of furniture, by generation, 2023
- High income earners prefer furniture that combines functionality and style
- Figure 41: Attractive features of furniture, by monthly household income, 2023
- Functionality over design in furniture consumption
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Aspects to Trigger Interest in a Furniture Brand
- Service is the key for furniture brands to engage consumers
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- Figure 42: Aspects to trigger interest in a furniture brand, 2023
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- Figure 43: TURF Analysis on aspects that trigger consumers’ interests in a furniture brand, 2023
- Consumers with higher household income tend to be interested in furniture brands with novelty and good brand image
- Figure 44: Aspects to trigger interests in a furniture brand, by monthly household income, 2023
- Service is the key for furniture brands to engage consumers
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Attitudes towards Furniture Retailing
- Product still the key to furniture
- Figure 45: Attitudes towards furniture purchasing, 2023
- Improve online experience to trigger more high-value purchases
- Figure 46: Attitudes towards furniture purchasing, 2023
- Use recycling services to encourage sustainable furniture consumption
- Figure 47: Attitudes towards furniture purchasing, 2023
- Product still the key to furniture
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Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
- Methodology
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