Custom furniture is a growing trend where furniture companies treat each customer as a unique market segment, moving away from mass production to cater to individual preferences. Liu Kangxin explained his business model, stating that we are now in an era of personalized consumption, where large-scale production cannot fully meet the specific and personalized demands of today’s consumers. Consequently, custom furniture tailored to personal tastes has carved out a significant niche in the market. When discussing personalization, aesthetics and individuality naturally come to mind.
However, for the Chengdu furniture industry, custom furniture carries an additional layer of significance. Designer Zhang Bing emphasized that maximizing space efficiency is perhaps the most crucial aspect of custom furniture. By designing pieces to fit the layout of the home, awkward corners can be transformed into functional spaces, adding both utility and beauty to the living environment. A furniture salesperson noted that custom furniture helps resolve conflicts between pre-existing styles, sizes, and overall decor integration, while optimizing the use of available space.
Xiao Liu from Nancheng District exemplifies this trend. She recently approached a custom furniture manufacturer with a unique request: she wanted a shoe cabinet shaped like an 'L' that leaned to the left. Comprising two sections—one taller for storing more shoes and a shorter section for sitting—her vision was promptly sketched out by the designer. After agreeing on dimensions, materials, colors, and pricing, Xiao Liu finalized her design and received her customized shoe cabinet within half a month.
The market potential of custom furniture has enticed numerous companies to venture into this sector. Younger consumers, particularly those in Dongguan, are driving demand. Many furniture manufacturers that initially focused solely on standardized products are now exploring custom solutions. Shi Da, the sales director of Huanhua Furniture, a subsidiary of Dalingshan Taisheng International Group, revealed plans to offer custom furniture services, adjusting dimensions, wood types, and fabrics according to client needs. While this won't become the company's core business, it represents an adaptive shift driven by market dynamics.
Despite the opportunities, challenges persist. Custom furniture commands a premium, with ex-factory prices at least 30% higher than standard options due to increased production costs. Despite these hurdles, the untapped potential remains vast, especially given the limited number of custom furniture providers in Dongguan. Companies like Dongguan Hongqi Furniture, which specializes in high-end solid wood furniture, are also contemplating entry into this burgeoning market.
While custom furniture stores are gradually emerging in Dongguan, they remain sparse. Chen Gangzhu, General Manager of Yingfeng Home Plaza, noted that custom furniture hasn’t yet reached a critical mass in the home furnishing market. Mass production continues to dominate, and custom offerings raise operational costs, deterring many businesses. Currently, young customers dominate the custom furniture clientele, drawn to its ability to reflect personal style and save time. Common custom items include wardrobes, wall cabinets, sofas, and TV units.
However, the custom furniture market isn’t without pitfalls. As competition intensifies, issues like inconsistent design quality, delayed installations, and subpar product durability have surfaced. Consumer complaints frequently center around discrepancies between displayed prototypes and final products, poor hardware durability, and inflexible return policies.
One glaring issue is the "no return, only repair" policy, a common practice in the industry. Once a deposit is paid and an order placed, custom furniture cannot typically be returned, even if quality issues arise. This has sparked controversy across cities like Beijing, Nanjing, and Guangzhou. Consumers often find themselves stuck with faulty or mismatched products, with refunds or replacements rarely granted.
Design and installation skills vary widely among companies. Many custom furniture brands lack experienced designers, relying heavily on software templates instead of creative spatial planning. A dissatisfied consumer, Mr. Hu, recounted how his bookshelf lacked essential air conditioning socket panels due to a rookie designer’s oversight.
Standards within the custom furniture industry are also lacking. Despite the emphasis on personalization, product quality must still adhere to national standards. Disputes over contracts—ranging from untimely deliveries to unskilled designers—are common, often unresolved by existing regulations. Each company manages these issues differently, with most maintaining dedicated after-sales teams to address on-site problems within stipulated timeframes.
As the custom furniture market expands, addressing these challenges will be key to sustaining growth and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Birch Plywood,Birchwood Plywood,Staining Birch Plywood,Birch Veneer Plywood
LINYI JIUHENG IMPORT AND EXPORT CO.,LTD , https://www.jiuhengwood.com