What do you think? From emerging trends to the latest business principles, Furniture News is setting out to gauge the trade’s feelings on a variety of industry-specific topics. Today, we’re asking our panel: What’s the best case of market disruption you’ve seen?
Brian McCann (DFI Beds): Netflix has to be well up there – my oldest child is four, and trying to explain there used to be no Netflix is almost laughable for her
Daryl Drylie (ID Agencies): In my 18 months at Sleepeezee, we’ve seen a huge gain in market share of quality beds in the ‘naturals’ category, and winning Bed Product of the Year at 2023’s NBF Bed Show really helped us disrupt the market and take serious floorspace from our competitors
John Tuton (Mammoth): I’m an admirer of anyone who dares to do things differently in a manner that’s consumer focused
Ashley Hainsworth (Flair Furniture): The mattress-in-a-box companies changing the way people think about buying a mattress
Paul Irwin (Smiths of Harrogate): The shipping costs during Covid
Shaun Peel (MattressTek): We disrupt the market ourselves by exceeding expectations for innovative bespoke projects that customers haven’t been able to find elsewhere. Our brand colours are reflected in our distinctive machines, and we’ve diversified into the processing of components and material handling. Using customer feedback and industry analysis, you can create new products that customers can benefit from, before they even realise it
Anthony Joyce (Wolf Components): Tempur-Pedic
John Pattison (ex-Sterling Furniture Group): A well-known competitor used to run a series of 10am-10pm events in my time with them. The uplift seen, with no cannibalisation to days either side, was phenomenal at times
Phil Pond (Scarlet Opus): Two university graduates in California developed grass that grows to a maximum of 12mm in height ... no more lawnmower development needed
This article featured in May's Furniture News.
