There’s little question that at least some of the current demand for home furnishings is being driven by COVID-19 relief checks. As of last week, more than 165 million checks of up to $1,400 each had been sent out with still more expected in the coming weeks. For perspective, the total U.S. population is 328 million, meaning that just over half of people living in the U.S. received a stimulus check.
A number of retailers have reported sales spikes in the weeks after these checks come out that exceed holiday selling seasons. It would seem these stimulus checks are significant contributors to the current high levels of demand for furniture.
There are, of course, other ramifications to these and related unemployment benefit payments, with many suggesting the latter are contributing to the current employment shortage. I’ll leave that debate for others in the political realm.
What seems clear, no matter which side of the political aisle you are on, is that since these payments started last year they have been one of the factors contributing to rising furniture demand. The combination of more time spent at home coupled with unanticipated additional income has spurred consumers to treat themselves and their homes to a makeover.
This is not to suggest that the only driver of consumer demand is stimulus checks. There’s ample evidence that consumers are moving in large numbers, and a new home or apartment is always a key driver of furnishings sales. Certainly more time spent at home is a major contributor to replacing tired, outdated or simply no-longer-appealing furniture. I can attest to that from personal experience.
It also seems clear that the latent buying power of the Millennial generation has finally been unleashed. The implications of that will be felt for years to come. But that’s a column for another day.
And there remains talk of a fourth round of stimulus checks, which — viewed solely through the lens of consumer demand — seems certain to fuel yet another round of furniture buying. The question, however, is what happens when the stimulus checks stop? To what extent is this found money creating a freer spending mentality? When the check flow stops, what will be the impact on furniture demand?
Admittedly, I do not know the answer, but it seems likely the impact will be noticeable. Perhaps a lull in demand would prove beneficial, enabling supply and demand for manufactured goods, freight capacity and raw materials to achieve equilibrium.
Presuming (and it’s a big presumption) that the other factors driving demand are more structural and long-lived, perhaps short-term demand mitigation could help the industry lay the foundation for sustained growth for years to come.
Certainly there are no certain answers, but if we have to posit a future, why not a positive one?
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May 24, 2021 at 05:00PM
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Blog: What happens to demand when the checks stop coming? - Furniture Today
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