Stock and inventory have been a continuous challenge, now more than in the past in some ways. To find out how the casual industry is dealing with it, several experienced retailers gave us their take on how things are.
O’Malia’s Living’s Scott Horvath says that this season’s end has seen him with a full warehouse.
“This is an unusual position for us as we have typically been a custom retailer,” Horvath says. “We are not doing early buys but we are filling in where necessary to show a selection.”
Horvath said that sales have now slowed, in part because of circumstances beyond his control.
“We have seen a slowdown in sales but in addition to the economy, we have also had a major road construction project divert traffic from our store,” Horvath says. “That has created a challenge for us.”
Another challenge has been stock availability, which has taken a different sales strategy.
“We have positioned ourselves in many ways as a personal shopper which requires trust from the consumer,” Horvath explains. “Today isn’t a good day to come in with your wish list because we may not be able to accommodate your wishes. Instead, our salespeople know each manufacturer intimately and can identify exactly what a consumer desires. We are knowledge experts right now to help the consumer navigate the uncertainty.”
At Weir’s Furniture, marketing director Amy Folmar said that inventory hasn’t been a challenge.
“Weir’s has had inventory on hand, even during the pandemic,” Folmar says. “We continue to have inventory in stock and ready for delivery or pickup.”
Folmar adds that sales have trended down, at least somewhat, saying, “We have seen a slight downtick in sales. Nothing dramatic but just a reflection on the economy.”
For consumers, Folmar said that her message is that Weir’s is open for business.
“We have it in stock and we are ready to deliver!” Folmar says.
Lee Recchia, president of American Casual Living, said that his stock numbers have run somewhat higher at this point in the season.
“It is a little heavier than normal for this time of year, largely the result of the late arrival of purchase orders,” Recchia says.
He said that he has not yet seen a slowdown in customer orders but does expect to see one in the coming months.
“Our sales have remained strong, but yes, I do expect a recalibration of consumer demand, given prevailing economic conditions and other factors external to the industry,” Recchia explains
Recchia says his advice to consumers is simple: Act now.
“Prices have increased and I anticipate they will continue to do so,” he says. “Arrival intervals are still lengthy. We have inventory. Now is always a good time to buy.”
