When Donna Gibbs says that she’s been in the patio furniture business awhile, she’s not kidding.
She started out at one store working as a salesperson, rising through the ranks to manager and buyer. When that store closed after 25 years, she moved to Casual Furniture of Augusta (Georgia), where she’s been the owner for the past 12 years
In all that time, she’s come up with two rules to live by:
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And use what works.
“That’s just me,” says Gibbs.
It’s been a learning curve all of that time, especially the pandemic years. When asked if merchandising or product assortment or lead times would be most important this year — Gibbs’ response was, “All of the above.”
When ordering, Gibbs says it’s important to have product in the store and merchandised well, out front of the customer who wants to buy right now.
“Mine was 60% special order until Covid hit and then everything you had was gone,” says Gibbs. “Now we have gotten back to the old business again. We are back to being able to do special orders again. We overbought like a lot of stores and we have sold everything we have. I am glad I overbought.”
Covid had one other effect. When everything wasn’t shipped and Gibbs had to hold manufacturers’ feet to the fire to get them to deliver what they had agreed to deliver, the customers were understanding.
“People are understanding now — that’s one thing that Covid did was to make people more patient and understanding,” says Gibbs. “It really scared everybody.”
Gibbs says she has no fear of a slowdown, because she is in business to do business.
“We are going to keep selling and keep going,” she says. “People are still renovating and still building. And people are not going to move — they are going to stay where they are and freshen up what they have, with interest rates at 9%.”
To make the sale, Gibbs runs little advertising, but instead, uses word-of-mouth, customer service and her own self as a brand, because she has been in the business for 39 years and everyone in the area knows her. To set Casual Furniture apart, she tells customers that she doesn’t, and won’t, sell disposable goods — and that they will buy from her once and a big box like Lowe’s or Home Depot 10 times.
“We take care of customers; we’re straightforward with them,” says Gibbs. “We give them customer service after the sale. We have five-star ratings and all by the grace of God, it has always worked out for us. He has made a way for everything that has happened in the past three years. That’s what separates us from the big-box stores — with us, they come in like customers and when they leave, it is more like family and friends.”
The first step to customer service in outdoor furniture is outdoor furniture itself.
“I will carry the ones I don’t have problems with,” says Gibbs. “I carry the same lines I have always carried; they are tried and true. I will try some new things every now and then, but if there are claims and aggravation, I won’t carry them again. First and foremost is quality and being a reputable company that will stand behind its products. I have built relationships with these people who are loyal to me and I am loyal to them.”
The idea of doing what you know extends to full-line furniture stores and outdoor furniture — and online marketing.
“I really think people need to focus on what they do best, what they are interested in,” says Gibbs. “I could do indoor if I wanted to, but I know what my strengths are. I do what I love.”
Discussing online business, Gibbs says it wouldn’t work for her store.
“You are paying this kind of money, so you want to sit in it, design it yourself and fall in love with it,” says Gibbs. “You wouldn’t order (something that costs) this kind of money online and then have to assemble it and all of these hidden things that you are not aware of.”
Any advice for struggling casual retailers today?
“Know your product, feel confident in your product,” says Gibbs. “Sell something people are going to have for a lifetime, something they can enjoy with family and friends. Be honest and keep moving on. Gain their trust.”
