February 6, 2025, published in Wonen360
I’ve been reading for a while that the furniture sector is going through a difficult period. Strangely enough, this doesn’t align with the results we see. In 2024, we launched a number of very well-performing 3D configurators online, such as Hulo, Sleeplife and Castle Line.
This made me think about why some players in the market are struggling and why others are successful. We mainly see a fascinating transition taking place. With losers, but certainly also with winners. And we especially see opportunities for craft businesses and established names.
To know how companies can end up in the winning camp, ‘Hooked’, the interesting book by Nir Eyal, can provide some interesting insights. Eyal explains, among other things, how the major Social Media companies – by responding to evolutionary triggers – ensure that people get hooked on their platforms and thus unconsciously create habits.
The Hooked Model applied to the Furniture Industry
People are creatures of habit and follow patterns that offer them comfort and efficiency. Where consumers used to drive from furniture store to furniture store on Sundays looking for the perfect piece of furniture, that search now largely takes place online. This doesn’t mean that physical stores are redundant, but their role is fundamentally shifting.
The Hooked Model describes how habits arise and are reinforced through four phases: trigger, action, reward and investment. This principle plays an important role in the way consumers choose and buy furniture.
1. Triggers: the start of the hunt
In the furniture industry, triggers can be both internal and external. Internal triggers arise, for example, from dissatisfaction with a space or the desire to renovate the interior. External triggers often stem from social media, where platforms like Instagram and Pinterest continuously inspire consumers with trends and interior ideas. This ensures that people start looking for new furniture more quickly and more often. We see this in the use of our configurators, which are used not only frequently, but also at any time of day.
2. Action: trends made to measure
After the trigger comes the action. The continuous stream of inspiring images and suggestions on social media encourage us to take action. Everyone wants to keep up with the latest trend, but at the same time buy something that reflects their unique style. A standard catalog doesn’t provide an answer to this; a personalized product does. With a configurator, people can completely have their way.
3. Reward: finding the perfect piece of furniture
People are looking for that one perfect piece of furniture that meets their expectations. The search itself can be fun, but ultimately it’s all about the reward: finding the perfect piece of furniture. This behavior has a deeper psychological basis. Just like in the past, when a successful hunt was rewarded with food, finding the right piece of furniture feels like a personal victory.
4. Investment: Time and effort make the choice definitive
The more time and effort someone puts into a search, the harder it becomes to give up. In the past, this meant that consumers scoured furniture stores every weekend; today they invest hours in scrolling and comparing on social media, or in configuring the perfect piece of furniture with a furniture configurator. This investment ensures that people increasingly commit to their choice and eventually proceed to purchase.
5. Bringing home the trophy
While some feel comfortable spending several thousand euros online, others need that extra bit of confirmation. They know what they want, but they want to be 100% sure they’re making the right decision and won’t be disappointed. They like to see and feel the fabrics and materials in real life. For this, they prefer to go to a local store. Here it’s very important that this happens in the right setting, where the consumer feels that it’s all about the quality, the materials and the knowledge that’s available in-house.
From Pinterest to configurator: consumers design their own furniture
3D configurators are the newest tool in online furniture shopping. When consumers use a configurator, they invest time in designing their own piece of furniture. And as we learned from Nir Eyal: the more time and effort a user puts into a product, the greater the chance that he or she will actually buy it. A consumer who tests multiple colors and materials in a configurator becomes more attached to their design than someone who simply flips through a catalog. This involvement increases conversion.
The majority of the sales process takes place online today, but especially for expensive purchases like furniture, the majority of people still choose local craftsmanship and a physical point of contact. Companies that understand these new habits and strategically respond to them will be tomorrow’s winners.
The end of the furniture store. Long live the furniture store
You can then ask the question what the added value is of a furniture store if they only serve to complete the purchase?
What we observe is that the store can actually be the most important differentiator. In a time when so many furniture designs are similar, you can make the difference with your store. If you provide an experience where materials, craftsmanship and knowledge come to the fore, then you give visitors the confidence they’re looking for. A good experience is moreover the perfect trigger for word-of-mouth advertising, which remains an enormously powerful medium even in today’s world.
In summary, I believe there are 4 aspects that are essential to survive in the competitive furniture sector:
- Ensure that potential customers can search online for their furniture, when they want to
- Make sure they can ‘hunt’ for the perfect piece of furniture, tailored to their size and budget
- Ensure they invest time in their perfect design
- Provide an experience, trust and knowledge in your local sales point
It’s no longer online versus offline, but the combination of both that convinces consumers. The companies that cleverly respond to this transition will not only survive, but flourish in this new furniture reality.
