China Furniture Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The outlook for China furniture industry is positive with the industry expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% in the forecast period. The Chinese furniture industry is one of the biggest furniture industries in the world. It is also one of the leading producers, consumer, and exporter of furniture. The production side of the Chinese furniture industry accounts for nearly 40% of the world’s furniture production.

China has a very strong demand for furniture due to its high population. The huge population base and rising disposable income of consumers are bolstering the development of the Chinese furniture industry as customers are willing to spend more on floor coverings and furniture. Urbanization, increasing real estate development, strong growth in GDP, economic stability in the country are some of the other major factors attributing to the growth of the furniture industry in China.

China is also one of the biggest exporters of wooden furniture. According to data from the General Administration of Customs of China, the export value of Chinese furniture and parts in 2018 was USD 53.69 billion. Some of the major countries to which China exports furniture include the European Union, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, and Vietnam. The country also imports furniture from countries like Italy and Germany.

China has a flourishing furniture industry due to the availability of natural resources. Some of the prominent areas in China where the local furniture industry is concentrated include Beijing, Pearl River Delta, Shanghai, Shandong, Fujian, and Zhejiang. The country is also witnessing a new trend of furniture malls being opened up in China due to the rising consumer demands.

Key Market Trends

Online Furniture Sales Are Flourishing in The Country

The e-commerce industry is evolving rapidly in China providing growing avenues for the furnishing industry. E-commerce portals have great features to attract digital customers and provide new growth options for furnishing retailers. Buying furniture online is becoming a trend as customers prefer online buying due to the convenience and comfort of logistics and shipping of furniture items to their doorstep. Many furniture retailers are creating a strong online brand presence and increase their sales with online stores and e-commerce portals. Some of the prominent expert sites for furniture sales in the country include Alibaba, JD.com and Made-In-China.

As per estimates, China leads online furniture sales globally with an estimated sale of over USD 68.6 billion in 2019. The rapid development of e-commerce in China has increased the sales channels for furniture’s in the past 2-3 years. The online sales of furniture through online distribution channels increased from 54% in 2018 to around 58% in 2019 as consumers are showing a rising preference for the purchase of furniture products online. The steady growth in e-commerce and the rise in retailers adopting online channels for selling their furniture products is anticipated to further increase the demand for furniture products in the country.

Living Room and Dining Room Furniture Emerges to be the Largest Segment of Furniture Market

With the improvement of housing conditions, the willingness of Chinese residents to invest more in home furnishings is constantly increasing especially in the living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture products. China’s furniture retail sales also maintained a steady growth trend from 2018 to 2020 with the retail sales of furniture in China amounting to nearly 19.5 billion yuan in 2019. The residential furniture sales dominated retail sales due to the availability and innovation of a large number of new residential furniture products in varied designs and material combinations.

Amongst residential furniture, the demand for living and dining room furniture has shown steady growth in China. The living room and dining room furniture dominated the market with a share of nearly 38% in the overall furniture market followed by a dining room & kitchen furniture in 2019. Seats and sofas contributed largely in terms of sales revenue in the living room furniture segment. Other important categories are Sofa Sets, Dining tables, Central Chairs, and others. The southern and eastern provinces are witnessing increased demand for living and dining room furniture due to the increasing number of residential buildings, high disposable income, and urbanization.

Competitive Landscape

China's furniture market is highly competitive with the presence of both local and international players. Some of the major players in the country include Suofeiya, Chengdu Shuanghau Industrial Company, Oppein Homes and Landbond Group. New emerging business opportunities in the market are attracting new entrants in the Chinese furniture industry and there is also an increase of foreign players entering the market. The foreign furniture companies currently acquire around 3-4% of the market share in the country and lead the high-end segment. However, these companies are targeting low-end segments for obtaining high market share. Companies like IKEA have succeeded in opening nearly 20 stores across the country and it is expected that it is likely to open 13 new stores by 2020.

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