Furniture retailers gear up for Bank Holiday weekend; Independents adopt subtle approach

22nd May 2009 | promotion | Britain’s national furniture chains are to slash prices this Bank Holiday weekend while their independent rivals look to attract customers with multibuy and voucher promotions.

Aylesbury independent Lucas World of Furniture is holding an original holiday offer, by giving one of its customers an entirely free furniture order. All orders taken by close of play Monday will be entered into a free prize draw with the winner announced the following morning live on a local radio breakfast show.

Midlands retailer Lee Longlands is going down the multibuy route, with 25% off orders of two pieces of furniture or more, while north east and Yorkshire retailer Barker & Stonehouse is giving 20% off to consumers who bring into store one its vouchers, which can be printed off the firm’s website. Non-voucher holding customers won’t be able to claim the discount.

Major Scottish independent Sterling Furniture is also largely resisting price promotion alone, instead throwing in free additional furniture when customers buy from what it describes as its Springtime collection.

Whatfurniture.co.uk – the web portal championing AIS member retailers - is pushing furniture from suppliers including Corndell, Carlton Furniture and Ashley Manor.

The national chains are sticking to their guns by offering discount led deals. DFS has half price off its Zeta collection, Argos is knocking 15% off already discounted lines, while ScS is still pushing its £10 credit deal – which encourages customers to buy furniture, no matter what the cost, at a fixed price £10 per month.

Sleepmasters is offering an additional £100 off beds already on offer, while Bensons for Beds is pushing zero VAT and half price deals, with Furniture Village holding a similar promotion.

In Scotland, Reid Furniture is holding a 12-hour sale special, with buy one get one free or 50% off. Department store John Lewis, meanwhile, is using its seven-day delivery service as its promotional weapon to attract furniture customers.