We're Wayfair Marketplace Partners

Bear Team

August 2022

Alright folks, it’s been a while since the last one. But boy oh boy has a lot changed in furniture. I recently held office hours with a bunch of our customers to learn more about the challenges everyone’s facing and there’s much to unpack.

So buckle up, here’s what I’ll dig into this edition:

Our Wayfair partnership
Market dynamics
Softening of demand
Changing of the guard
Bonus: some cool new features

The Ticker: Very relevant reads

Are inventory levels too high? (Real Economy)‍
Wayfair to take over dead JCPenney Store (Philly Voice)‍
La-Z-Boy stock jumps after 'record' sales (Market Watch)‍
Retailers face slower consumer spending (WSJ)

Big News!
Our Wayfair Partnership

We’re a Wayfair Marketplace Partner now, which means that the CommerceBear platform received the stamp of approval from the commercial and technical teams at Wayfair as a trusted solution for >23,000 Wayfair suppliers. You can check us out LIVE on the partner portal, here (only Wayfair suppliers have access).

Market Dynamics

The way people are buying has shifted and furniture manufacturers and retailers are all trying to figure out how to navigate the digital landscape. For manufacturers to win in 2022 and beyond, we’re moving to a world where they have to successfully sell omni-channel, online and offline.

Softening of Demand

As demand has recently softened in the category, there are record levels of available furniture right now, resulting in the need to find more channels to sell. These headwinds are also resulting in more open mindedness in an old school industry among manufacturers looking to evolve their business. Many folks are re-evaluating and future proofing their supply chain & internal stack in the second half of 2022.

Changing of the Guard

The younger millennial generation is taking over family businesses from their predecessors and are looking to go digital first. This changing of the guard is a generational shift happening to manufacturers and retailers across the board. In fact, many of my friends (aged 25-40) have recently taken C-level roles within their family furniture businesses. It’s our time to shine.

We Launched Orders Export

We launched Orders Export, which is a feature I wish I had when I was working in my family’s furniture business a few years ago. It’s so simple and our customers absolutely love it.

Download all orders across all channels in whichever format you desire. There’s also a bunch of intelligent filtering to help your team work faster, more accurately, and ship on time

Here’s a short video (~2min) about why I love it. If you want me to personally walk you through it, click here.

It's All About the People

Check out our new careers page. We’ve built a remarkable team here at Bear over the last year and we’re continuing to grow rapidly. I’m also incredibly proud of our strong culture, diversity, and glassdoor track-record.

Personal Update

I made the Home Furnishings 40 under 40 this year, and although I have never been a huge fan of vanity lists, this one is special because my family has been in this industry for 85+ years. I'm humbled and honored to be here alongside other leaders who will continue to define our category. It's a true testament to the entire Bear team and our beloved customers. We're just getting started, folks.

Home Furnishings Business Forty Under 40 — Look mom, that's me!

If you like what you saw, join the recliner email club to stay up to date with this kind of stuff, every month. I also choose one lucky subscriber each month and give them a $100 Snackbox to enjoy.

Thanks for being a free subscriber to The Recliner Club. Hopefully this has been valuable to you. I am a big believer that knowledge is power and sharing information leads to better results for all. A rising tide floats all boats.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Sam Vlessing
CEO, CommerceBear