Furniture makes a comeback on the web

One of the first casualties of the dot-com bust were online furniture retailers. Consumers just weren’t comfortable enough with buying furniture without testing it out first and retailers couldn’t overcome shipping obstacles.

But furniture is making a comeback as the role of the web in retailing gets re-defined. The latest: The American Furniture Manufacturers Association has launched a web site to educate consumers about buying and caring for furniture.

IRCE 2008 Conference Multi-Media CD-ROM

While most of the content of the association’s site--findyourfurniture.com--deals with educating consumers about styles and care, the site also provides links to furniture manufacturers` web sites and shopping tips, including checklists that consumers can print out and take on their shopping trips.

The site’s Furniture Finder allows consumers to browse and search for specific manufacturers and home furnishings, by product, style, room and price. The Style Finder educates consumers on the five most popular furniture styles. Trend Watch features the latest home furnishings trends and where to find them. There are also advice and care and safety sections.

The American Furniture Manufacturers Association represents more than 200 U.S. furniture manufacturers and 250 suppliers to the industry.