Success factors of wood as a furniture material

The objective of this study was to discover consumer perceptions about the use of wood in furniture and also to determine whether wood is perceived to have some superior attributes compared to other furniture materials. The data for the study consisted of the responses to a questionnaire completed by 115 shoppers at a major furniture retail chain in Finland. Factor analysis produced five underlying concepts pertaining to wood: trendy, reliable, environmentally friendly, high-value, and archaic. According to 84 percent of all respondents, wood exhibits several superior attributes compared to other raw materials used in furniture making. Twenty-seven attributes were selected and nine categories of response were identified by regrouping and combining the responses. The four most often mentioned attributes were reliable, environmentally friendly, good looking, and valued. The perception by customers of wood as a furniture-making material is dominated by consumer concerns about safety and the environment. These two elements, along with a consumer perception that wood is good-looking and is trendy, provide a combination of attributes that is difficult for substitutes to achieve.