The Tabletop Market The tabletop market is made up of three
major branches: china, silver and crystal. “China” refers to the
dishes that most families use about twice a year, or if you’re
from a family like mine, almost never. My family saved those
plates for if the Pope ever decided to drop in for a bite.
Unfortunately, he never did. “Silver” means the flatware that,
if you had the real sterling pieces, you had to polish if you
got a bad report card. This is quite a punishment indeed,
because it takes hours and lots of elbow grease to get a shine
on the utensils. “Crystal” are the glasses that you have to take
special care not to knock over. Stemware can range from
frou-frou to Spartan in design. These fine glasses, usually
contain a small percentage of lead, to make them sparkle. Better
stemware resonates when you (carefully) tap the lip of the
glass. It will also make a loud crash if you do it with too much
force.
Matronly Patterns vs. Yuppie Patterns The tabletop showrooms at
41 Madison have undergone a metamorphasis in recent years. Ten
years ago the marketplace was awash with matronly china patterns
like “Autumn” by Lenox and “India” by Wedgwood. These patterns
worked decades ago, and they still work today, but the
burgeoning bridal market demanded an infusion of fresh, yuppie
style. Advances in technology have enabled vendors to introduce
vivid colors, and unique shapes to their stables. The edgy “Tin
Can Alley” by Lenox and the flamboyant “Java” & “Sumatra”
patterns by Spode exemplify the novel appearance that
manufacturers are bringing to well-dressed tables.
New Designers In keeping with novelty, tabletop houses have
developed a symbiotic relationship with titans in the fashion
industry. In looking to extend their respective brands,
fashionistas like Kate Spade and Vera Wang have inked licensing
agreements with Lenox and Waterford-Wedgwood. The result is a
line of co-branded home accessories that the designer promotes
as her own, and the tabletop manufacturer uses to elevate its
prominence in the industry.
Department Store Chargebacks With the influx of novel items like
the boutique designers’ collections, and the myriad of
limited-production items like the Waterford “12 Days of
Christmas” collection, department stores have ramped up their
“chargebacks.” A chargeback is the department store
“charging-back” the vendor for unsold merchandise. It’s no
secret that these monolithic purveyors make up a significant
portion of the vendors’ business, and there’s not much that the
vendors can do to prevent this from happening. With mall rents
soaring to the stratospheric $100+ per square foot level,
department stores can be faced with no alternative.
Western Europe vs. Eastern Europe & Asia Foreign governments
also impact the tabletop industry. Many vendors like Royal
Doulton used to produce their wares exclusively in Western
European countries, but as the governments of those countries
becomes more interlaced with big business, it has become
practically impossible to remain profitable. I recently heard a
story whereby a manufacturer had to retain several employees who
were making a lid for a soup tureen that was no longer in
production. The company subsequently had a warehouse full of
worthless lids. The employees in question had enough tenure that
the government mandated that they could not be fired. They also
had the right to not be forced to get retrained for another job
within the company. As Western Europe becomes more of a nanny
state, it is pushing business to Eastern Europe and to Asia. The
eastern part of the Continent and the Far East have been
receiving these refugees with open arms. Countries like Poland
and China are far more pro-business, and many vendors have moved
production and invested millions in those nations. The American
consumer has been practically desensitized to the fact that
Guild manufacturers are no longer producing goods in their
country of origin. The 21st century shopper is more concerned
with an innovative product at a competitive price, than with the
manufacturing process.
Internet - Rock-bottom Pricing The internet is also keeping
pricing low. Competition not only breeds a better product, but
also a less expensive one. Business is highly contested online,
and in the end, the customer wins. With many vendors selling
direct to consumers, and with cross-shopping websites, today’s
shopper is king. In the dark ages of tabletop shopping, the
customer had to select from a dusty, dog-eared catalog, usually
at least a few years old. Today, the same money is likely spent
online. Instead of the tattered old book, the consumer has
countless websites to find the latest wares, at the best prices.
Brides-to-be can even access their wedding registry on the
internet.
Registries Brides can direct their guests to go to the
brick-and-mortar establishment where they registered for their
tabletop goods, or to the registry’s website. Shoppers can
purchase a wedding present with a few clicks of a mouse. With
this integrated technology, the bride avoids duplicate
purchases, and unwanted gifts.
New Homes, New Stuff Home sales are hotter than ever. With these
newer, larger homes, buyers are more inclined to invite guests
to see their new masterpiece. Vendors like Royal Worcester and
Wedgwood have introduced lines of casual and transitional
dinnerware to correspond to a more informal setting. Many
tabletop shoppers desire a less tailored collection that can be
used more frequently than their formal service.