Furniture & Home Furnishings Wholesalers NAICS 4232

Nov 24, 2025 - Furniture Retailers Show Weakness in October

• According to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, furniture and home furnishings stores lagged behind broader retail gains in October 2025, missing the seasonal sales bounce. Core retail sales rose 0.6% month over month and 4.89% year over year, reflecting solid consumer spending supported by wage growth and low unemployment. However, furniture and home furnishings stores posted a 0.08% monthly decline (seasonally adjusted) and a 1.7% annual drop (unadjusted), making them one of only two categories to contract. Building and garden supply stores also fell, down 0.81% month over month and 8.52% year over year. In contrast, categories such as clothing (7.8% year over year), electronics (6.5% year over year), and digital products (22.3% year over year) saw strong growth. For the first ten months of 2025, core retail sales were up 5.28%, and the NRF projects holiday sales to rise 3.7%–4.2% to just over $1 trillion. The data, based on Affinity Solutions’ anonymized card transactions, highlights competitive pressures facing furniture retailers.
• The Wholesale Trade Industry is one of 11 industries reporting growth in October's Services ISM Report on Business. Executives in the Wholesale Trade industry reported increases in business activity, new orders, prices paid for materials and services, and order backlogs, along with slower deliveries and decreases in employment, new export orders, and imports in October. Additional industries reporting growth during the period were Accommodation & Food Services; Retail Trade; Real Estate, Rental & Leasing; Health Care & Social Assistance; Utilities; Transportation & Warehousing; Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting; Information; Professional, Scientific & Technical Services; and Educational Services. Six industries reported contraction during the period, including Arts, Entertainment & Recreation; Management of Companies & Support Services; Finance & Insurance; Public Administration; Construction; and Other Services. Overall, economic activity in the services sector expanded in October, with the Services PMI registering 52.4%.

• According to a report in Furniture Today, President Trump announced a new 30% tariff on upholstered furniture imports, effective October 1, citing national security and unfair trade practices. The move adds uncertainty, as it's unclear whether this tariff will be layered on top of existing duties. Additional tariffs were also introduced on kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, branded drugs, and heavy-duty trucks. Following the announcement, shares of major furniture retailers like Wayfair, Williams Sonoma, and RH declined. With the development, furniture wholesalers may face rising procurement costs and supply chain disruptions. Wholesalers reliant on imported upholstered goods will need to reassess sourcing strategies, pricing models, and inventory planning. The tariff could also shift demand toward domestically produced items, creating opportunities for US-based suppliers while pressuring margins for import-heavy operations. Strategic agility will be essential as wholesalers navigate evolving trade policies and prepare for shifts in retailer demand and consumer pricing sensitivity.
• According to the Global Port Tracker from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, US ports handled 2.1 million TEU in September 2025, down 9.3% year over year, with October projected at 1.9 million TEU, an 11.5% decline. A sharper drop is expected in Q1 2026, with January forecast at 1.98 million TEU, down 11.1%. Furniture and home furnishings wholesalers face mounting challenges as import volumes soften under tariff pressure. For wholesalers reliant on imported furniture, textiles, and decor, the declines signal tighter inventory pipelines, longer lead times, and higher costs as tariffs complicate sourcing strategies. The “on again, off again” tariff policy has made planning difficult, forcing distributors to hedge with diversified suppliers or absorb margin pressure. Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett said the on-again, off-again tariff policy in 2025 has made planning difficult for both importers and ocean carriers. The usual end-of-the-year slowdown is expected in November and December.