By: Team Elevate
For years, furniture retail has leaned on the same lever: discounts.
Tentpole sales. Flashy percentages. “Too good to miss” holiday hype.
But consumer behavior has shifted. And the latest research makes one thing clear: Shoppers are no longer asking, “How much can I save?”
They’re asking, “Can I trust you?”
Here, we’ll break down Elevate’s latest market research and show you what today’s furniture shoppers actually value and where CMOs should refocus their marketing efforts.
Deal Fatigue Is Setting In
Elevate’s national furniture study shows that while 77% of consumers say special offers help, just as many say flexible returns build more trust than deep discounts.
Discounts still play a role — they’re just no longer the primary signal shoppers use to decide who they trust.
Today’s shoppers are increasingly suspicious of “too good to be true” pricing. Inflated list prices followed by dramatic markdowns don’t create urgency. They create doubt.
Many consumers assume prices were padded specifically to be slashed later. Instead of feeling rewarded, they feel manipulated.
For CMOs, the question becomes:
- Are our promotions creating confidence or raising red flags?
- Do shoppers understand our value, or are they just waiting for the next sale?
What Actually Builds Trust Now
When consumers talk about trust, they’re asking for clarity.
The research shows that the strongest loyalty drivers aren’t promotional. They’re operational. Here’s what they voted for:
- Clear return and exchange policies
- Transparent pricing without fine print
- Fast, reliable delivery with realistic timelines
- Everyday value that doesn’t depend on a countdown clock
Nearly half of shoppers say unclear or risky return policies are a major barrier to a positive furniture-buying experience.
That’s not a marketing issue. That’s a confidence gap.
Ask yourself:
- Could a customer explain your return policy in one sentence?
- Do your ads explain how buying works, or only how much they’ll save?
- If something goes wrong, does the shopper know exactly what happens next?
When those answers are fuzzy, shoppers assume the worst.
Why Discounts Alone Don’t Close the Sale
Furniture shopping is emotional. Consumers start excited, but the process quickly becomes overwhelming.
According to the study:
- 46% say the process feels harder than it should
- 49% feel anxious about cost
- 46% cite delivery delays and logistics as major frustrations
In that environment, discounts don’t reduce risk. They just lower the price of it.
Confidence does the opposite. It removes friction.
That’s why shoppers increasingly prefer:
- In-stock items over long customization timelines
- Honest delivery windows over vague promises
- Reviews and real customer photos over polished ad copy
Large, constant promotions are losing their impact because shoppers don’t want to be rushed into decisions they might regret later.
They want reassurance.
The Bigger Retail Shift at Play
This isn’t just a furniture trend. It’s part of a wider retail reset.
Across categories, consumers are choosing brands that:
- Explain the buying process clearly
- Make returns feel safe and predictable
- Stand behind the product after checkout
- Treat value as consistency, not a temporary sale
Confidence compounds. Discounts don’t.
A shopper who trusts you doesn’t wait for a holiday. They don’t comparison-shop endlessly. They don’t feel burned after the purchase. They come back.
A Quick Confidence Check for Furniture Brands
If confidence is replacing coupons as the real differentiator, here’s a simple way to pressure-test your experience without overthinking it:
- Could a shopper clearly explain your return or exchange policy after one visit?
- Do your ads focus more on how much they’ll save or why buying from you is easier and safer?
- Are delivery timelines specific and realistic, or optimistic and vague?
- When a customer hesitates, do you offer clarity or add urgency?
- Would your pricing still make sense if no sale were running?
If any of these feel fuzzy, that’s not a failure. It’s a signal. And it’s often where the fastest gains are hiding.
What This Means for CMOs
More than half of furniture buyers say most furniture ads feel the same. That’s not because brands lack creativity. It’s because they’re all competing on the same lever.
Price.
The brands breaking through right now aren’t shouting louder. They’re explaining better.
They show customers:
- What happens if they change their mind
- How long delivery will actually take
- Why the store is accountable, not just affordable
The Bottom Line
Discounts still matter. But they no longer lead.
Today’s furniture shopper is value-aware, skeptical, and risk-averse. They’re willing to pay for confidence, clarity, and consistency.
The retailers winning now aren’t relying on hype.
They’re building trust — one clear decision at a time.
