Furniture products selling steadily
Furniture products selling steadily
Furniture sales remained relatively steady for the first three months of this year compared to the same period last year.
Sales have edged up slightly as Lao people show interest in international imported furniture brands.
According to a representative of furniture traders, Ms Manivone, at present modern imported furniture products were gaining domestic market share as they attracted more domestic customers, but she believed Lao furniture could still compete with these brands based on its quality.
S he was confident that if local furniture groups developed more contemporary designs in response to domestic and overseas tastes they would attract more customers.
Ms Manivone also observed that Lao furniture products were now much improved and recorded increased sales in the Chinese market especially during last year's China-Asean Expo.
According to the Lao Furniture Association a number of Chinese buyers were seen at the fair looking for business partners to export wooden furniture into their country.
Chinese consumers revere high quality Lao wooden products as luxury goods made using real timber.
Most of the furniture makers noted that Chinese people have high purchasing power and want to import Lao furniture.
However, one of the main challenges that Lao furniture makers face is a sustainable supply of raw timber and a need to focus on designs to suit the market before they can sign a purchase contract with Chinese partners.
Ms Manivone pointed out that over the next two to three years Lao furniture manufacturers would face stiffer competition when Laos becomes part of the Asean Economic Community at the end of this year, but furniture makers have potential for high sales growth if they can understand the regional market.
She hoped the Lao Furniture Association could assist traders to gain greater access to new markets while improving their designs to complete against international furniture bands.
