| Here are some issues others have told us are creating challenges for the U.S. furniture industry, either at the supplier level, the retail level or both. Please tell us how you see them
do you think of them as a negative or a positive? Use a scale where 1 equals EXTREMELY bad or difficult, 2 equals Bad, difficult; 3 means Not much of an impact one way or the other, 4 equals Good for the industry, and 5 means VERY GOOD for the industry. Choose the answer that best represents your opinion. |
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EXTREMELY bad, difficult |
Bad, difficult |
Not much of an impact one way or the other |
Good |
VERY good |
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| Consumer debt levels |
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| Competition from other retail channels
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| Cost of credit
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| Emphasis in advertising on price and credit terms
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| Energy costs - gasoline, heating, air conditioning, etc.
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| Falling housing prices and mortgage problems/foreclosures
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| Flammability and fire-resistance standards
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| Freight damage
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| Green awareness among consumers
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| Products look very similar |
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| Product-safety standards
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| Quality control
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| Retailing on the Internet
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| Costs of production in China and other Asian countries
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| Tightening of credit standards for consumers
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| Transportation/freight costs
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| Costs of raw materials
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