Today is January 13, 2026, and welcome to Furniture Industry News, your trusted weekly update, where we break down the trends, numbers and shifts shaping our business in a clear, conversational way.

Let's start with what the data says about consumer demand and retail sales heading out of the holiday season and into the new year.

According to the latest retail monitoring released by the National Retail Federation and cnbc, over Overall retail sales across the US Saw strong growth in December.

Holiday spending finished near the top of the NRF's forecast, with total retail sales showing healthy gains both year over year and month to month, reflecting a continuing economic momentum from the holiday season.

But when we zoom in on the home furnishings category, the picture looks a bit different.

Furniture and home furnishings store sales were slightly down year over year, even though they ticked up modestly compared with November's figures.

This suggests that while consumers were outspending on a range of goods over the holidays, furniture purchases might not have kept pace with other categories.

A soft spot in furniture sales naturally brings broader trends into sharper focus, especially housing and construction activity.

New data on residential building activity shows construction starts and overall activity declined toward the end of October 2024.

Lower construction rates can have a downstream effect on demand for furnishings and decorations, because fewer new homes can translate into reduced moves and fewer large furniture purchases.

Speaking of shifting trends that ripple into supply and sales, one of the biggest stories right now is global supply chain movement.

Specifically, what's happening with import cargo volumes at major US Ports.

Multiple reports based on the latest Global Port Tracker data from the NRF and Hackett Associates show that import cargo volume is forecast to stay down year over year until at least spring.

In simple terms, that means fewer containers moving through U.S. ports compared with a year ago.

There may be a slight uptick in January as retailers bring in goods ahead of factory shutdowns for Lunar New Year in Asia, but overall volumes are expected to stay below last year's levels through the winter and into early spring.

Why does that matter?

For furniture, slower import volume can contribute to tighter supply of finished goods, parts and raw materials, from upholstered frames to decorative accessories and and has implications for inventory planning and pricing.

A continued lull in cargo movements can also keep freight capacity constrained, limiting retail assortments or delaying replenishment.

That's an environment where retailers and manufacturers alike need to think strategically about inventory, velocity and forecasting, particularly if consumer demand begins to pick up later in the year.

We shouldn't talk about supply chains without touching on trade policy, because tariffs and international relations are again in the headlines.

The US government recently announced a new 25% tariff on countries that trade with Iran.

This is a broad trade move that could have far reaching implications considering how globally interconnected the furniture and home furnishing supply chain is.

Many of these trading partners, including China, India, Japan and South Korea, are significant sources of furniture components and finished goods.

The tariff announcement has already prompted responses from major trading nations with which warned of potential retaliation.

While it's too early to quantify direct impacts on furniture imports, such tariff shifts add another layer of uncertainty around international sourcing and cost structures.

Back here on home soil, retail footprints continue to evolve In a major development for the furniture retail landscape, American Signature Inc. A top 100 retailer and the parent company behind American Signature Furniture and Value City Furniture and has begun court approved going out of business sales across dozens of locations after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late last year, the company is liquidating inventory in most of its stores with discounts up to 50% off original prices.

The closures include nearly 80 value city outlets across multiple states, and the company's corporate headquarters and a North Carolina factory are preparing to shut down.

At the same time that some retailers are winding down, others are taking strategic growth steps.

One of the big stories this week comes from Bob's Discount Furniture.

The Manchester, Connecticut based retailer has publicly filed for an initial public offering with the U.S. securities and exchange Commission.

Details like share count and price range have not been set yet, and market conditions will play a key role in what ultimately happens.

But the move signals confidence in the company's brand and growth trajectory.

Bob's has been on a growth run in recent years, surpassing 200 total stores and expanding into new state markets such as North Carolina and Vermont.

The proposed IPO would see its common stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol bobs.

Moving from Finance to Technology and Operations Artificial intelligence is rapidly shifting from buzzword to practical tool across furniture manufacturing.

At industry events like the Furniture Today Leadership Conference, executives and Advisors underscored that AI is no longer optional.

Manufacturers are adopting AI in three key areas.

1 Visualization and imaging AI is being used to streamline digital visualization, edit and enhance product photography, and generate backgrounds for lifestyle images, helping brands present their products more compellingly online two Customer experience and E Commerce Some companies are integrating AI into digital platforms to improve product visibility and make it easier for retailers, designers and consumers to to interact with current inventories and new lines and three Marketing and communications.

AI tools are also helping with targeted marketing campaigns, project management and even creative design work, allowing smaller teams to compete on a larger scale.

These changes show that manufacturers who build thoughtful, practical AI strategies could see real benefits in efficiency and customer engagement.

Looking ahead, Furniture industry professionals are watching a complex mix of demand signals, supply challenges, and strategic pivots.

While holiday sales data softened for furniture, the overall retail environment showed resilience.

Supply chains continue to adjust to slower imports, and trade policy remains a wildcard for costs and sourcing.

Meanwhile, the retail landscape itself is both contracting and expanding in different corners, with established players closing doors even as others prepare for public offerings.

And technology, particularly AI, is accelerating change in product development and customer interaction.

That's our snapshot for today.

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We'll see you next time with more insights you can use in your business.