THE INSPIRED HOME SHOW THE INSPIRED HOME SHOW


Trust and quality


IHA trend expert, Tom Mirabile reveals the importance of trust and quality to consumers.


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n a keynote session titled ‘Consumers in Control: Insights Imperatives for the New Economy’,


Tom Mirabile revealed findings from the 2023 Value Equation Index. The research highlighted the most


important elements influencing consumers’ purchases of housewares products. The survey of 1,200 US householders was conducted as a joint project between Springboard Futures, Project Partners Network and The Trend Curve. Trust emerged as consumers’ top consideration when purchasing housewares products. When choosing a retailer or brand for those purchases, 22% said trust was extremely important and 37% said very important, while only 2% not important at all. Reputation for reliability/ durability influenced their trust the most (60%), followed by prior experience (47%). Brand remains a significant aspect of trust, with 88% saying brand


is extremely, very or somewhat important. For newer companies, Mirabile highlighted how partnerships and licensing agreements are “an opportunity to reinvent constantly.” Quality was consumers’ second most important consideration when purchasing housewares products. Durability (59%) and reliable performance (51%) were the top two factors in determining quality, followed by safety (21%), ease of use (19%), minimal care (16%) and material composition (13%).


The other factors influencing consumers’ perceptions of value were:


Price: 39% of those surveyed said waiting for a promotion was most likely to influence a purchasing decision. Mirabile also highlighted consumer demand for free shipping/returns and the ability to earn loyalty rewards had increased since 2022.


& Colour and design trends


Colour expert Lee Eiseman discusses Pantone View Home + Interiors 2024.


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ee Eiseman detailed each of the seven Pantone View Home + Interiors 2024 palettes:


• Sustenance: “This palette reflects the rituals of entertaining and dining that never goes out of style,” said Eiseman. It evokes feelings of creative cooking, love and laughter, and the joy of cooking. It involves greens, blue- greens, a yellow-green, some deeper tones and a suggestion of pink.


• Replenish: Eiseman called this a “water-born palette” which involves many shades of blue but also incorporates apricot and pink to add “a touch of newness”. Evoking thoughts of self-care, hydration and calming bath rituals, it is all about life balance and rejuvenation.


• Creative Mixology: Every colour family is represented here – even earth tones – in this palette that Eiseman called “great fun”. This palette is about individuality and experimentation, allowing for free-spirited aesthetics and the mixing of old and new.


• Stylist: Inspired by fashion crossovers, this combination features many blues and blue-greens but also incorporates metallics adding “the feeling of undulating water”. This palette feels both traditional and contemporary and has universal appeal.


• Sanctuary: For those who want softness and steadiness, Sanctuary offers relaxation and harmony. It includes pastels, mid-tones and a deeper brown. It inspires a simple environment where smart technology solutions are hidden underneath the surface.


Convenience: Following the new standards created by the pandemic, home delivery/ click and collect have remained key factors.


Ratings and Reviews: Mirabile revealed how negative reviews are the most helpful for customers for two reasons. Firstly, negative reviews give brands an opportunity to respond publicly. The second reason is that consumers find negative reviews make the positive reviews seem more genuine.


Lifestyle benefits: Mirabile encouraged housewares brands to think about the message of the product, beyond its function. The lifestyle benefits should be included in the packaging or online content.


Shopping experience: 43% of consumers said they did an equal mix of shopping in-store and online. However, 37% said they purchased online only while 22% claimed they would only shop in-store. “The opportunity here is to excite consumers in-store,” said Mirabile.


as opposed to doing multiple washes a day in a smaller washer.” “On the other hand, we typically say that a refrigerator will use the most amount of electricity in a household as it is required to be powered 24/7, to avoid defrosting and risking any foods or liquids going mouldy or past their best. There are, however, many ways in which you can reduce the energy consumption on your fridge or fridge-freezer, without having to switch it off. For example, by ensuring your refrigerator appliances are set to the optimum settings or not leaving the door open for longer than necessary. It may sound simple, but many homeowners don’t know how much energy any of their appliances generate – in fact, lots of people are causing more damage than good when it comes to switching up their household chores and appliances in their efforts to cut down on energy bills. Some may be cutting back on dishwasher usage to prioritise washing by hand, yet if that requires multiple bowls full of water with a lot of dirty pots, the dishwasher can be the better option,” he adds. Transparency


Responsibility: Consumers are placing more of an importance on social responsibility compared to environmental responsibility.


Data privacy, safety and security: 75% of respondents said privacy, safety and security was extremely or very important.


housewareslive.net housewareslive.net


“Businesses can absolutely provide help on the cost-of-living crisis on its website and through its customer service to ensure support is available when needed. By providing transparent information on energy usage, costs and energy savings, consumers will have more trust and loyalty to these brands and will likely return to purchase later down the line,” says Bhatoye. “Unfortunately, the cost-of-living crisis is not going away any time soon, and we predict that in 2023, consumers will be looking for even more support from businesses in the year. In order to stay ahead of the


• Surrealism: This is catered to consumers looking to escape from the everyday with unexpected and unusual colour combinations.


• Scenic: Inspired by the hues in nature’s light spectrum, this palette is dynamic and visually arresting, Eiseman highlighted flashes of lightning, bold sunsets, reflections of bright colours on clouds. Pinks and purples combine with orange and orange-pinks, as well as some earthy tones.


“Right now, it is our number one priority to help the nation to understand how to best use their appliances.”


curve, retailers and suppliers should use their voices of authority to put out clear, concise, and transparent messaging to their customers, to let them know that there’s support there for them. Consumers understand the importance of analysing energy usage on their appliances and will be making much more considered purchases than in previous years. Therefore, businesses should be prepared to work collaboratively with consumers to help them understand energy usage and find the best solutions for their purchase needs. It could also be that shoppers look more towards high-street retail purchases, feeling more peace of mind and confidence shopping with the support of a sales assistant,” he concludes.


January/February 2023 | 15


March/April 2023 | 15


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