Any good counter, who intends to sell decorative veneer, needs to identify the buyers and target them. The most likely buyers for decorative veneers are upper middle class homes, business establishments, big apartments, farm houses or any stand alone house or bungalows. In West and South India consumers are more aware and alert so they involve architects for their interior and civil work needs whereas in the East & North India, this practice is still in its nascent stage.
It is very clear that business driven or developed places or metro cities and hospitality oriented cities are most likely to be the lead consumers of Natural or premium wood veneers compared to developing cities, isolated districts or remote areas. The comparatively smaller or backward areas most often consume more of decorative laminates or cheaper versions of reconstituted veneers, teak or buy more of local made readymade furniture.
A retailer has to be aware of the fact that using veneers is a costly affair. There is an approximate cost of Rs 200 to 250 per sq feet for using natural decorative veneer till the final stage for veneer application on any furniture. This price is just of the wood veneer, workmanship and polishing and it does not include the base furniture material or making cost. This price is certainly not going to feasible or affordable for most of the users or middle class.
The surveys show that middle class second home buyers use wood veneers in some areas where as upper middle class prefer to use natural veneers in most of the wood working applications. It is observed that 70 percent of the decorative veneer demand comes from 10 to 15 percent of the ply buyers. A majority of buyers from lower middle class category opt for decorative laminates, where as readymade furniture producers are bulk users of economical grade of teak, or reconstituted teak, walnut, oak, sapeli etc.
Start Veneer retailing
- Learn the types/design sense and wood species
- Approach different companies to help you start with basics
- Create a separate area of display
- Maintain minimum inventory
- Look for the upper middle segment consumers/ designers/furniture makers
- Approach them & invite them to your display area
- Show your offerings with passion/knowledge/ understanding
- Keep adding new verities to your display with changing trends
The fact is that Kothis/stand alone houses or high end furniture producers or 3/4/5 star hotels or niche commercial establishments or premium public places are most likely to use wood veneers. For this they choose their supplier according to the approach of a company, vendor or availability and liking of the material.