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USA:Sales Of Outdoor Furniture Grows to $3 billion

¡¾2002.04.06¡¿

Sales of outdoor furniture grows to $3 billion according to MarketResearch.com

NEW YORK, April 1 -- A multitude of factors have combined to create a steadily growing market for outdoor and casual furniture despite the nation's recent economic woes. According to The U.S. Outdoor and Casual Furniture Market, a newly published Packaged Facts report available at MarketResearch.com, the compound annual growth rate for the outdoor and casual furniture market is estimated at over 8% for the period from 1997-2001. Contributing to this steady growth are increased housing start levels, nesting trends emerging in U.S. society, advancements made in the products themselves, and increased attention among retailers to the product category.

Housing start levels are an especially strong predictor of outdoor and casual furniture market performance as new homebuyers are more likely to set up an outdoor living area. With housing start levels strong since 1998, sales of casual furniture can be expected to mirror this growth. Not only are people continuing to buy homes, but they are also spending more time in their homes. With ``nesting'' and personal security high on many Americans' agendas, investments in improving the home have taken on a new importance.

"People have found a renewed sense of comfort in the home,'' said Meg Hargreaves, VP of Research Publishing for MarketResearch.com. "It follows that as Americans make improvements to this newly important home environment, products in the outdoor and casual furniture market will benefit.''

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