Mike Kim of Rove Concepts in the High Point showroom space.
HIGH POINT — Rove Concepts, the Vancouver-based direct-to-consumer furniture company, came to High Point Market for the first time this fall, looking to expand its business-to-business trade.
Mike Kim, director of trade operations, said having a presence at “the Super Bowl of all furniture trade shows” is important to Rove’s B2B side, which has been growing since 2018 and now accounts for about 13% to 15% of its business.
“We needed to understand the appetite for B2B,” he said, figuring out “what makes them tick; how can we alleviate their problems.” To address this segment, which includes designers, builders and architects as well as the hospitality and hotel trades, Rove has managers and logistics team members dedicated to assisting this sector.
“We can do design services and do specifications for them as well,” he said. Trade requires different fabrics, certifications and service levels, said Kim. “We try to listen to what the trade needs and offer a mix of support.”
While e-commerce has been Rove Concepts’ bread and butter since the company’s founding by Art Lee in 2011, Kim conceded that, since COVID, it’s been tougher for retail; meanwhile, the business side has seen an uptick. “To make sure all of our eggs weren’t in one basket, we knew we wanted to go in this direction,” he said.
For its first foray into exhibiting at High Point, Rove Concepts took space in the temporary section at Centers of High Point. One lesson learned, said Kim, was that they needed a larger space to show more of the company’s products, which include seating and living room furniture, bedroom, outdoor, office and dining furniture.
Those coming by, he said, included people who are familiar with the brand who made appointments and some walk-in traffic, along with other exhibitors. “Of course, we’re all here to create connections,” said Kim, “but it’s important to have conversations with other vendors as well.”
This initial experience, he said, “helps us plan our next steps. We’ll talk with the folks at headquarter about our strategy going forward.”
Kim said the original focus for Rove’s trade business was independent designers, but it has gotten traction from developers who have reached out. That has led to more commercial clients, ranging from those wanting to furnish lounge, bar and restaurant spaces to corporate office space.
Another avenue Rove Concepts has been exploring is wholesale, potentially selling its products through other retailers. This would require scaling up and finding the right partners, he said. “We have traditional retailers who want to carry our products,” such as independent boutiques.
There has also been some international interest, he noted, from sources in Puerto Rico and Mexico who would like to become Rove Concept dealers. Rove Concepts has its own retail showrooms in Canada, California and Miami.
Despite its push into B2B, Kim said DTC still comprises most of the Rove Concepts’ business. “We’re always adding to our product line and have more than a handful of new products coming out,” he said. Likely introductions will be in the accessories area, such as bookshelves and décor pieces, and possibly mattresses.
Rove, which teamed with singer John Legend for a collaboration, is continuing to pursue those types of collections with celebrities and athletes as well, added Kim.
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