Sofa.com Expands Beyond Sofas for 20th Year
Sofa.com is marking its 20th year by expanding into dining and bedroom furniture, driven by customer trends like 'Sofa Supper Club' dining and pet-friendly
Online furniture retailer Sofa.com is expanding beyond its core product to offer dining and bedroom items, aiming to let customers "furnish your home from one delivery." The move coincides with the brand's 20th anniversary and a strategic reset led by managing director Sunayna Azam and creative director Nicky Emlick, as reported to Retail Gazette.
Azam says the digital-native company's milestone provided a chance to reassess. Since its acquisition by Frasers Group in 2019, the business stabilised, but a need to sharpen its proposition was recognised last year. "We really needed to build on our strengths," Azam explains, noting she and Emlick worked on a new strategy. Emlick adds the reset unified internal teams, creating a roundtable approach to decision-making.
Listening to New Living Rituals
Customer research underpins the expansion. The retailer identified new living trends that are directly influencing product demand and design.
One trend is the "Sofa Supper Club," where households increasingly eat takeaway meals on the sofa. This has led to a 25 per cent increase in sales of stain-resistant performance fabrics. Another is pet-friendly design, with almost one in ten customers reportedly choosing matching pet sofas. A third is the "Sofa-Bed Boom," driven by smaller homes and hybrid working, making multifunctional furniture a cornerstone for adaptable spaces.
"The most important part of our business is listening to the customer," Emlick states, highlighting how this research inspires new products.
From Sofas to a Full Home Offering
Azam states the goal is to leverage the brand's upholstery expertise into new categories. "We're really looking to take it from not just focusing on sofas, but to the next level, dining, bedroom," she says. Emlick emphasizes that comfort remains the guiding principle, aiming to provide "the most comfortable dining chair" and bed as part of a "Goldilocks experience."
The company's vertically integrated model, with its own factory in Poland, is central to this growth. Azam says it provides control over quality and lead times. This control allows for short lead times, a key advantage during peak periods like Christmas, where orders can reportedly be turned around within four weeks.
B2B and Operational Foundations
Business-to-business sales form another growth pillar. Azam notes a loyal trade base among interior designers and new ventures like a partnership with LW Theatres for bespoke furniture. Emlick says this bespoke capability opens doors for hotel and commercial projects.
Preparing for future growth involves digital transformation. Azam confirms plans for a website migration and backend system upgrades to solidify operational foundations. The ultimate aim, as framed by Emlick, is for customers to trust the process across an expanded range, enabling them to fully furnish a home from a single delivery.
