Ed Lawson, Head of Content at The Retail Hive, sat down with David Ayers of Furniture Village to explore how the business has strengthened its supply chain, embraced nearshoring, and built agility to deliver for customers.
Let’s dive in…
David Ayers
Ed Lawson
Covid was tough for many retailers. How did it impact Furniture Village?
In some ways, it was good for us, but it also made us very vulnerable. People weren’t going abroad, so they were investing in their homes. That demand meant we had to act quickly. Building an agile and sustainable business around logistics became super important. We took steps to strengthen the supply chain and set ourselves up for sustained growth.
What were the most important changes you made?
We focused on improving and strengthening our supplier base, being more important to fewer suppliers, and simplifying operations. We have a large number of important suppliers in the Far East, but with the Middle East conflict and the Suez Canal being such a bottleneck, it was risky. So, we looked seriously at nearshoring, moving some suppliers closer to cut lead times and become more agile.
We also changed our approach to stock. We started holding more ourselves, and we worked with suppliers to hold stock on our behalf, giving us a commercial advantage. If the Suez is closed and lead times are 12-14 weeks, a customer might otherwise have to wait months for their chosen model. With stock held, it could be delivered in as little as 7 days. Nearshoring helps too. Morocco, for example, is seven days compared to 50 days from the Far East.
We don’t have a dedicated tool, but we do have the right ingredients: a close relationship between the buying team, marketing and fulfilment.”
How have you managed shipping and costs in this environment?
It’s a continuous review. A lot of people rely on spreadsheets, but I encourage my team to talk daily to freight forwarders and negotiate the best deal. Whether it’s FOB or CIF terms, every business has allocations on ships. I make sure we use what other retailers don’t. I’m always asking freight forwarders for their free space and taking it.
We also hedge currencies. We’ll buy the dollar at a peak rate, hedge it, and pay for shipping ourselves. That approach has worked really well, and it’s given us stronger partnerships, more flexibility, and better cost control.
What does that mean for your customers?
It means we can keep the supply chain flowing and deliver consistent value. Quick delivery makes a difference. Customers notice when something takes 20 weeks vs. six. Our focus is on quality products, delivered quickly with a great customer experience. That’s what customers want, and that’s what builds loyalty and adds brand value.
Many retailers have seen a post-Covid slump. How about Furniture Village?
We haven’t. We are very fortunate to be still growing, but in a challenging market, it’s important to take control of your own destiny. We are opening more stores and we’ve just launched in Scotland, which has far exceeded our own expectations. The challenge now is that the back-of-house has to keep up with the front—a great challenge to have.
How do you handle forecasting?
Honestly, it’s like many of our colleagues here today, Excel spreadsheets and solid experience. We don’t have a dedicated tool, but we do have the right ingredients: a close relationship between the buying team, marketing and fulfilment. Because we’re privately owned, we value those relationships. I’ve worked in businesses where silos become toxic. We don’t have that here. That collaboration and family culture is what makes it work.
See you next year?
We can’t wait to reconnect with our members at next year’s Supply Chain Leaders Exchange!
When? 14th-15th May 2026
Where? Venue to be confirmed, but you can expect sumptuous surroundings as usual!
Who? This meeting is exclusively for senior retailers in the supply chain and fulfilment sector, with the opportunity to meet best-in-class solution providers
