It’s safe to say Henry Ford was not the inspiration for Palliser Furniture’s business model.
The founder of Ford Motor Company became famous in the early 20th century for saying that its customers could have a Model-T vehicle in any colour they wanted, “as long as it’s black.”
The Winnipeg-based furniture manufacturer is the complete antithesis of the early Ford days, having launched its “Interactive Designer” kiosks earlier this year with its studio retail partners, enabling customers to design their own sectionals, love seats, sofas, recliners, upholstered beds and accents.
The “store within a store” ranges from 3,000 square feet to more than 14,000 square feet of dedicated Palliser space and features touch screens using 3D modelling technology, live pricing and a multitude of options, including furniture covers (fabric or leather), accessories and leg finishes.
“Purchasing furniture can be daunting for some consumers. Giving the right amount of choice while enhancing the buying process is a key differentiator for Palliser,” says Peter Tielmann, Palliser’s CEO.
This kind of attention to detail takes longer than mass production so the average time from hitting send on the touch screen to delivery to your home is four to six weeks. It’s a small price to pay for a unique piece of furniture that’s built and designed to last for decades.
“Offering too many options or not enough can be a balancing act at times,” says Tielmann, “but our motivation remains—to inspire customers to create what is unique to their style and space.”
A total of 63 studios opened across North America this past year with many more planned in 2024. It’s easy to see why as studio retailers with the Interactive Designer have seen average year-over-year growth with Palliser of 49 per cent.
Palliser’s studio retailers include EQ3 Polo Park, Wien’s Furniture in Niverville and Sawatzky’s in Morden and Winkler.
Palliser Furniture is also available at non-studio retailers, including Dufresne Furniture & Appliances, EQ3, Kern-Hill Furniture, Visions, Design Manitoba and Furniture Villa Brandsource Home Furnishings.
Palliser has more than 2,000 employees in Winnipeg and in two cities in Mexico, Saltillo and Matamoros.
