Press Release

This Thanksgiving More Americans Will Set Their Table with New Casual Luxury Tableware

New segment in tabletop market emerges as consumers opt for easy-care, less formal but better-than-everyday tableware

Stevens, PA November 10, 2005 — This Thanksgiving more Americans will set their table with new ‘casual luxury’ tableware and leave their formal china, crystal and sterling silver stored in the china cabinet. According to the latest Unity Marketing research study among recent tableware buyers, a new category is emerging in the tableware market that is too casual to be called formal dinnerware, but too elegant for everyday. The trend in setting the holiday table this year is toward ‘casual luxury’ that is in the middle ground between formal and everyday.

Today’s tabletop consumer is choosing dinnerware that reflects their more casual lifestyle. Carol, a baby boomer who recently purchased a new set of dishes, described her preference for a more sophisticated but casual luxury dinnerware, “I am dispensing with formality as time goes by. Even though I have four sets of good china, I don’t use them a lot. When I entertain, I take out my casual dinnerware that I can dress up with other things and still feel I have set a nice table.”

Besides being dishwasher and microwave safe, a defining characteristic of the new casual luxury tableware is its ability to adapt to any dining occasion, even the most formal. Jennifer, a GenX home maker describes why she prefers casual luxury tableware when she entertains, “It can live in a formal setting or casual. It all depends how it is dressed, how it is set. You can make it anything from very casual to very formal.”

Traditional Industry Definitions Go by the Wayside, as Consumers Demand Products That Fit Their Lifestyle

Commenting on the new study of the tabletop market, Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of Let Them Eat Cake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses — as well as the Masses, says, “The tabletop industry has traditionally been divided into two segments: Upstairs/Formal and Downstairs/Casual. This study discovered that women from 25 to 58 years old and even brides when they register for dinnerware reject the industry’s traditional approach in favor of new casual luxury tableware that matches their lifestyle and the way they entertain.”

“The big opportunity in the tabletop market today is in this newly emerging middle-ground between traditional formal and everyday casual. This new casual luxury appeals to today’s shopper because it offers the right price/value relationship and is sold open-stock so shoppers can buy just the pieces they want,” Danziger continues.

For example, dinnerware marketers insist on packaging their products in five-piece place settings that include a cup and saucer. Consumers overwhelmingly reject being forced to spend money on two pieces they don’t want and are aggravated that they can’t get what they really want: a mug. One consumer expressed it this way, “The first thing I do is take the cups and saucers out and find a mug that matches….You are not going to use that cup and saucer. It is just so impractical to have a cup and saucer be part of a set.”

Because they give the customers what they want, Crate & Barrel, Pier 1, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma and others have found a thriving market niche offering high-style casual luxury dinnerware and tabletop accessories. Danziger continues, “This is dinnerware to use and enjoy today, not store away in china cabinets. It works for both everyday and special occasions as it can be dressed up for even the most elegant Thanksgiving table setting. The research highlights ways that tabletop marketers must adapt their product offerings and packaging to what today’s consumer want, and that is less formality and more sophisticated, yet functional casual designs.”

Unity Marketing’s New Consumer Research Study on the New Tabletop Market

Unity Marketing, a research firm that has been on the forefront of research in the tabletop market, has conducted a new consumer insights research study to help companies that market tabletop understand the new dynamics in the consumer marketplace.

This research study focuses on consumers who recently purchased one or more of the key tabletop categories: Upstairs and downstairs dinnerware, sterling and stainless flatware, crystal and glassware and other tabletop accessories, such as tabletop linens, serving pieces, and others. It reveals who buys these items, what kinds they buy, how much they spend on their tabletop purchases, and how they use, display and store these items.

Along with researching consumers’ purchase behavior, the study focuses on why people buy these products, what psychological and emotional needs they fulfill and how they use tabletop products in their lives for everyday dining, casual and formal entertaining.

Special Feature: The Bridal Market for Tabletop

Because of the importance of the bridal market to tabletop marketers, this research study includes a special section devoted to brides. A focus group was conducted among recent brides and engaged women to understand their preferences and desires for tabletop in their gift registries. The findings will shock any tabletop company that views the bridal market as the secret of their company’s future marketing success.

Consumer Insights on the Market for Casual and Formal Tabletop

With a focus on consumers, their buying behavior, needs, desires and preferences, this research study includes research data and statistics about:

• Tabletop Market Size and Growth : The size of the tabletop goods market, as well as the key product segments (e.g. dinnerware, glassware, flatware, decorative accessories, servingware) and how rapidly is it growing.
• Demographics of the Tabletop Market: What are the demographic characteristics of people who buy tabletop products? How is consumers’ buying behavior for tabletop influenced by demographic segments (e.g., gender, age, generation, HHI, size, composition, ethnicity/race, education, etc.)?
• Tabletop Buying Behavior, How Much They Spend, Where They Shop: What are the primary characteristics of the consumers’ buying behavior related to tabletop goods in general and the key product segments in particular (e.g. dinnerware, glassware, flatware, decorative accessories, servingware)? Why do they buy these goods and how do consumers’ motivations different by product category segment? Where do they shop for the different types of tabletop products; what factors influence their decision making; how much do they spend buying each of the tabletop goods product segments and across the entire tabletop goods category? what is the role of brand in tabletop goods product selection and shopping choices? How do different demographic segments differ in their shopping and buying behavior?
• Psychographic Profile and Segmentation of the Tabletop Markets: A psychographic profile of the tabletop buyers is developed in this report. The profiles identify different types or personalities of consumers of tabletop goods. These profiles identify different drives and motivations found among consumers in purchasing tabletop; what factors are more or less important in driving tabletop purchasing decisions; and how tabletop marketers and retailers can better understand the hearts and minds of their consumers. In essence, we will discover “why people buy tabletop.”

To learn more about the research study Tabletop and Home Dining Market, 2006: Consumer Insights on Casual and Fine Dinnerware, Crystal and Glassware, Silver and Stainless Flatware, Servingware, Decorative Accessories and Other Dining Accoutrements, use this link http://www.unitymarketingonline.com/reports2/tabletop/

For media, Unity Marketing can make tables, charts and graphs available to the media upon request.

About Pam Danziger and Unity Marketing

Pamela N. Danziger is a nationally recognized expert specializing in consumer insights for luxury marketers, whether they sell luxury to the masses or the ‘classes.’ She is president of Unity Marketing, a marketing consulting firm she founded in 1992.

Advising such clients as Lenox, Cartier, Herend, Rémy Amerique, Spring Air, Sears, The World Gold Council, The Conference Board and American Express, Danziger taps consumer psychology to help clients navigate and master the changing luxury marketplace. Her latest book, Let Them Eat Cake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses—as well as the Classes, (Dearborn Trade Publishing, $27, hardcover) was published in January 2005. She also authored Why People Buy Things They Don't Need: Understanding and Predicting Consumer Behavior (Chicago: Dearborn Trade Publishing, 2004). 

She has appeared on CNN’s In the Money, CNN International, NBC’s Today Show, CNBC, CBS News Sunday Morning, Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto, ABC News Now, NPR’s Marketplace and is frequently called upon by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, American Demographics, Women’s Wear Daily, Forbes, USA Today, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune for insight.