In less than 300 days America will elect the next president of the United States. Before then, however, primaries and caucuses will be held in dozens of states, adding to the intrigue of what most certainly will be a most-watched race culminating on Nov. 5—or perhaps well after Election Day.
In the meantime, flooring retailers have a business to run and don’t need any outside noise to distract them. After all, they are already dealing with inflation and high interest rates that have depressed store traffic.
So, how are flooring retailers coping during this Presidential election year? Here’s what some had to say:
“The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is on the marketing and promotional side of the business. Advertising on mainstream media, such as TV and radio, prove to be very difficult during Presidential election years as the vast majority of the spots are purchased by the candidate and/or lobbyists. This makes it difficult to promote your business consistently throughout the year.”
Eric Langan
Carpetland USA (The Langan Group)
Davenport, Iowa
“There is always apprehension—even more this year with the geopolitical situation in a heightened state. We see a tightening of the money both from shoppers as well as vendors. Shoppers are wanting to stretch their dollar, and vendors are pulling back on claims and credit—some asking for deposits on specialty orders or payment in full before shipping.”
Mike Foulk
Foulk’s Flooring America
Meadville, Pa.
“My advice is to keep your head down, nose to the grindstone and work—that is what this business is all about. The harder you work, the luckier you get, no matter if it’s a Presidential election year, a recession or a boom.”
Michael Longwill
Airbase Carpet & Tile Mart
New Castle, Del.
“The election year normally doesn’t have a big impact on our sales—even though in [September and October 2023] we saw a slowdown. I don’t think the slowness has been caused by the election. I think it is because the interest rates are moving upward and the price of products that people buy every week has gone up so much.”
Chris Kemp
Kemp’s Dalton West
Newnan, Ga.
“Maybe it’s because our state always votes one way or because we are in an economically dynamic region … regardless, other than the fact that it drives our marketing rates up, we just don’t see any meaningful impact. I’m far more concerned about what the Fed does with interest rates in January and June. Given that GDP is growing, unemployment is incredibly low and inflation is running on par with historical rates, this economy ought to be rockin’ far more than it is.”
Kevin Frazier
Frazier’s Carpet One Floor & Home
Knoxville, Tenn.
“We’re focused on improving and growing our business, and while outside events do impact our industry, our goal has been to diversify and build the business to be resilient no matter the political or economic circumstances.”
Mark VanderGiessen
Haight Carpet & Interiors
Woodinville, Wash.
“We know that world events can impact business, but we will keep advertising and continue to offer a large selection of products. The past few years have taught us that we can’t predict the next disruption, but we can get through it.”
Susan Hadinger
Hadinger Flooring
Naples, Fla.
“Seems to me the manufacturers are gearing up for a slower 2024. Crest will continue to keep our name out there and look to get more market share while other stores usually crawl into their shell.”
Steve Weisberg
Crest Flooring
Allentown, Pa.
