Every two weeks, FCNews seeks out flooring retailers across the country to offer their advice on hot topics of the day. This week, we asked: Which product category has performed best for you in 2024?
Here are their responses:
Waterproof is our biggest product by far in hard surface, with most of those sales coming from vinyl plank. Product failures on the low end have pushed our salespeople into presenting better goods. Customers seem very receptive to trading up in quality and price to remain in the category. We are selling better goods all the time.
—Craig Phillips, The Flooring Edge, Akron, Ohio
WPC and laminate are gaining popularity, largely because they offer trusted performance, durability and value. Many consumers and RSAs have concerns with some rigid core products. The legacy costs tied to certain rigid core products have raised questions about long-term value, pushing RSAs and customers toward WPC and laminate.
—Brian Erickson, Floorz, Copley, Ohio
The laminate line from Karastan is absolutely lovely and so easy to sell because of the quality, styling, colorways and the Signature Technology process that creates the most realistic visuals.
—Cathy Buchanan, Independent Carpet One, Westland, Mich.
The category that has performed the best for us in 2024 is definitely LVP. PureTech from Mohawk has been absolutely amazing and tough to keep in stock. Our customers love the scratch resistance, low maintenance and knowing they’re buying a truly green product.
—Aaron Johnson, Johnson & Sons Flooring, Knoxville, Tenn.
While our laminate category has really taken off this year, LVP kept going up in price and caught up with laminate. You get a better performing wear surface with the waterproof benefits LVP has brought to the game.
—Joe Elder, Hiller’s Flooring America, Rochester, Minn.
