----Five Factors Impact Furniture Shopping----

Charleston, SC-- October 1, 2000 - --- The Furniture Buying Index dropped another 2 points, to a reading of 78 this month. This signifies the fourth consecutive month a drop was recorded in the Index.

"Five factors are interfering with consumer's interest in purchasing furniture",said Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Research Group.

"The rise in gas prices have consumers fearful that $2.00/gallon gas prices are here to stay,"he said. "Additionally, consumers are saying 'I don't need anything right now-I'm saving for the future."

"The stock market's volatility has over three in five Americans who watch the stock market concernedquot;and "Americans are not sure who will win the race for the White House and many still question which candidate will be better for the economy,"he added.

"This summer more consumers took advantage of the long weekend holidays such as Memorial Day by traveling with their family and missing the big holiday sales for furniture shopping", he concluded.

The Furniture Buying Index is compiled each month by America's Research Group from interviews with 5,000-8,000 consumers across the country. In a typical month, 80 percent of the consumers interviewed can name a specific furniture item they intend to buy. The Index's mark signifies what percent of the benchmark 80% actually have a particular item in mind.

Britt Beemer is chairman of America's Research Group, a full-service consumer behavior research company based in Charleston, SC. ARG provides research and strategic planning services to leading manufacturers and retailers of consumer goods across North America.

For more information call:
C. Britt Beemer or P. Michael Kelly
800-723-3253

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