E-Commerce Declines. A Wake-Up Call for Furniture Retailers

Originally published April 2, 2025. This version was rebuilt from Leggett & Platt's announcement, a CPSC recall notice and the ISM Manufacturing Report on Business for the FIN archive, and the facts are as of that date.

Early April 2025 showed a key bedding and furniture supplier slimming down, more online-sold dressers failing the safety standard, and factories losing momentum before the big tariff announcement.

The short version

• Leggett & Platt agreed to sell its Aerospace Products Group for $285 million.
• CPSC recalled George Oliver dressers sold only on Wayfair.com.
• ISM listed furniture among seven industries contracting in March.

Leggett slims down

Leggett & Platt said it agreed to sell its Aerospace Products Group for $285 million before adjustments, with after-tax proceeds expected around $240 million. The aerospace unit had about $190 million in 2024 sales. The sale was part of a strategic review of which businesses fit the company long term.

Update. The sale closed on August 29, 2025, with after-tax proceeds of about $250 million used mainly to pay down debt.

Another dresser recall

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled about 220 George Oliver dressers sold exclusively on Wayfair.com because they were unstable unless anchored and violated the STURDY Act's performance and labeling rules. Marketplace sellers based overseas kept showing up in dresser recalls.

Factories slow

ISM's March report put the manufacturing PMI at 49% and listed Furniture & Related Products among the seven industries reporting contraction, and among the eight reporting lower new orders. The survey noted that tariff concerns were distorting deliveries and inventories.

A wake-up call

Suppliers were narrowing their focus, online furniture faced tighter safety scrutiny, and factory orders were already slipping. All of it came before the April tariff announcement.

Related on FIN

• Furniture Orders Rose 9%. Factories Still Aren't Hiring for It.
• Every Door in Town

Sources

• Leggett & Platt, Signs agreement to sell its Aerospace Products Group (Apr. 2, 2025)
• Leggett & Platt, Closes the sale of its Aerospace Products Group (Aug. 29, 2025)
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, George Oliver dresser recall (Mar. 27, 2025)
• Institute for Supply Management, Manufacturing PMI, March 2025