Interest in home improvement has increased dramatically in recent decades, particularly with the rise of home improvement and do-it-yourself television, magazines, and other media. But on the con side, disposable income may be reserved for fuel, not for new home amenities. Please remember that Americans are not used to paying so much for gasoline, unlike Europeans! Furniture such as tables and chairs can also be acquired used, and there has been a new boom of second-hand merchandise exchange through online venues such as Craig's List, in addition to thrift stores and personal sales. Shopping patterns that could also threaten the's Company in America is the predominance of Wal-Mart, Costco, and other major department stores, where consumers are diverting more and more of the purchasing power. If the's Company chooses to sell mainly through its own stores, consumers might be less apt to travel to such locations, if they feel that they can get a cheaper price through...

economy, it would seem unadvisable to move into the U.S. market at this time. If it does so and fails, the's Company could potentially injure its brand name and image in what could be a lucrative market during a time of later American prosperity. If the company is determined to move ahead, one possibility is to open a small store in Manhattan, a city where there is a small niche of affluent individuals less affected by the economic downturn, and there may be a demand for a few, sleek modernist yet not overly expensive pieces amongst some young professionals who have just rented their first apartment. New Yorkers are less apt to shop at large venues for products of any kind, including furniture, which would be another plus. Some 'buzz' could slowly be built up that way, without risking too much financially. But to make a major move now into multiple markets would be a mistake.