Craftsmanship to Customer: How Important is the Digital Content for Furniture Industry

For centuries, furniture making in the MENA region has been characterized by intricate detailing, masterful woodworking, and designs that reflect the rich cultural heritage of the area. Today, this tradition faces a new chapter as artisans and showrooms navigate the digital transformation reshaping the industry.

The MENA Furniture Market: A Blend of Tradition and Luxury

The furniture market in the MENA region presents a compelling economic opportunity. According to Mordor Intelligence, the GCC furniture market alone is expected to reach $5.7 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 11.3% from 2021. This growth is driven by several factors including rapid urbanization, increasing disposable income, and a booming real estate sector particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The region has developed distinct furniture hubs that showcase both traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design:

• Dubai Design District (d3) has become the epicenter of modern furniture design in the region, hosting international brands alongside local artisans

• Sharjah's Old Industrial Area remains a haven for traditional furniture makers specializing in Arabic and Islamic designs

• Casablanca's Derb Ghallef continues to be Morocco's furniture nerve center, blending Moorish influences with modern aesthetics

What makes MENA's furniture industry unique is its dedication to craftsmanship in an age of mass production. "In a region where hospitality is central to our culture, furniture holds special significance beyond utility," explains Tarek El Masry, founder of Cairo-based Mazarii Furniture. "Each piece tells a story and carries cultural significance that resonates with our customers."

New Challenges in an Ancient Industry

Despite its rich heritage, the furniture industry in MENA faces significant challenges. Global brands with economies of scale can offer lower prices, while e-commerce giants have changed how consumers discover and purchase furniture.

A 2023 McKinsey report on retail in the Middle East highlighted that 76% of furniture shoppers now begin their buying journey online, researching options before ever setting foot in a showroom. This represents a dramatic shift from the traditional furniture buying experience centered around physical retail spaces.

The most significant challenge for furniture businesses remains what industry insiders call the "touch and feel barrier." Unlike many other products, furniture typically represents a significant investment where physical dimensions, texture, comfort, and quality assessment through direct interaction have been considered essential to the purchasing decision.

"Customers still want to experience the furniture before purchasing, but their research process has completely transformed," notes Layla Khoury, owner of Beirut Home Furnishings. "They come to our showroom having already narrowed their choices based on what they've seen online."

Adaptation Through Visual Storytelling

Forward-thinking furniture businesses across MENA are finding innovative ways to bridge the gap between digital discovery and physical experience.

The most successful companies have recognized that today's consumers shop with their eyes first. Detailed photography showing furniture from multiple angles has become standard, but progressive furniture retailers are going further by showcasing their pieces in context.

Doha-based Al Mana Galleria found that showing their luxury furniture collections in designed room settings increased customer engagement by 43%. "When customers see furniture in context – how a dining table sits in a fully designed dining room, how light plays off the surfaces at different times of day – they can envision it in their own homes," says Marketing Director Fatima Al-Thani.

Some manufacturers are taking this approach even further. Dubai's Alkaram Furniture began creating short walkaround tours of their showroom, focusing on individual pieces while explaining craftsmanship details and material quality. Their customer conversion rate increased by 36% within three months of implementing this strategy.

"There's something powerful about seeing a craftsman run their hand along the grain of wood while explaining the joinery techniques that make the piece special," explains Ibrahim Alkaram, the company's founder. "It creates trust and appreciation for the work that static images simply cannot convey."

The Furniture Customer Journey Reimagined

Understanding today's furniture buyer means recognizing a complex journey that weaves between digital and physical touchpoints.

Research by PwC Middle East indicates that 81% of furniture purchasers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia research products online before buying, spending an average of 2-3 weeks in the consideration phase. During this period, consumers typically consult multiple sources:

• Brand websites (94%)

• Social media platforms (89%)

• Online reviews (76%)

• Interior design blogs (63%)

What's striking is how the evaluation criteria have evolved. While price and quality remain paramount, the ability to visualize furniture in one's own space has become increasingly important. This explains the growing popularity of augmented reality features and detailed product demonstrations that show functionality like storage compartments, extending mechanisms, or convertible features.

"Customers want to understand not just how a piece looks, but how it works and feels in daily use," explains Omar Bin Laden of Jeddah's Elite Home Center. "When we began showing our sofa beds being converted or our dining tables being extended, customer questions decreased while purchase confidence increased."

The most effective demonstrations provide a sense of scale and proportion that dimensions alone cannot convey. Seeing a person interact with a piece helps customers understand its true size and functionality in ways that static imagery cannot achieve.

Innovation Leaders: Case Studies in MENA Furniture Marketing

Several furniture businesses across MENA have distinguished themselves through innovative approaches to connecting with customers:

Mzad Home (Kuwait)
This family-owned furniture maker specializing in customized bedroom sets transformed their business by documenting their craftsmanship process. By showing the journey from raw materials to finished product, they not only justified their premium pricing but created an emotional connection with customers who appreciated the artistry involved. Their approach of sharing brief behind-the-scenes content showing master craftsmen at work increased their custom orders by 58% in 2022.

Maison Marocaine (Morocco)
This Marrakech-based exporter of traditional Moroccan furniture discovered an untapped international market by showcasing their pieces within the architectural contexts they were designed for. By filming their intricate wooden tables and carved chairs within traditional riads and modern interpretations of Moroccan design, they helped international customers understand how to incorporate these distinctive pieces into various home styles. Their exports increased by 72% after implementing this visual storytelling approach.

Luxury Living (UAE)
This high-end furniture retailer in Abu Dhabi pivoted their marketing strategy after discovering that 67% of their website visitors were viewing their site on mobile devices. They created a series of concise room tours highlighting how different furniture pieces work together to create cohesive spaces. Their approach of showing furniture in lifestyle settings rather than isolated product shots increased their qualified showroom visits by 41%.

The Future of Furniture Retail in MENA

As we look ahead, several trends are likely to shape the future of furniture retail in the region:

1. Phygital Experiences: The most successful businesses will blend physical showrooms with digital discovery, creating seamless customer journeys across channels.

2. Sustainability Focus: With 64% of MENA consumers expressing increased concern about environmental issues according to Arab Youth Survey 2023, furniture makers highlighting sustainable materials and practices will gain competitive advantage.

3. Personalization: Technology enabling customers to visualize custom pieces before production will become increasingly important.

4. Heritage with Innovation: Businesses that can tell compelling stories about traditional craftsmanship while embracing modern marketing approaches will thrive.

5. Visual Commerce: As 5G becomes ubiquitous across the region (expected to reach 70% coverage in GCC countries by 2025 according to GSMA), rich visual content will become not just preferred but expected by consumers.

Meeting Customers Where Their Eyes Are

The furniture industry in MENA stands at a fascinating crossroads where centuries of craftsmanship tradition meets cutting-edge digital transformation. What remains constant is the importance of visual appeal in furniture selection.

"In the end, furniture is both functional and emotional," summarizes Nadia El-Farouk of Morocco's Interior Design Association. "It shapes the spaces where our lives unfold—where we gather with family, welcome guests, celebrate milestones, and find daily comfort. Helping customers truly see and understand these pieces is perhaps the most important service furniture businesses can provide."

For an industry built on visual appeal and craftsmanship, embracing visual-first communication isn't just a marketing strategy—it's an authentic extension of the furniture tradition itself. The most successful businesses will be those that recognize this continuum between artisan workshops of yesterday and the digital showrooms of tomorrow, finding innovative ways to showcase their craftsmanship to a new generation of furniture buyers.