The data paints an unambiguous picture of a market in freefall. According to Alibaba.com internal data, the 'Table & Chair' category (ID: 202056702) experienced a devastating collapse in buyer activity throughout the second half of 2025. The number of active buyers (AB Count) for sub-categories like 'Table & Chair Sets' plummeted by a staggering -63.41% year-over-year. This isn't a minor correction; it's a fundamental shift in global demand dynamics that every Southeast Asian exporter must confront.
This internal platform signal is not an anomaly but a leading indicator of a broader global trend. The World Furniture Outlook 2026 report corroborates this downturn, attributing it to two primary factors: first, a significant inventory overhang in European and North American retail channels following the post-pandemic buying spree, and second, a pronounced shift towards consumer downtrading as economic uncertainty persists [1]. In simple terms, retailers are not buying because their warehouses are full, and consumers who are buying are opting for cheaper, more essential items, deprioritizing large-ticket home goods like new dining sets.
The global furniture market is facing its most significant demand correction since the 2008 financial crisis, driven by a perfect storm of saturated retail inventories and cautious consumer spending in its largest markets.
