International Trade Law News

Some of the largest furniture retailers in the U.S. have organized an effort to oppose the recently filed antidumping petition on wooden bedroom furniture from China. A recent memo issued by a coalition called the "Furniture Retailer Group" called the antidumping petition "nothing less than a declaration of war against U.S. furniture retailers." The memo urged furniture stores to challenge the petition at the U.S. International Trade Commission and to help the retailers group pay for legal expenses with a suggested contribution of $5,000 for every $100 million of revenue.

The memo says that antidumping duties could increase the costs of bedroom furniture fivefold, "which most certainly will reduce consumer demand for these items." That would lead to a drop in consumer spending on furniture and a loss of jobs in the retail furniture industry.

The Furniture Retailer Group currently has the following members: The Bombay Co., Rooms to Go, Rhodes Furniture, City Furniture, Havertys, J.C. Penney Purchasing Corp. and Crate & Barrel.