Two recent failures by furniture sellers show that the furniture business is joining the retail clothing business in a much more competitive arena where poor execution is increasingly fatal.

In November 1893, she moved to Oamaru where she once more obtained money by false pretences, tried to defraud a furniture seller, and was imprisoned again in January 1894.

These establishments consisted of grocers, butchers, fruit, vegetable and flower sellers, coal depots, furniture sellers, drapers, tailors, footwear sellers, chemists, laundries, estate agencies, funeral services and even guesthouses.

In fact, Manhattan's furniture sellers weren't having an easy time either.

This week, Home Depot, Whirlpool and Sunbeam, both appliance makers, and the furniture seller Ethan Allen Interiors all warned that business was considerably slower than they had expected.

Sites like Europebynet.com, a furniture seller in England, do a healthy business with American shoppers because prices are low, said Julie Edwards, the owner.

Cheng Yin-fu, 41, a furniture seller who was wildly waving a Chen Shui-bian flag at the stadium tonight, expressed the attitude that China - and some worried Taiwanese - dread to hear.

But it also backed some bombs, including Webvan, an online furniture seller called Living.com and an online sporting goods retailer, MVP.com, that was also backed by Michael Jordan, John Elway and other professional athletes.

Indeed, furniture sellers and experts agree that while other retailers have scrambled over the last several years to keep up with changing consumer demands, much of the furniture business has lagged hopelessly behind.

Experts on the business also say that furniture sellers and manufacturers have not formed the relationships needed to come up with creative products or create strong marketing and public relations campaigns.