With the retail sector showing signs of substantial growth, it might be the right time to consider buying some new pieces of retail furniture, in order to cater for the comfort of an increasing number of shoppers.
The latest Distributive Trades Survey from the Confederation of British Industry shows that sales have increased continually in each month for the past three quarters.
In February 2014, they were up by more than in any month since June 2012 - and significantly for bricks-and-mortar retailers, the CBI is predicting that online sales will grow only by a relatively modest amount in the months to come.
Barry Williams, chair of the CBI Distributive Trades Survey Panel, said: "The high streets have kicked on once again this month, with growth the strongest since the summer of 2012.
"Overall sales have been remarkably resilient in the face of disruption from the exceptional weather across the UK, which has badly affected many families and businesses."
The survey found that 45% of retailers saw increased sales volumes in February 2014, with only 8% facing declining sales.
Particularly strong segments included groceries (up by 67%), clothing (up 33%) and furniture (up 88%).
At a time when furniture sales as a whole are on the increase, it might be worth considering adding a few items of retail furniture to your own premises, as a way to attract and keep customers for longer.
In many shopping malls, for instance, there is relatively little seating outside of the food court - and just a few well-placed, comfortable chairs can be extremely welcome to shoppers with tired feet.
Certain categories of store have more need for seating than others - such as shoe shops, which need adequate seating for customers who want to sit down and try on a pair of shoes to see how well they fit.
And in clothes shops, a simple wooden table can create useful display space, perhaps for a selection of folded knitwear, with extra storage space beneath the table.
Furniture of all types has its own place in the retail environment - and with sales on the increase, now is the time to consider making an investment of your own into your selection of customer seating and display tables.