The challenge: The combination of a weak housing market, high borrowing costs, rising everyday expenses, and the Trump administration’s unpredictable trade policies is placing home furnishing retailers like Wayfair in a tough spot.

• The housing industry faces a “relatively weak market,” Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah said on the company’s earnings call, noting “January was weak" and February has been “a little weaker than January.”
• While there’s “pent-up desire from customers to engage in the category,” there’s “no catalyst to cause that to happen,” he added.