sojo

I've bought furniture in High Point, Hickory, and Lenoir, NC. This summer I bought a leather sofa from FurnitureLand South. I've been pleased with all my purchases. Be sure to 'google' Hickory and Lenoir; their prices are great. I live about 25 minutes from High Point, so I've shopped around.

Patrick

Ted Turner, your ignorance on the subject is amazing. Your 300% markup quote would seem to imply that the furniture store makes triple what it pays. What a bunch of bunk. Did it ever occur to you they also have employees to pay and offer benefits, that they pay rent or own major real estate to offer those huge showrooms, that they pay major utility bills, that they often will send designers out to homes at no cost or sit down and plan interiors with their customers, and that they have to store and ship the furniture usually included in their price? Then do you realize that it is very rare indeed for them to actually charge a full markup? And let's not even get into the money these stores pour into local economies by advertising, by supporting local activities, etc. In addition most of them have learned that most customers will only buy items if they are discounted or offered on sale. To suggest that even a fraction of what they sell is sold at a 300% markup is ridiculous at best.

I'm glad that some people actually feel guilty about using a retail store when they have no intention of buying.

I wonder if those other "use the local store to pick it out" people would go to a discount beauty shop, but since they don't trust their judgement, go to a high end one first for the free consultation about what kind of hairstyle would be appropriate, then walk out the door and go to the cheaper place and ask them to provide the hairstyle they've just been advised about? Yes, I suppose they would and not feel guilty about it.

I'm not saying that there aren't good deals to be had in NC, but often people really aren't appropriately shopping. One big feature is for a store in NC to price a sofa in an inexpensive grade of fabric then talk you (or let you talk yourself) into a different grade and raise the price a whole lot. Since the customer isn't going back to the original store and finding out the actual price of the sofa in that fabric, they may often pay a whole lot more than they should. I've seen people who actually ended up with a fabric that should have been less, but yet they paid more than the model on the floor because it was "special order". And very often a customer will arrive in NC with a very expensive piece of furniture in mind, but find the place suggesting they can get a very similar piece from another company or line at a lower price. Well, of course, often those other pieces should be a fraction of what the unkowing customer ends up paying, as it is a much lower priced line. How well do you know your furniture?

And for those looking to furnish an entire house or condo, check locally. You might be amazed at the discount a store will offer for large purchases.

JJ5

I have had excellent results from both Rose Furniture and Furnitureland South. In my case, I did no retail sleuthing, as my first contact came about because of a failure in my local store's delivery/ inventory system. They told me that they could not get the dining room set in lighter stained solid oak etc. I found it online and developed the contact that way.

I have been told in rehabbing by contractors that the biggest markups in the U.S. as far as profit/ R&D etc. are in the electrical lighting fixture and rug industries. Furniture and jewelry are close behind. 5 years after I bought my entire dining room, I also bought a cherry bedroom outfit from the same people. They delivered and set up direct to Illinois from High Point. The two delightful young men who set up my breakfronts also showed me how to oil wood etc. and were terrific about fixing a plug I did not like on one of the oak chairs. Shipping was a set fee, no surprises.

Because I added a bedroom piece later too after the original bedroom purchase, I have used these outfits now about 4 times. Originally the store wanted $6800 for four pieces of furniture and 8 chairs- Berhardt with standard fabric seats. I ended up getting 10 chairs and 5 pieces (with tab inserts and custom made covers) with custom fabric that I picked by mail- AND in the FINISH STAIN that I was told I couldn't get- for $4500.

My bedroom set I found online and was sent samples. They have also given me vouchers for free trips. Once about 9 years ago, and once about 7 years ago. They were always in Nov. I think and included air/ hotel for 2 days. I don't know if they do these buying trips anymore, but I would think they would be very worth it.

Furniture showrooms,by me in the Midwest, hire many part time people, give them no benefits, and put them on commisions. It is a big money making industry, and High Point makes a profit too. The locals may not be the profit along and may also only sell you what they "want to" or what has bigger availability and profit on their end. We have friends that had a trucking company and in seeing how much profit the furniture places were making (as they transported these pieces as one of their own customers)- ended up selling out the trucking depot and buying a small furniture outlet. All three brothers and their families are doing FINE.

snowrooster

Wow, thanks for all of the great information!!

Regarding the whole guilty feeling using a showroom. It's not that I feel guilt regarding the manufacturer, but more the salesperson/store manager. As a former publishing sales manager, I know how frustrating it can be to put your time & effort into getting the sale only to have the customer purchase the product from someone else (or used, as is the case with textbooks). I don't want to waste the time and energy of a salesman when I know I have no intention of buying anything from him/her.

I was particularly interested in the comment regarding most of the NC furniture being fairly traditional. I'm looking for a contemporary (nice wood, but very clean uncomplicated lines) dining room set. Am I better off sticking to local speciality retailers (they seem to carry the more contemporary looks) or is NC still a good option?

LilMsFoodie

Snowrooster: You'll have no trouble finding contemporary furniture in High Point. It is a definite trend and all the big manufacturers have clean lined, highly dramatic and simple furniture. Better to make overseas, as 85% comes from China or other SE Asia countries. The stains need to be dark to hide the wood grain, if different woods have been used. The 300% markup is stupid. This is my business day after day and we work on a 50% margin or less.

Go directly to furniture companies sites. Start with the big ones: Stanley (one of the few companies still making furniture here); Lexington, Henredon, Century. I' m not familiar with anything cheaper than Stanley but they make a great product at a great price.

Things are fine if you order from NC as long as the pieces arrive in good condition and are what you want. If you are decisive, you may be fine. We get shopped all the time and rarely lose a sale to North Carolina. Prices aren't that great anymore. If you think you are buying at 50% off, think again. It's amazing how rational people believe this silliness.

LMF

clueless

Another vote for Rose Furniture. Great price and great service. The real test of the company was when the delivery men forgot to attach my mirror to my dresser. Living far away in another state, I thought it would be a problem. I called them and they sent a guy the next day!

Jayne11159

This is very interesting since we'll be in the market for quite a bit of furniture next year.

I found furniture shopping in NC to be overwhelming. We went to the Hickory Furniture Mart five years ago looking for a bargain and we found that it was much easier and relatively the same cost just to purchase the furniture at home in Florida.

For one thing, it was not tax free to ship to Florida. Whether or not you pay tax is governed by the state in which you live, not the state in which you purchase. For another thing, the shipping cost just about ate up the savings. In addition, what do you do if the furniture shows up damaged, soiled etc?

We ended up buying all of our furniture in FL near Orlando at a place called Sloane Brothers. They offered the same discount and shipping was minimal. However, it took three to four months to receive.

What I found in Hickory, was that if you had the ability to buy off the show room floor and haul it yourself, the savings were significant. Otherwise, it wasn't worth it.

I am interested in all the positive experiences I'm reading here. Maybe I just didn't get the hang of it five years ago.

JJ5

The last piece of furniture I bought this way was 3-1/2 years ago. I did know model numbers etc. as I wanted something that the locals said I "could not get", or was ordering additional pieces for some sets that I had already purchased- but had seen online as parts of that same collection. These later were in high end solid cherry and have a "designer" name. The savings were considerable and I was not charged much in delivery or tax costs. My memory tells me about 5% for BOTH the delivery and the tax together. In Chicago you would be up to 7 or 8% for the tax alone. In fact, the only down side at all was that the trucks had routes from their original points that ran only on certain days. All contacts were by phone and the contact at Rose and also at Furnitureland South was the same each time. I would ask for him/ her at their extension. The drivers called as soon as they hit my closest expressway and I had to give them some more driving directions.

With the dining room solid oak furniture, the pieces were just huge and also in parts, so I was very concerned about delivery. In talking to the two men who set up and connected my furniture on this last trip, they had a schedule that lasted almost a week. They were gone 5 or 6 days and then home 2 or 3 days and did it again. But the thing that really makes me remember all this so well is that they INSISTED that I overlook each piece of furniture intensely for any flaws, etc. so that they could either take it back or set up a furniture restore person to come later. They broke down the packing containers and also cleaned my glass and breakfronts and showed me how to insert custom made drawer inserts etc. and how to store the custom pads for the table. This is a table that can seat 10/12 with room to spare with it's second extension. I have never gotten such service from local distributors. They also demonstrated the locking mechanisms underneath and showed me how to clean the curved chair backs etc. I tipped them a bunch, as they deserved it.

Maybe it is the state that I am in (Illinois)- but here I do believe that our local furniture dealers can be very varied in price for nearly identical pieces and within same brand. And I also know that I have been asked at least 20 times where I got my dining room set. I have even given out the name of the manufacturer and the number from the shipping papers. Only one outlet by us carries this brand.

I have heard others say also that they could not get it for much less direct. That is not the case for all that I have attempted to order, just my own experience. For a very unique cherry lingerie case dresser, I actually did get it for just over 1/2 of what the full service showroom by me wanted in a very upscale area of Northeastern Illinois. I don't think Southeast or even out West can overcharge for furniture like they can here. I might be wrong.

The second time I was offered that free NC shopping venture, I do know of someone who went on the one they offered her. She bought two whole rooms of furniture for a new house they were building. Yes, there is a huge amount to look at, and you have to know your furniture.

If it were I now, I would get on line and look at every brand name of furniture or style/type that I am interested in and at least see what their real price ranges are. I do also know of someone close who bought something that is at least twice as costly as it should have been. You do not always get something that is good quality just because it is costly.

If you are looking at bedrooms and you know you don't want sleigh beds, for instance, just eliminate all those- or all padded leather head boards etc. Stay online long enough on that and you would be surprised at what you learn.

drdesigns

I happened upon this thread. It is fairly old, but I feel one thing has been overlooked. Before buying furniture from a business you have not dealt with before, be sure to check them out. Log onto the Better Business Bureau and look at their history. Furnitureland South has had many complaints against them. For more info here is the web address of the BBB in their area - http://www.greensboro.bbb.org/common....html?bid=2298. Hopefully they have resolved their issues and are much better to deal with. I have purchased from them, but only from the clearence center where I was able to pay cash and carry it home (I live in NC).

Good luck - furniture shopping is one of my favorite things!

tlc232

Looks like I'm not the only one that keyed on "Furnitureland South" under Google. I could write pages on our recent experience, but let me just say - don't. I have never in years of buying anything had the nightmare that we've had this past year with this store. The aggravation alone far outweighs any possible discount. We ordered approximately $15,000 worth of furniture in April of this year and are still waiting for it to all be shipped. I guess we didn't spend enough or (as they have indicated) are not patient enough as furniture takes a great deal of time to be properly made and/or put together. The funny part is, the bits and pieces that have shown, over 50% of them are either severely damaged, stained or both. Between that and the delivery men that show up in the middle of the night (and not the middle of the night that they are SUPPOSED to show) I would gladly pay an EXTRA 300% markup to get out of this fiasco. They've made us federal express things, fax, email, and obviously ignored us for so long that I'm getting a complex. Please take this more seriously than a Better Business Bureau complaint... GO TO FLS TO LOOK and order from anyone else in NC.