Hancock and Moore vs Bradington Young

I recently brought in several pieces of Bradington Young into the showroom, to offer a less costly alternative to my main line of Hancock & Moore. I have been seeing some push-back on H&M pricing from consumers and wanted to expand and more selection of price-friendly items available. Now you know, I handle so much of this product that I can really spot the differences and I also key into them as others might not. We have moved all the new B-Y pieces into the showroom and and I didn't say much to my two part-time delivery men when we bringing it all in, other than "this piece goes here - that piece goes there". What interests me as I stood back a bit was their comments to one another, THEY noticed the differences. And to be clear, 90% of all the leather they are used to delivering is Hancock and Moore, not Bradington Young. First of all, I have trained them to develop a critical eye over the years (both have been with me twelve years now). They notice because I want them to - so they can know what they are delivering, what might have a flaw, and what may be a construction difference they may need to explain when at the customer's home. We are professional grade, and I want them to know their product. I was amused at their comments that they could readily notice the differences, too.

I don't consider Bradington Young to be a comparable product to Hancock and Moore. They are different categories, so if you hear some say "B-Y is the same, just cheaper to buy" well, its not. I would say on average its about 25% to 30% less in price and for some, they may be willing to give up features to get to that price. I understand and appreciate that. However, if you can tolerate the higher price of Hancock and Moore, its a purchase you won't regret making over the years.

Frames: B-Y is all plywood, and not a particularly heavy grade of plywood. Their stationary frames are very light, which is why we take B-Y up the stairs to the second floor showroom, they're a lot easier to carry. Hancock and Moore is still solid hardwood frames on their stationary units, and you can feel it in the heft and lack of flex in the pieces. Your frame can never be too strong, by the way. Stiffer frame means less deterioration of suspension over the years of use, and that translates into a longer lifespan for dollars spent.

Padding: B-Y uses far less padding on their frames and of lighter densities. Pieces are not as "full" and you can feel the wood frame underneath the leather when you give it the pinch test or are merely handling the pieces.

Leathers: Here is where there really is no difference. B-Y has the same quality of hides as Hancock and Moore, though you have roughly three times as many choices as H&M.

Tailoring & Workmanship: Huge. Huge. Huge. Hancock and Moore is crafted. Bradington Young is assembled. With B-Y, I see minimum standards throughout the piece, and in some instances the workmanship is sloppy. From the sewing to attachment of the legs to how tight the leather is pulled. Big difference. There is pride in workmanship in a Hancock and Moore piece. A B-Y piece is a paycheck to the workers. It shows - you can tell.

This is not to belittle Bradington Young, because I am the dealer for the brand and wouldn't carry the line if it were substandard. They adhere to the same standards many makers in North Carolina do, it's the industry norm. The H&M pieces are exceptional however, and exceed those standards on everything that goes out the factory door. If comes down to the money at the end of the day, and if your budget will tolerate the difference. Just realize there is a difference when you go shopping and learn how to compare and what to look for.

Is MSRP for B-Y more realistic or it's the same as for H&M, inflated to help design consultants, etc?

Yes, that is an industry-wide standard for the most part. All makers that I know of use the same formula for MSRP.