Strange experience at a fine furniture store

Yesterday we decided to stop at a nicer furniture store. They are listed as a H&M dealer and we were hoping to see some leather pieces there. Imagine our surprise when we were told they didn't have any on the floor. The sales person told us that they had sold all their stock and she could quote us from a catalogue. Didn't want to waste her time so we left. At least if was a stop on our way out of town so we didn't make a special trip. I just was surprised that they didn't have anything and didn't know if or when they might have pieces to show. Is this normal?

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Originally Posted by Judyg951

Yesterday we decided to stop at a nicer furniture store. They are listed as a H&M dealer and we were hoping to see some leather pieces there. Imagine our surprise when we were told they didn't have any on the floor. The sales person told us that they had sold all their stock and she could quote us from a catalogue. Didn't want to waste her time so we left. At least if was a stop on our way out of town so we didn't make a special trip. I just was surprised that they didn't have anything and didn't know if or when they might have pieces to show. Is this normal?

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Yes, it is normal. Most stores have zero to three pieces on the floor. My store is an anomaly, I keep about sixty pieces of H&M on display.

Why no inventory? There is supply to be had, so saying it’s pandemic-related is hogwash in August 2023. There are two main reasons why you don’t see Hancock and Moore on display in quantity.

1) it’s expensive relative to other brands. This is a price driven industry, and consumers gravitate to the lowest tagged price. It is not geared towards quality. Stores know this and floor items to target price points.

I have many people walk into my store on a regular basis, pick up a few price tags then turn around and leave without ever saying a word. They are only interested in price.

2) Hancock and Moore requires a knowledgeable sales staff that can explain why it costs what it does and the benefit to you as a customer. And you cannot understand or appreciate the difference until you spend time at the factory workshops and see it made ground-up. Very few people invest the time and energy to go to the factories where these pieces are made. They cannot tell you WHY it costs what it does, because they truly do not know.

3) Hancock and Moore Territory Sales Reps should require every dealer to have some inventory on display, but they do not.

Just one of two pieces would have been nice, but nothing at all was surprising. They had Braddington Young and another brand that I can't recall. Lots of leather furniture on display, but none that I was interested in. Thanks Duane.

Bradington. Young is considered a top line brand by many "Nicer" furiture stores, its as high up as they floor. Again, price tags.