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Thread: I had a customer come in the store and was doing a comparison

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default I had a customer come in the store and was doing a comparison

    He had just left another store a few miles away from mine that sells American Leather, and wanted to compare it against Hancock and Moore. In particular, he was interested in a button-tufted sofa (Chesterfield style). Of course the price was less on the American Leather product and he was told it was built "Just like Hancock and Moore". I don't make it a practice to slam anyone else's product, I just merely said "Let's go to the A.L. website and see if they show how they make their furniture." So we did.

    He was told the frames are solid wood. Well, obviously they are not, because here's the photo of the A.L. website clearly showing plywood about to be cut.

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    I showed him the next photo - showing them installing the buttons AFTER the piece is upholstered. This is the same tool we use to replace a popped button if one ever occurs, but H&M sews the buttons on by hand as the back is going together, not tagged on like you see here. The sewn method is far more secure and allows you to push the buttons in deeper.

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    Then the suspension. Not even close. Pirelli webbing vs 8-way hand-tied springs? From the A.L. website:

    UNIDIRECTIONAL WEBBED SUSPENSION SEATING

    Comfort and long-term support are essential to every piece we make. Our unidirectional webbed suspension seating is a proven system for creating a smooth, stable seat with supreme support. It also allows us to create beautiful, continuous design lines and increases the life of your cushions.


    So we had an interesting conversation, and I taught him how to go look at the differences when he shops. Sure the H&M cost more than American Leather, but you get more, too. I can't recall how much the difference was - something like $ 1,100. Well, that's not fun money, but for longevity and strength, I think it's well spent.

    People compare Hancock and Moore to brands like American Leather, Classic Leather, Bradington Young, Smith Bros, etc., but the truth is they build a different product that may look like Hancock and Moore, but the build is not the same. So when you go to shop, take a long, hard look at how the other companies actually build it (not what the salesperson tells you). You come into my store, you will see this by the front window - I'll show you the difference and explain it. Education is powerful, then you can shop as an informed consumer and decide if the higher price is worth it, or not.

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    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    NW Pennsylvania
    Posts
    216

    Default Re: I had a customer come in the store and was doing a comparison

    Great post and regardless what the customer decides to purchase at least he knows the difference now.

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