Quality or Price? You can't have it both ways

[drcollie]

It's always difficult as a merchant to buy product for display based on what customers are looking for as they walk into the store. When you have been in the business as long as I have (35 years) you develop an eye for quality and its almost like muscle memory, you can spot it instantly. It's not a problem finding well-made furniture, the issue becomes the price. To that end, not everyone wants to spend the money to buy a good piece and is shopping for a piece to fit a space in a given price range. And therein lies the challenge as the buyer - at what point is a piece no longer acceptable? Do we only want to carry better made product being a small store? A lot of younger customers are coming in and they tend to be more price sensitive than older, established clients. It becomes a balancing act.

Case in point, this Hooker Furniture Saban Console that just arrived today. $ 859 in the store. If this piece were made by Jonathan Charles or Century, it would be three times the price. Because this is an educational forum, I am going to show you the issues with less costly furniture and what you are not getting. To some it matters, others not so much, but to LEARN what you are getting or not getting and how to tell the difference makes you an educated consumer. Sarah (my daughter) doesn't like it when I pick apart a piece we have in the store and I get that - it goes against trying to sell a piece. On the other hand, YOU need to know why this piece is 1/3 the price of a well made one, so here we go.

Let's start with the overall photo of the piece. Great design lines, good proportion, nice size. This piece is made in India for Hooker Furniture, weighs 64 pounds and is pretty solid. As you look at this overall photo, what jumps out at you? It's the finish - see how it lacks depth and interest? It's muddy, flat, and the drawers don't match the case, which is a fault and shows failure to match grain when produced. I don't like muddy finishes, and the reason they are is because they were done quickly, with minimal finish layers.



Photo 2 again shows the mismatch on the color of the drawers vs the case, plus gaps in the drawer fitment big enough to drive a pencil through. This piece was meant to be made fast and inexpensively



Photo 3 shows the gaps in the metal banding around the wood top, and this is all the way around the top. This isn't just sloppy workmanship, its no workmanship. You would never see this in a better made piece, not to where you can see daylight through them.



Photo 4 is the drawer construction. This is a simple butt-joint, nail / glue build. Not what you want for longevity. The best joinery is a dovetailed drawer and this isn't it. Thin interior edges can tend to chip off at the drawer ends if subjected to an impact, be careful with these drawers if out of the piece.



It's adequate for the price and is not going to fall apart, but it will never be collectible or one to admire. It would be great for a young couple starting out in their first home and needing an entry table with storage for not much money, and it has a nice overall look. Would I use this for my own home? No, I would not because I would always see the shortcuts taken and it would annoy me. So what are your thoughts on this piece and those similar to it? Do you like to see The Keeping Room carrying mediocre pieces such as Hooker, or prefer we only carry high quality with higher price points? We always like feedback.....