Buy better for your home and for humanity

Garage sales, antique stores, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace…all of these options support the old adage, “one man's trash is another man's treasure.” I recently participated in the virtual garage sale that is Facebook Marketplace. For me, it has been a useful tool over the years. I have connected with old friends because of something I was selling. In another case, I made some kid’s day by passing along something my son once loved but had outgrown. New or pre-loved, there are plenty of things to shop for—and guaranteed there are a few treasures out there.

Buyer beware, some great finds come at a cost. And while Facebook provides a welcome mat for all comments, it seems some participants may need a Furniture 101 lesson.

To set the Facebook scene, I posted some higher-end designer chairs on Marketplace—which resulted in quite the commentary:

"Is this a joke?" 

"I would never spend that much on something!" 

"I can find it online cheaper."

"Too expensive!"

To say this struck a chord with me would be an understatement. I have spent almost 20 years designing and sourcing products from around the world. One of the largest issues I have with all the criticism is that the comments come from a place of being largely uninformed. 

Then I read a New York Times article – ‘Fast Furniture’ Is Cheap. And Americans are Throwing It in the Trash. This reinforced my desire to educate people on why and how to buy better—even demanding that people get informed. We need to change our perspective and our behavior.

As someone who has spent her entire career in the design and development of furniture, both internationally and domestically, I believe there are some lessons that need to be shared about the furniture world. This is not a joke—this is reality—are you ready?

1.     Materials matter. A piece of quality furniture can truly last a lifetime. I have seen it firsthand at clients' homes—nice pieces of furniture from reputable companies that are in their second generation. Often times in these cases, all we are doing is changing out the fabric, so it evolves with the homeowner's new style.

So, for those who say they can find the same piece of furniture cheaper, take a closer look. Read the labels of what you're buying. Do you know what rubberwood, Malaysian oak, particleboard, or fiberboard is? Do you know where it comes from? Do you know how it's made? Is it even wood? What is the quality?

These are all good questions that discerning consumers should ask themselves—which brings me to my next point.

2.     Made where? Many people complain about foreign products and labels like Made in China or Made in Vietnam, and say, “you should buy American.” But they do not want to actually buy American-made products. Why not? Because they are typically more expensive. In the United States, we have higher standards to abide by. We need to pay living wages and have healthy working conditions for U.S. workers. There are also more stringent environmental restrictions (as there should be) to create products. And in many cases, the restrictions need to get even tougher if we really want to make a difference.

Who pays for all of these things to happen? Well, you the consumer, do. Whether buying foreign or domestically, the answer is the consumer. If you are unhappy with an overseas product, then put your money where your mouth is and buy only American products. That means you have to accept the price difference.

Perhaps we might decide we can move away from being the largest consumer society—we could buy less but buy better.

This brings me to my third point.

3.     Quality vs. Cost. Finding a quality product does not often coincide with being inexpensive. The fact is—higher quality products cost more. That's a pretty simple statement but often and easily forgotten by buyers. There are many factors that go into pricing a piece of furniture. You are paying for someone to design it, develop it, test it, build it, warehouse it, sell it, ship and deliver it.

Shipping costs are a particular challenge. It is expensive to ship things over the ocean. Think about how many individuals have touched that piece before it makes its way to you. Over land and sea, the products sometimes endure quite the journey. There are things that must be done to be able to ship products. Things like fumigation for critters and bugs that live in shipping containers.

There is also the challenge of receiving furniture in which assembly is required. If the product hasn’t been handled properly this can potentially compromise the quality. Have you ever started putting together a bed frame or a bookcase and the nail holes just don’t line up? Or you are missing a bracket or piece of hardware? Time is valuable in this busy world and spending hours on a customer service hotline trying to explain the problem and find a resolution is my idea of punishment. I paid for a product I expect to work. Why doesn’t it work?

Perhaps we as a country can begin to finally refocus on buying less and buying better. Who is it better for? It is better for you, me and the greater community. So, my final points for your consideration are—

4.     Service. What if you have an issue with the piece of furniture you buy from an online resource? Are they willing to troubleshoot the problem and send a service tech out to look at the issue? Often times no help is available with lower-cost items.

Also, if you haven’t noticed already, returns are getting more difficult. The window for returns has narrowed during the pandemic and retailers are no longer willing to do easy returns or repairs as it is expensive and logistically challenging. With furniture of greater quality, there tend to be local and regional service techs available to come to your home to fix an issue you might have with a cushion or a table leg. There is a certain level of customer service that comes with spending more—the higher cost yields greater value in multiple ways.

5.     It takes people. The product is all about the people who make it happen. There are benefits and challenges to working with all kinds of people and companies all over the world. I have been in factories and designed and developed products with amazingly talented, kind and generous people. I have created jobs overseas that in turn also gave people jobs back home. I have seen my products still standing in stores today, and there are other products I'm sure are long gone in a landfill. I have seen the destructive environmental challenges that factories face by trying to fill the strong appetite for fast fashion when it comes to product development.

We are one, global, human family, and now is the opportunity for each of us to decide—what type of consumer do you want to be?

Be good. always ;)

Bri