Froggy,

I had a few Ashley items quoted to me from Rose Furniture. They looked nice on the website but I hadn't gotten to see them in person yet. Anyway, the quote for the cute casual dining room table was $250. Yep, $250. I know that Rose can get things for less than normal, but $250? So I said to my salesperson, "Wow, $250 makes me a bit nervous." Her response was, "...and it should." Since then, I've heard the same comments from several other people. I think it might be good temporary furniture, but I believe it to be pretty low end.

Ok, thanks babs, I had a feeling it was that way.

Froggy~

My kitchen table is from Ashley.

It's held up fine, but I've only had it five years.

I have several Ashley Millenium peices..they came out with the Millenium line a few years back and I've been happy with every single item that I've gotten considering the price. I'd say its the same quality as anything I found at your typical "family furniture store".... I think the difference in the Millenium peices is that its larger scale, likely a bit higher in quality and has more trendy styling. I had a Ashley table years ago and it was a much much lower end peice compared to the things I have now from their Millenium collection. Oh and the Millenium items cost more than their "regular" stuff.

I'm not using Ashley in my formal living spaces (because I wanted something somewhat custom) but I'd have no problem using it for bedrooms, casual dining or family room. I got what I paid for with my Ashley items, I know they're not heirloom but they look lovely and have held up just fine after 3 years, barring any abuse I don't see why they won't last 20 years.

p.s. I just went to the Ashley furniture site and I don't see that they reference the Millienium pieces specifically but they still have most of the collections I have seen in the past.

We have Ashley furniture that we bought for our den. We have a computer desk, return, hutch and printer stand. I wouldn't buy Ashley brand furniture again. Just getting a defect free desk was a nightmare: add to it the finish flaking and peeling where DH puts his arm to use the mouse. We have contacted both the furniture store where we bought it and Ashley (all w/in a month of purchase) and neither were any help in rectifying the problem.

That said: my sister and parents both own dining room suites by Ashley and they have held up beautifully.

We had an Ashley store open near us and I checked it out. Most of it makes me nervous. The display pieces in there are already all scratched and dinged. I don't know what the wood is made of, but it's pretty soft (you can dent it with a fingernail.) One table I was looking at, the finish was swirled and scraped underneath one of their lamps, that goobered up finish was the exact size of the lamp base. I figured if it's going to do that in the store, it probably wouldn't hold up well over time. You can also go to bbb.com and check Better Business Bureau database for complaints.

If you want to safe yourself a horrible furniture buying expierience do not go to Ashley furniture stores. I bought bedroom sets for my children. The bunk beds took about four months to be complete. They kept on bringing me parts at a time. Then once they were up they were completely unstable. They were still trying to deliver the ladder when I finally had enough. They have no customer service and the distribution center is so disoriented. After five months and a lot of frustation with these people they picked up my furniture but refused to take back the matresses. I got a refund for the bunk beds, a big headache, heartburn(from the stress), and an extra matress.
Never again! That is what you get for trying to save about 100 dlls. IT AIN'T WORTH IT. Don't buy from this low quality ashley furniture.

Yikes! I'm glad I read this post. I have been considering the Ashley Millenium Casa Mollino king bed. I saw it at an outlet mall and it is the look I want but hundreds of dollars less than other stores. I did see the bed in person in a store and I thought it was beautiful but I really didn't know anything about the company. The bed is about $1600 but for my money, I could spend less at a better quality store and just not get the four poster bed look. We have really high ceilings in our mbr and I don't like to have too many furniture pieces in the room, so I just wanted a huge bed. I still might get it though...I love a bargain.

-Stella

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1521317}}

Friends don't let friends buy Ashley. Bought a bed from them for my son -- seemed v. stable in the store. Got it home, the guys assembled it, and it was a mess. They tried several times but couldn't get the mattress to remain centered. I tried making the bed and actually fell through the center of the bed, with the mattress, to the floor. The "boards" to support the mattress were basically papier-mache! The backing pieces of the furniture were made of what looked like cardboard covered with thin laminate. After quite a bit of yelling, we returned the bed. Full refund, but we'd never go back in that store again...

Don't do it!

I have the dining room table and chairs shown below. I am satisfied with the quality and craftsmanship so far. The pieces are solid, heavy cherry wood and the glass is thick with a beveled edge. The ostrich overlay adds a unique touch. That being said, I have only had the furniture for a few months and it does not get regular use. I started the ordering process in July 2005. The order came in about 4 weeks, however, I am STILL trying to get defect-free chairs in Feb 2006. The original glass top had a flaw in the center and when I reordered one, they sent a dusty floor model with a long scratch, like I wasn't going to notice that! I realize that no piece of natural wood is perfect, but it's as though they don't inspect the pieces prior to shipping. Things like scraped edges or rough knots/craters in the wood are unacceptable to me (except on distressed pieces, which these are not) and I have had to send back several chairs for this reason. As of now, I have one chair left that has an imperfection, but I am so tired of dealing with the company that I may just keep it to avoid more hassle. I'm so tired of waiting around my home for their 4 hr delivery windows only to have the item be defective I could scream!

We ordered three chairs and an ottoman for our three-season room back in November. It was delivered earlier than their estimate, and the deliverymen were very helpful. It looks nice, and is comfortable, but we don't have it for very long. Too soon to make a judgment on it.

While in Orlando last week, I saw the consumer advocate for a local station focused on Ashley Furniture and all of the problems consumers were experiencing. The reporter interviewed the CEO (how often do you see him/her come forward?). The CEO said that because of such fast growth, they didn't have enough trained people to respond to customer service issues.

There was no mention of the quality of the furniture which I saw as the main reason for the need for so many customer service representatives in the first place. The consumers who were interview were complaining about the quality and how it was taking many months to get a response to their inquires.

We have a leather sectional and dining room set purchased from Ashley. I think as with anything, shop carefully. We have a 5 year guarantee on the sofa. All items are very well made and we are quite happy with our purchases. I would buy from Ashley again.

Betty

It's funny that I came back to revisit this thread.

After saying that I would never buy from Ashley again: I was encouraged by friends and family members to revisit Ashley (the direct store). I didn't want to but I did go w/ my mother and sister to the store.

It is quite obvious that Ashley has different lines w/ different quality standards. I guess the stuff that we had bought a few years ago (at a local independent furniture store) wasn't their top of the line.

Before revisiting the store I had spent many days searching other furniture stores like Haverty's, Lay Z Boy, Rooms to Go, etc as well as many upper echelon local stores. Quite honestly besides the price I couldn't really tell much different between the upper level Ashley stuff and pieces that we've seen in other stores.

I was getting quite irritated and stressed b/c of budget and time constraints b/c the house will be completed in a month. I ended up falling in love w/ a Millenium dining room set and a sofa from Ashley. Despite saying that I would never buy from them again: I ended up buying the pieces.

My fingers are crossed that the pieces come unblemished.

My only complaint thus far (this time) is that when I ordered the pieces: I specifically requested June 15th for delivery since I was told that it could take up to six weeks to get delivered from their factory. Less than two weeks after ordering the pieces were in their local warehouse and they wanted to deliver. So I told them that they couldn't . . . They have agreed to hold the pieces in their warehouse which makes me nervous a bit but I'm hoping for the best.

I recently purchased the Rowley Creek line of Ashley: dining room set and living room tables. I love the look and the quality/price surpassed my expectations. I have received many compliments on all pieces. I decided to post this after reading the negative comments from above. I always feel badly when people have bad experiences in buying anything. Fortunately, we haven't had any with Ashley. In fact, I am planning on visiting their store this week to check out a new sofa set I found on the internet.

I have heard that their Millenium collection is definitely the higher end furniture & that it's pretty good...probably not that high quality, but better than the regular stuff. I agree that Ashley is trendy & looks good for the moment (and for the $$), but I probably wouldn't sink a whole lot of money in their pieces. I think a piece here and there would be fine, but I've heard too much negative to ever consider them for a really big purchase. They are the fastest growing furniture company from what I've heard & fill a definite niche for first time home buyers who want stylish furniture without spending a fortune. But, just for the record...try Millenium if you really want something by Ashley!

Ashley Home Stores are independently and usually locally owned stores that sell only Ashley furniture. So when you buy from an Ashley "store", you're NOT buying direct, its the same as buying Ashley from any other store.

We used to sell Ashley, and the comments here reflect our experiences. Some items were constant headaches, some were very nice, but some were so "cheap" we wouldn't sell it even if a customer insisted.

That being said, for the most part it is what it is, fairly inexpensive furniture that is made just good enough for the price. This is not the kind of furniture you should buy over the phone from a store hundreds of miles away. I'd recommend buying it from a store where you feel confident they'll resolve any service issues, because you'll only be dealing with the store if there's a problem.

Just as a comment, most furniture all "looks" great on the outside. It's what is on the inside and how it is made that you cannot see that makes the difference. How a company stands behind their product and customer service is also huge, especially when you need it. I've learned to steer clear of the big chain stores, including Lay Z Boy. Several of my friends/family have recently purchased furniture from them and when problems came about, the customer service was horrible/not there. One of the best stories was after our friends had sofas for less than 3 months, the cushions were flat. Called the store, they sent someone out (thinking they would have sent replacement cushions), and the rep actually took the cushions off and fluffed them up and said..."there you go" and left. They wouldn't do anything else. I had a very cheap family room set that looked fabulous when I got it and within 5 years it was ready for the garbage. I now purchase a little more expensive/higher end furniture from 2 local stores that do little or no advertising (keeps prices way down), who have very no frills showrooms, and no 7 years same as cash. These things all add to your cost. I've purchased these higher end pieces very close to what I would have paid at LayZBoy/similar stores. And the customer service has been absolutely wonderful. After 1 1/2 years, I had problems with my kitchen table becoming very unstable...called the store and within 2 months had a new table delivered...no problem. I've never had problems like I've heard on this thread since I've changed from shopping at the big box stores. IMO, I could care less if they advertise those fabricated "specials" or if I walk through a fancy showroom. If I want something bad enough, I'll save for it and pay cash. My places will give me the same special today or in 3 weeks when I decide to buy and when there's a problem, they'll take care of me no questions asked.

I used to work for Ashely Furniture. I love the pieces that I have. I bought a leather sofa, a bedroom set, and a dining room table and I have no complaints so far. I have had the pieces for over a year and so far they have held up nice.

I also bought Millennium Dining Set with 5 year 'Peace of Mind protection that covers everything.' Year later, stain on a table started faiding. I called Ashley, they told me to call MFS (Montage Furniture Service). They tolad me it's manufacturer defect and not covered by warranty. I call Ashley and they told me it's not defect but normal wear and tear. It's been long six weeks back and forth. They sell exepensive crappy furniture which is a big rip off. I would never buy from them nor reccomend anyone to buy from them. Their customer service is very poor and I am very disappointed on there product including Extended warranty they sold.

Your "peace of mind" plan was intended to cover common household accidents. So if your chandelier crashed into the table top and destroyed it, that would be covered.

Fading will happen to certain finishes in strong light. It happens, and is probably not covered under a warranty from any maker. Sorry you had the problem.

I furnished a brand new house in florida with furniture from all over from very expensive Selva upholstered chairs to inexpensive things. My bar stools were from Ashley as I did not want to spend $100's on them. In shopping around Ashley stools were $99 ea. & very comfortable. They are almost a year old now and seem fine, but we are not there all the time. I figured I won't cry too much if something happens to them. Right now they both look & feel great!

I'm Ticked off at Ashley right now. We recently finished our basement and ordered furniture from Ashley's. We decided on these leather sofa and love seats and coffee tables under the condition that they would be here by November 3rd at the latest. We were having lots of family over for our boys' birthday party which was going to be on the 4th. The salesman assured us it would be here by the 2nd. The 2nd gets here and we hadn't heard anything so we call. The woman tells us it's not supposed to get here until November 7th. I talked to the manager and he said that it showed nothing about arriving on the 2nd, and I told him that my receipt said it was going to be delivered by the 2nd.

I told him I was going to cancel the order, and he said he would give me another %10 off and free delivery, and it should be here the next week. Well here it is November 15, and still no furniture. I'm going to call back tonite and give them an ear full. IMO that's a very bad way to do business and it's a bunch of B.S. No one has ever called and said it would not be here when they said it was. Lying salesmen.

I did a search to find out info on Ashley furniture since I am buying a leather sofa. I also went to a different store that sells Flexsteel leather sofas. The quality of the Flexsteel looks much better but the price is almost double that of the Ashley sofa. Thanks to the comments posted here I am going with the Flexsteel. I'd rather pay more and have a good quality sofa. Thanks for your opinions even though they were posted some time ago.. Angie

my home is filled with ashley furniture. I love the look of it and the comfort is uncomparable to anything else i tried out. my oldest piece is a sectional i bought 6 years ago and it still looks new after years of use. without the great prices that ashley has to offer i would not be able to enjoy my home as much as i do. my next visit to a furniture store will be Ashley Furniture

I bought a recliner in the Greenwood Indiana store on March 13 shortly after moving to the area and due to my rural location I opted to have the item delivered. My phone number changed during this time but Ashley had my correct Internet email address. The whole of March went by without a delivery or contact with Ashley. Finally, I went down to the Greenwood store on April 9 and gave them my current phone number. On Wednesday April 13 they called and told me they would be there between 3 and 6 pm Thursday. Waited around all day Thursday till after 6 pm. Nothing. No delivery, no phone call, nothing. Called up Friday mornoing, April 15. Was assured delivery would be between 3-6pm that day, Friday. Had to do things so arrived back at my place a few minutes after 3. Found a door hanger that Ashley had been there but missed me. A call to the number on the door hanger yielded the info that the delivery person had waited an hour and left the hanger at 3:08 pm. If so, he arrived at my place well outside the 3-6 pm window. Called Ashley and they said the "window" was just a suggested time. How about the truth- that you should stay at your house all day to wait for the delivery? At least you won't get people pissed off that way. Now my stuff won't be delivered until Wednesday April 20 even though it was paid for in full March 13.
I read the contract, and even though Ashley's performance has been abysmal, I can't get a refund. Bullsh*t.
Because of this company's lackadaisical attitude towards customer service, they will get no repeat service. I for one will never spend another dime with them. And I will tell everyone I know who is contemplating a purchase with Ashley Furniture of my experience. In five years they will be gone and people will say "Ashley who?"
Bottom line: If it's not in stock and they want you to order it, don't spend your money there. In manufacturing, this is known as JIT (just-in-time) ordering. That means it isn't built until it's ordered. Fine for manufactiuring but terrble for retailing. The merchant is fully protected, and the customer bears all the responsibility and consequence.
Bottom line: Ashley Furniture are crooks!

Ashley has both higher and lower end furniture. You're going to get what you pay for. I have a five yr warranty on mine, and its great looking solid furniture.