Many NC discounters carry both Bradington-Young and Classic Leather. You might want to invest in "The Furniture Factory Outlet Guide". It will list contact information for discounters who carry the lines you are considering. It is my bible for furniture buying questions and information.

Hancock and Moore is highly competitive with Bradington-Young on price. As a dealer for both brands, it averages about 10% higher in price, apples-to-apples. H&M has 3x more frame selection and 5x more leathers to choose from as well as a repair policy on older pieces that no other maker I know of will perform.

Don't assume your absolute best price is always in North Carolina, either. Those days are largely gone.

Duane Collie

Duane,

I am purchasing new furniture, and really, really, REALLY want to buy locally - but the local prices (Sarasota FL) are no where in line with NC. These stores are hurting, but for example - a Huntington House chair here $2100.00 from NC - chair including shipping - $1,150.00 - so just about 50% OFF. I am just curious as to why?

Thanks guys - great advice. Short of buying that guidebook, what on-line dealers have you had good luck with? Any to avoid?

Lots of posts reference Boyles and Lexington - any others?

DC - I'll PM you about some styles I'm interested in - maybe we can get it done. Though I still hear of excellent discounts in NC.

Thanks, again.

Normally if a local store is not competitive, there are one of two reasons:

1) The store owner has not adapted to current market conditions. Quite simply, as the profit margins move downward - and they have - they have not revised their business structure to capture sales that would otherwise go to out-of-area dealers. Some store owners insist on adhering to a margin-based price structure and will not adjust. The smart businessman NEVER lets a customer walk out to do business out-of-area. I know a number of store owners who are hard-headed and won't adapt. Its up to you, their local customer, to bring in a price quote and show them that they need to match it or you'll go elsewhere. If enough customers do that, they'll get the message. But if you never tell them, then they don't know.

2) Some furniture makers have a 2-tier price structure. Small stores don't get as large a discount from the maker as larger ones do. Typically its based on dollar-volume sold, or number of pieces put on the floor. So there is a chance that within a certain brand line that you local dealer is paying more for the goods than a larger, out-of-state discounter. This happens to me with Southwood Furniture as an example. My cost basis is 10 % less than the big store in the next county because they do more volume by accident than I do working hard at it. Still they get the volume price and I don't. Nevertheless, I adapt (being a savvy dealer!) and match price or go under them everyday. It results in thin margins, and it does not exactly make me want to invest in a lot of their product for the floor. Personally, I think it a bad policy from the makers as it tends to keep the little guys small regardless of how hard they work for the brand and limits floor exposure for their dealership network.

Walk your best price into your local dealer and tell them in no uncertain terms they need to beat it. See what happens! Keep in mind however, that local sales tax is not something that your hometown store cannot waive and should be factored out when price shopping (the flip side of this is that these taxes do come back into your community infrastructure when you buy locally).

Duane Collie

I bought Legacy leather locally from Maple's and have been very pleased. The owner was really great and seems to be very serious about being in business for the long haul. I would be cautious about those stores that bottom dollar their prices, if they are so much lower how are they going to stay in business. Those that are so low seem to not care about you after the sale. Zoe at maple's actually called me a year later to make sure I liked the sofas and eveything was okay. i just thought you might want a consumer's opinion verses a retailer. I have bought Bradington yound before and the legacy seems comparable if not better. The sofa is a little over 2 years old still looks and sits great.

Thanks oscarwilde

The person who quoted $2100 didn't know what they were doing. That price is MSRP. Nobody sells at MSRP.

Why no warning about the quality at Bradington? Nothing mentioned about a prayer meeting? Be consistent.

The best prices I found for B-Y are in NC, Almans and Black Lion.

markfromsc

There is no cause for constant warnings on B-Y. As indicated previously in my other posts, they have resolved issues to my satisfaction as a dealer and in fact I ordered more floor stock from them today. If I felt the product was consistently sub-standard I would not have invested inventory dollars in additional product. These posts made here are information points for folks here to use in their buying decisions as they choose to do so.

Having said that, I believe Hancock and Moore still sets the industry standard for the finest overall product offering among major USA-made leather houses.

Duane Collie

Hi marcfromsc and duane,

What's this I hear about poor quality w/. BY? Also in reading the Furniture 101 thread - does Classic Leather loop instead of hand-knot their 8-way springs?

Also which brands have the 'soft-spring' front edge on their sofas?

Am I better off avoiding both and getting the most basic leather sofa HM makes? Which store (in addition to DC) has the best pricing found recently for Hancock & Moore?

Any other makes recommended for a traditional style leather sofa besides BY, Classic and Legacy that may be at a price point below HM?

Thanks for the Almons and Blacklion store recommendations. Sorry for all the add'l questions.

We just got our year-end bonuses. Screw Bradington Young and Classic Leather with their supposed quality issues. We're start the search now for a Hancock & Moore leather sofa. DC said the premium is just 10% over the other two brands. Seems worth it to us.

It would be cool to find a lightly used floor model at a significant discout.

Can I just call these NC dealers with a style or two we like from the H&M website and ask for a quote? It would be nice to see some leather sample swatches - check out a local store?

Thanks for any other recommended HM dealers that ship that you recommend.

10% if you stay in the Town and Country program on Hancock and Moore, outside that program the difference will increase. If you're price-minded stay in that program, though it does have limited leather selections and frames.

There is no where on the web to see the Town and Country program, because not all dealers are offered it, or choose to meet the buy-in requirements. If I ever get caught up enough to get a few free hours at my store, I'll try to scan the program pages sometime and put them up on a web site, that way all frames and leathers they come in can be viewed.

Some of the more popular H&M sofas in that program are the Austin series, Journey, Member, September, City, Restoration, Cabo (all I can remember from home). Price ranges in the program are about $ 2,000 to $ 3,200 from most aggressively - prices stores.

-Duane Collie

Hi Duane - I'll limit my questions - I'm probably overstaying my welcome.

I read your posts about the Married Cover program as well as your H&M factory tour (great description) - we definitely do not want the hides to be sourced or sewn in China - India. In that case why even buy a HM!

How do we avoid getting scammed into overseas hides? Is the Town & Country program 100% H & M North Carolina crafted? If not, what level are the natural, pure aniline leather types - Level 2, 3, 4 or 5? Do not want the painted/plasticky Level 1.

Thanks a million.