How to get in and out of a furniture store without losing your wallet


Never pay full retail. Is that clear? Wait a minuate, after all of the above, now you say, “never pay full retail” What is this all about? To begin with, what is retail? What was the last item you bought that wasn’t “on sale”? Sale is word that has changed its meaning over the years. There was a time when a sale simply meant that a merchant had his storeopen. Everything was on sale. That’s why he was in business: His intention was to sell something to someone. But retailling has changed, and the old words have different meanings. If you are not up on your retail vocabulary, it is going to cost you money. Let’s take a look at todays furniture store and see how the typical retailer does business.

The number of independent furniture stores has been reduced drastically over the past thirty years, while the number of outlets for furniture can now be found in stores as diversable? Because furniture can now be found in stores as diverse as Walmart and Niement Marcus. Catalog sales of furniture are increasing. We have many national and regional furniture chain stores, Helig-Meyers, Levitz, Rhodes, Art Van, Rooms To Go, Wicks, Pier I, Ikea, The Bombay Company, Krause’s, Crate and Barrel, This End Up. At the same time, the local independent’s numbers have declined and will continue to decline. Many of the remaining local independents have switched from being old – fashioned general furniture stores to being part of large franchise operations. These franchise operation, closely associated with Drexel Heritage, Ethan Allen, La – Z – Boy, Thomasville, Expression, or Norwalk, narrowed the lkocal stores’s merchendising when they made it part of a national group.

Large discount operators out of North Carolina, like Furnitureland South, Rose Furniture, and Boyle’s, have tremendous impact on all areas east of the Missisipi and, to a certain extent, even on the western retail scene. Sears, J.C.Penny, Marcy’s – the list can go on and on without even mentioning the antique market, furniture showrooms in many major market areas, local decorator and designer shops, used furniture outlets, or the new combination consigment – and – new furniture outlets.