{"id":33762,"date":"2023-04-22T07:05:25","date_gmt":"2023-04-22T07:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.vintiqueupholstery.com\/?p=33686"},"modified":"2023-12-22T23:46:50","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T23:46:50","slug":"your-sofa-stories-i-regret-buying-a-new-sofa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.vintiqueupholstery.com\/?p=33762","title":{"rendered":"Your sofa stories: “I regret buying a new sofa”"},"content":{"rendered":"

In January, I shared the story of a client\u2019s Loaf sofa on my socials. The \u2018luxury feather\u2019 cushions were so uncomfortable that her guests preferred to sit on the floor at Christmas.<\/p>\n

The response was huge, and just about every brand was shamed in my DMs over the following 24 hours by disappointed followers sharing their bad sofa experiences. As a result, the #NoMoreShitSofas hashtag was born to highlight the realities of buying mass-produced, new sofas.<\/p>\n

And the stories are still coming in.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret: I\u2019m not a fan of off-the-shelf furniture. I knew things were bad, but they seem to be getting worse. Since COVID, quality appears even less of a priority for big retailers than it was. They are cutting corners and very obviously. I see very few mass-produced sofas that are made well.<\/p>\n

Emma recently got in touch to share her regret about buying a new sofa from a well-known retailer. Her story is one of many and one I thought worth sharing.<\/p>\n

Emma’s sofa story – Why I won\u2019t buy a new sofa again<\/h2>\n

My partner and I bought our first house together during COVID and spent two years renovating it. We were so excited to finally start shopping and make it our home. Our priority was a new sofa as we\u2019d borrowed one from a friend.Our budget was open; we wanted something we both really liked and that we could keep for at least the next 10 years \u2013 so a new sofa was very much an investment for us.<\/p>\n

We fell in love with two velvet French Connection sofas. They were perfect and ticked all the boxes. The style was spot on, we loved the colour and the fabric, and they were firm yet comfy to sit on.<\/p>\n

We placed our order feeling really confident not just that we\u2019d found our dream sofas but that we\u2019d ordered from a retailer whose range carried a BSI Kitemark, they gave a 15-year guarantee, and our sofas were handmade in the UK.<\/p>\n

We thought we\u2019d done everything right.<\/p>\n

The new sofas: damaged on arrival<\/h2>\n

After a 12-week wait, our sofas were delivered.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/p>\n

Sadly, one was visibly broken, and the other had an electric fault (recliner mechanism). In addition, there were significant quality issues with the foam-filled seat cushions and the fabric (irreversible compression and abrasion marks). We were so disappointed.<\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/p>\n

The sofas looked and felt like returns, and we even questioned if we\u2019d been sent the right furniture. Sadly, we had.<\/p>\n

Poor aftercare from the sofa retailer<\/h2>\n

While mistakes do happen, nothing can excuse poor aftercare. We were sold high-quality, \u2018luxury\u2019 upholstered furniture, and that is what we expected to receive. What we got were two sofas put together with little care or a proper quality check. The response from the retailer was akin to a shoulder shrug \u2013 they were not surprised by the condition, they didn\u2019t look into how it came to be, and they didn\u2019t apologise.<\/p>\n

\"Velvet<\/p>\n

Worse still, our assigned service manager had questionable knowledge of upholstered furniture.<\/p>\n

“He told us that because our sofas were velvet, we should expect \u2018some\u2019 damage.”<\/i><\/p>\n

\"Compression<\/p>\n

After five weeks of calls and emails with the retailer, our time had run out. The service manager gave us an ultimatum: order replacements and keep the broken furniture until it arrives or cancel, and they will collect the sofas.<\/p>\n

After a fruitless search to find something else, we begrudgingly agreed to order replacements so we wouldn\u2019t be left without furniture at Christmas.<\/p>\n

Fault with the replacement sofa<\/h2>\n

We ordered the replacement sofas in December, which arrived in March \u2013 quite a wait again.<\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/p>\n

I\u2019m pleased to say the quality is so much better compared to the first order. However, the sofas aren\u2019t without fault.<\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/p>\n

This meant another service visit to request two new seat cushions to replace one with an abrasion mark and another with missing stitching. The saga continues\u2026<\/p>\n

Buying a new sofa: Expectation vs reality<\/h2>\n

The experience of buying new sofas was eye-opening!<\/p>\n

I thought I\u2019d save time<\/b> \u2013 I didn\u2019t; the complaint process was very time-consuming and included store visits, emails, calls and a referral to a complaint intermediary.<\/p>\n

I thought it would be better value<\/b> \u2013 It wasn\u2019t; the filling and construction are cheap, and the fabric (while nice) does not reflect the high-end price tag.<\/p>\n

I thought it would be less hassle<\/b> \u2013 No, it caused a lot of inconvenience as we had only half the seating we needed for 3 months. It also took a toll physically (from using an unsupportive, sagging sofa) and mentally because it caused anxiety and worry at a time when the cost of living crisis was already weighing heavy on my mind.<\/p>\n

I thought my experience was a one-off <\/b>\u2013 unfortunately, not. I connected with a consumer group made of people fighting the same retailer and discovered they\u2019d experienced similar problems and got a similar response.<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, I won\u2019t be buying from that retailer again!<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s also changed how I think about and shop for all furniture, not just upholstered.<\/p>\n

Going forward, I will explore the pre-loved options first, and mass-produced furniture will only be a last resort.<\/p>\n

What you should know before buying a new sofa<\/h2>\n

Emma dismissed getting a second-hand sofa because she was unsure how to find a local upholsterer she could trust. And she isn\u2019t alone.<\/p>\n

Off the back of the Loaf-sofa post, I ran a poll. Not knowing where to source a trusted upholsterer was among the top 3 reasons stopping you from exploring re-upholstery.<\/p>\n

Yet, like Emma, nearly 80% of people expected a sofa to last 10 years. Something you are far more likely to achieve by buying preloved and re-upholstering than buying new from a high street retailer (where you\u2019ll be lucky if it lasts half that).<\/p>\n

Advice if you are buying a new sofa<\/h2>\n

1.<\/strong> Explore small and independent brands:<\/strong> There are small British makers out there doing great work, like Living Room. These companies are genuinely passionate about the craft. Living Room takes pride in creating each item with the utmost care. They source high-quality materials, and best of all: they are professional upholsters and craftspeople. So don’t be seduced by the large marketing budgets of mass-market retailers. Check out family-run and independent businesses.<\/p>\n

2. Look into your retailer:<\/strong> It\u2019s easy to check an upholsterer’s reputation, and you wouldn\u2019t choose one with a history or disappointed clients. The same goes for retailers. It may take a little longer, but find out what people are saying about them. Check Google Reviews, Trust Pilot and Facebook groups.<\/p>\n

3. Understand what you are buying:<\/strong> I talk about this all the time because it is so important. Check the construction of your sofa (what is the frame made of), the seat cushion fillings (foam or feather), fabric composition and rub count. Don\u2019t assume that because it carries a luxury price tag, it is made of high-quality materials. I talk you through what to look for in more detail in this blog.<\/p>\n

4. Don\u2019t be afraid to go higher up:<\/strong> An upholsterer can answer your questions about fabric and guide you in choosing the right one. Retail staff, on the other hand, have very limited knowledge. If you can\u2019t get an answer to your question (or if you\u2019re not sure about the one they give), refer it up. Take it as a red flag if the retailer is reluctant to provide information about fabric, fillings or construction.<\/p>\n

5. Ask about the guarantee and aftercare:<\/strong> Unlike when you get an item re-upholstered, there is no single person responsible for your new sofa. This makes attributing responsibility when something goes wrong quite difficult. The retailer and the manufacturer can blame each other, which can leave you in limbo. Check what you can expect before you buy.<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/div>

If, after reading this, you want to explore re-upholstery, get in touch<\/a> and let\u2019s discuss your project.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Your bad sofa stories keep coming. In this blog we share Emma’s experience buying a new sofa from a large retailer, plus unmissable tips so you avoid buyers’ regret. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":34677,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33762","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vintique-upholstery-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nYour sofa stories: "I regret buying a new sofa" - Vintique Upholstery<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Emma shares her regret about buying a new sofa from a well-known retailer. 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