Shopping Habit Change

[crazy connie]

Just a thought I had not seen on here is how we shop for bigger ticket items. In the past I would order and wait for precisely what I wanted. Not anymore waiting for me. I will not give any retailer 50% down and wait a month or two to get the perfect item. If I can not do without now, I will have to make do with what is available to go out the door with me on the day I purchase it if it is valued over a hundred dollars or so.

What brought this to mind was looking at my furniture and remembering waiting for 3 and 1/2 months for the dining room table, 8 chairs and the china cabinet. The family room leather took several months and the tables 2 months.

No longer will I part with 50% down and balance due on delivery. There will be too many failures going forward to risk more than an intra-store transfer on modestly priced soft goods for me. What about you?

 

[W2R]

I have never waited that long for delivery of an item that I had already partly paid for. I always pay in cash, in full, and as we all know, Cash is King. I negotiate the delivery as well as the price, and down here, cash customers are rare enough that I can put a rush on it.

Probably that phrase "Cash is King" belongs in the thread about phrases we are tired of hearing?

 

[CuppaJoe]

Connie, I can't relate at all. When I bought some furniture in '94, I had to beat it home to meet the same-day delivery truck. In '04 or so a couple of items were delivered on the next available Saturday delivery date; guess I could have gotten them sooner if I chose a weekday delivery. I've bought beds and mattresses three times and got delivery within a day a two. A TV took a little longer but included in the $129 price was a guy to set it up.

Maybe it makes a difference that I live in a city. All my stuff was new but I'm not very picky. I also don't get the "50% down" method although I did do that with my recent glasses prescription as they offered it, it's a very old-fashioned eye clinic, otherwise I just pay by credit card.

 

[bbbamI]

I used to have to make a partial payment, wait for stuff and that was a royal PITA.

However the last big ticket item I purchased in November of last year (a bed) was delivered the same day. I negotiated the price, got free stuff and didn't have to pay a delivery fee. My bed was delivered on a Sunday evening. They were hungry.

As far as major purchases in the future...well, that's on hold for a while.

 

[crazy connie]

Joe,
When I bought my current over sized home after a reloc from Seattle back to Phoenix I basically started over on hard goods. Thinking this would be my last place and kids were mostly grown I wanted top of the line with just the right look for a unique size and style of home. The colors I picked were not the hot ones and I had to wait for semi-custom stuff. The pool table store had nothing in the big size with a wine colored felt. That one took about 6 weeks. I shopped every Sat for about 6 weeks to find my livingroom sofas which are motly beiges with some green and a deep wine colored flowers. I figured it was worth waiting for to get what I wanted. Here in Phoenix there is an abundance of stuff in the stores and not a problem if you like the Southwestern Motiff. That is so fake to me that I paid the price with time and money to get what I wanted. I am much more traditional (at least in furnishings) and that is always in short supply here.

 

[bssc]

I have never waited that long for delivery of an item that I had already partly paid for. I always pay in cash, in full, and as we all know, Cash is King. I negotiate the delivery as well as the price, and down here, cash customers are rare enough that I can put a rush on it.

Probably that phrase "Cash is King" belongs in the thread about phrases we are tired of hearing?

I should note that I had friends who put down cash for a custom leather sofa (back in the 1990s in Houston). The company went out of business and they ended up being another debtor and got pennies on the dollar. However, anyone who charged were able to contest the amount (since nothing had been delivered) and the CC company ended up being the debtor. The question is what is the chance that the company will be around to deliver. Obviously, if it is stock and you can get it rush, the odds are low you will have problems.

 

[haha]

Joe,
When I bought my current over sized home after a reloc from Seattle back to Phoenix I basically started over on hard goods. Thinking this would be my last place and kids were mostly grown I wanted top of the line with just the right look for a unique size and style of home. The colors I picked were not the hot ones and I had to wait for semi-custom stuff. The pool table store had nothing in the big size with a wine colored felt. That one took about 6 weeks. I shopped every Sat for about 6 weeks to find my livingroom sofas which are motly beiges with some green and a deep wine colored flowers. I figured it was worth waiting for to get what I wanted. Here in Phoenix there is an abundance of stuff in the stores and not a problem if you like the Southwestern Motiff. That is so fake to me that I paid the price with time and money to get what I wanted. I am much more traditional (at least in furnishings) and that is always in short supply here.

I remember reading some "cheap but nice" Guru who said that Phoenix, and particularly the retirement compounds around there are treasure troves of good but cheap stuff. Couples haul it down from the North, then find it doesn't fit into their new home or their new lifestyles. Or someone dies and that forces a downsizing.

Especially good deals on quality and often antique furniture and expensive Detroit cars, well maintained by obsessive and rich old guys. Also estate jewelry, larger paintings and sculpture- the trappings of an upper middle class lifestyle in Minneapolis or Chicago or St. Louis or wherever.

What is your take on this Connie?

Ha

 

[ziggy29]

Probably that phrase "Cash is King" belongs in the thread about phrases we are tired of hearing?

I vote affirmative. At some point the King will be overthrown; I just don't know when.

 

[Moemg]

Good post Connie , I have also ordered furniture and had to wait months for delivery because of the fabric . I have been shopping for some new items and no way would I leave a downpayment at a furniture store and hope they are still in business when my furniture arrives . I will only buy the furniture that is available now.

 

[Moemg]

I remember reading some "cheap but nice" Guru who said that Phoenix, and particularly the retirement compounds around there are treasure troves of good but cheap stuff. Couples haul it down from the North, then find it doesn't fit into their new home or their new lifestyles. Or someone dies and that forces a downsizing.

Especially good deals on quality and often antique furniture and expensive Detroit cars, well maintained by obsessive and rich old guys. Also estate jewelry, larger paintings and sculpture- the trappings of an upper middle class lifestyle in Minneapolis or Chicago or wherever.

What is your take on this Connie?

Ha

That is also common in Florida . Goodwill is full of dark heavy dining room sets that people moved to Florida and then dumped . In fact I did that . I moved a huge heavy dark pine dining room set and then realized it did not go with my Florida lifestyle so out it went replaced with a light pine casual set .

 

[crazy connie]

I remember reading some "cheap but nice" Guru who said that Phoenix, and particularly the retirement compounds around there are treasure troves of good but cheap stuff. Couples haul it down from the North, then find it doesn't fit into their new home or their new lifestyles. Or someone dies and that forces a downsizing.

Especially good deals on quality and often antique furniture and expensive Detroit cars, well maintained by obsessive and rich old guys. Also estate jewelry, larger paintings and sculpture- the trappings of an upper middle class lifestyle in Minneapolis or Chicago or St. Louis or wherever.

What is your take on this Connie?

Ha

That is true. But how many cherry breakfront or tea tables do most of us want. Many of the paintings and sculpture reminds me of a museum that bores me to death! Much of the stuff is over-priced as "fine" and is really just the routine stuff from the 20's to 50's. That being brutally honest, I still can find a lot of fun doing the thrift/antique circuit here. My favorite place for real treasures though is around Savannah, Ga.

As far as the car issues that used to work well. Now, I bet the kids will grab them as soon as the oldster no longer needs them.

 

[bssc]

That is true. But how many cherry breakfront or tea tables do most of us want. Many of the paintings and sculpture reminds me of a museum that bores me to death! Much of the stuff is over-priced as "fine" and is really just the routine stuff from the 20's to 50's. That being brutally honest, I still can find a lot of fun doing the thrift/antique circuit here. My favorite place for real treasures though is around Savannah, Ga.

As far as the car issues that used to work well. Now, I bet the kids will grab them as soon as the oldster no longer needs them.

Isn't that how Terri's consign and design make all their money? Stuff no one wants. I remember going in and seeing all the dated but good condition furniture.