Just a comment to say that in discussion yesterday with one of their Reps, he indicated their stores now have increased floor space for imported items, and consequently have decreased space for domestic built items.
Price is the driver of this, he indicated that even their loyalty market is swayed to purchasing based on price, hence imports.
It is easy to remember when everything that company sold was made by them.
If a high percent of cars and furniture sold in this country was made here, there would not likely be a significant unemployment problem.
Doyle
Don`t know if you are seeing it in LZB product down there but up here the plywood has been replaced by particle board. This should be good for business.
Yes, you are absolutely right, La-Z-Boy says they have to make stuff cheaper because PRICE sells! Sad isn't it, I remember and sometimes see some of those older quality built recliners. And too, to bad that our domestic workers are seeing their jobs go off shore.
What do we have to do, melt, before we can see the light in this country.
There is cheaper competitiion just around every corner, it has to be reckoned with, doesn't it.
PRICE SELLS! Isn't that what Wal Mart says? I believe it.
Doyle
20 years ago, if a customer asked which brand of recliner is best, I wouldn't have hesitated to say La-Z-Boy.
When people ask me that question now, I just say "There isn't one".
Sure, there are some lesser known high-end brands that are well built. But when the average customer asks me that question, they're REALLY referring to the local big box stores. What they really want to know is: "What is the best brand for under $500?". And my answer is "There isn't one".
But I have another theory. It's not just a price thing. When our parents bought a new recliner, they wanted one that would last 20 years. People don't even want that performance now. They want to refresh everything every few years anyway. Does a woman really even want a pair of shoes that are guaranteed to never wear out? Of course not. She's going to buy new ones every time she goes shopping anyway.
So why pay extra for performance that you're not going to use?
I still recommend LZB but with a caveat or two. The one thing that for me still makes this particular brand better than anything else is the fact that they are made to be fixed and not thrown away. I fix everything from new chairs to ones 40 years old. The wood is not as good anymore but they seem to hold up and the steel is still guaranteed for life.
Even in today's market, I agree go with La-Z-Boy if it is totally made domestically. Their mechanism has always been better, IMHO. There might be some variances to what I say, especially in this ever changing market. This opinion is based on what I know today.
Doyle
This post is just additive to the general discussion.
I did a padding enhancement on a LZB sofa yesterday, while going through the excercise, I looked hard for a "made where or by who" label and could not find one.
It had the typical legs of the imported stuff today, very little hardwood even in the frame, so I would assume it is primarily imported, not enough assembled domestically to qualify for that lable.
I didn't catch the cost of the unit, but essentially though it had a stick on label that gave no more than a title, it said nothing else.
Throw away like the most we see, for sure.
This is just a comment from one who is noting the technical trends in the industry.
Doyle