shop bought fancy furniture, how do they justify the price?
- Thread starter pgrbff
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Phil Pascoe
Established Member
Why do dogs lick their nuts? Because they can.
How many did you buy?
pgrbff
Established Member
At least 6
Retailers don't ever ask themselves what an item is worth. They ask how much will people pay for this. If that price is more than the cost of making/transporting/mark-ups etc, then they are in business. Frequently the price people will pay is far higher than the cost, then the retailer is very happy. As to what an item is worth; that is subjective, depending on need and available cash. As the saying goes; you pays your money and makes your choice!
Some people have a LOT more money than sense, but when I think about it, I have purchased things in the past that others would think really expensive for what it was.... camera equipment... 
Just checked it out.
"""
Design Matthew Hilton
American white oak, American black walnut or European ash, cast iron
Made in Portugal by De La Espada
McQueen Bedside Chest is strong, elegant and down-to-earth, its two drawers provide the ideal space for objects needed close to the bed. Drawers are detailed with dovetail joinery, cast iron handles, and soft-closing piston action.The McQueen Bedside Chest complements the angular upholstered body of the McQueen Bed. Designed by Matthew Hilton for his eponymous brand, and manufactured by De La Espada craftsmen.
Matthew Hilton graduated with a degree in Furniture Design from Kingston Polytechnic in 1979. He went on to design products for a variety of well known manufacturers. In 1985 Matthew set up the Matthew Hilton Design Studio. He has also been given the highest honor in the field of Industrial Design in the United Kingdom, by being named a Royal Designer for Industry in 2003. In September 2007, Matthew established his own brand, Matthew Hilton Limited as a place he could have complete creative control. In 2008, he was named Designer of the Year by Elle Decoration at the British Design Awards.
McQueen bedside chest is available in American black walnut, American white oak, or European Ash in a range of finishes; with drawer handles and legs of cast iron. Mcqueen is also available in various sizes and configurations.
15.3" d | 18.3" w | 21.4" h | shipped fully assembled
$3,475.00 + $295.00 shipping (curbside delivery in the continental US)
(please allow 12-16 weeks for delivery)"""
Just checked it out.
"""
Design Matthew Hilton
American white oak, American black walnut or European ash, cast iron
Made in Portugal by De La Espada
McQueen Bedside Chest is strong, elegant and down-to-earth, its two drawers provide the ideal space for objects needed close to the bed. Drawers are detailed with dovetail joinery, cast iron handles, and soft-closing piston action.The McQueen Bedside Chest complements the angular upholstered body of the McQueen Bed. Designed by Matthew Hilton for his eponymous brand, and manufactured by De La Espada craftsmen.
Matthew Hilton graduated with a degree in Furniture Design from Kingston Polytechnic in 1979. He went on to design products for a variety of well known manufacturers. In 1985 Matthew set up the Matthew Hilton Design Studio. He has also been given the highest honor in the field of Industrial Design in the United Kingdom, by being named a Royal Designer for Industry in 2003. In September 2007, Matthew established his own brand, Matthew Hilton Limited as a place he could have complete creative control. In 2008, he was named Designer of the Year by Elle Decoration at the British Design Awards.
McQueen bedside chest is available in American black walnut, American white oak, or European Ash in a range of finishes; with drawer handles and legs of cast iron. Mcqueen is also available in various sizes and configurations.
15.3" d | 18.3" w | 21.4" h | shipped fully assembled
$3,475.00 + $295.00 shipping (curbside delivery in the continental US)
(please allow 12-16 weeks for delivery)"""
GLS
Established Member
Items must have perceived value, if you could sell it for £20, it would be seen as near worthless rubbish. Charge £2000 and it gains immediate perceived value 1 because of the price tag, 2 because a large proportion of the public are excluded from purchasing it by the price, so enhancing the ego of the purchaser who can.
Keith 66
Established Member
^^^^^^ This, & its a lesson for anyone who makes things on a small scale to sell.
If you make one thing & its expensive you only need one buyer, no point racing to the bottom trying to undercut everyone else.
The only problem is finding that one person!
If you make one thing & its expensive you only need one buyer, no point racing to the bottom trying to undercut everyone else.
The only problem is finding that one person!
I generally charge £1500 for small to medium drawer units - so with the shop's 100% mark up, it's about right. It's obviously not aimed at us ordinary folk, but for wealthy people, it's probably less than they spent on their wife's latest handbag or shoes.
scholar
Established Member
It’s a fair discussion. On the other hand, I am frequently amazed at how cheap some furniture is, often much less than it would cost to buy the materials to replicate. eg this example, which is literally the first result from a Google search for “bedside table” Farrow Grey Bedside Table
I would have to charge the prices indicated in the OP’s post to make a living (I am slow!), but really I prefer to make my own stuff when I can get round to it.
Cheers
I would have to charge the prices indicated in the OP’s post to make a living (I am slow!), but really I prefer to make my own stuff when I can get round to it.
Cheers
Furniture for the masses came in after WW2. I have to say I find all furniture grossly overpriced especially soft furniture like sofas. My house is now filled with projects I made from magazines and they give me no end of pleasure. Ikea make an honest effort at budget furniture so I'm not surprised they have hoovered up the market.
flying haggis
Established Member
For something like a bedside table I would go to IKEA and save the other £2750 for something more useful.
The economics of furniture making have been discussed on here many times and it's impossible to compete with anything made where labour is 1-10% of the UK cost. Custard used to say he made table and chair sets with a significant mark up on the table vs the chairs as a person would pay a high price for a large item (ie table) but not for the chairs, although there is as much effort in each chair as the whole table. As persons above have said it's percieved value.
Regards the actual item, I'm always intrigued on the construction methods of these items and tend to pour over the photos to see what I can learn. I was trying to work out how the cabinet was constructed, I'd be pretty upset to pay that much for an item that has a plug on the surface!
Regards the actual item, I'm always intrigued on the construction methods of these items and tend to pour over the photos to see what I can learn. I was trying to work out how the cabinet was constructed, I'd be pretty upset to pay that much for an item that has a plug on the surface!
thetyreman
Established Member
for a start it's solid walnut, walnut is very very expensive to buy, it also looks like figured wood for the bottom of the drawers, all solid wood construction, no veneer at all from what I can see, the metal work might be UK made which would massively bump the price up, I'm not saying I'd buy it but the price reflects what materials were used, I don't know what the exact size of it is but would imagine at least medium size. I'm not a fan of how badly the walnut has been laminated together where you can clearly seen the join lines on the left side.
Cooper
Established Member
When I was in Art school on a furniture design course (1969-73), we were taught that the shop price of a piece furniture was 5 times the cost to make it. My first job was in Toy Works at the time the largest manufacture of wooden toys in the country. There for some of our products the box cost us more than the toy but the retail price was still about 5 times the cost.
Then along came IKEA and amazingly they were able to sell furniture for less that you could go buy the wood from a timber merchant. Manufacturing was shifted around the world so an item was soused from the cheapest supplier, where they didn't pay pensions or care about accidents as we did. This completely disrupted the furniture trade here, as margins were reduced. The internet has come along disrupting things even more. The only way to reduce costs is to reduce the quality. There is a market for furniture to people who have no spare cash but still need it. So we are used to seeing items for sale for very low prices.
Those pieces in at the top of this thread look as though it has been made from good quality materials and a traditional construction, though on closer inspection it does look mass produced. I think they are pitching their price against quality items.
Looked after, a quality piece will last long enough to be handed down through the generations and not scrapped, as a great deal of the cheap tat will be very soon.
Then along came IKEA and amazingly they were able to sell furniture for less that you could go buy the wood from a timber merchant. Manufacturing was shifted around the world so an item was soused from the cheapest supplier, where they didn't pay pensions or care about accidents as we did. This completely disrupted the furniture trade here, as margins were reduced. The internet has come along disrupting things even more. The only way to reduce costs is to reduce the quality. There is a market for furniture to people who have no spare cash but still need it. So we are used to seeing items for sale for very low prices.
Those pieces in at the top of this thread look as though it has been made from good quality materials and a traditional construction, though on closer inspection it does look mass produced. I think they are pitching their price against quality items.
Looked after, a quality piece will last long enough to be handed down through the generations and not scrapped, as a great deal of the cheap tat will be very soon.
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
If you aren't in a hurry to sell something, put it on at a daft price there's always a chance that somebody might pay it.
Happens with books a lot (see Charlesworth Furniture Making Techniques v2)
If it doesn't sell and you need the space, drop the price until it does.
If nobody wants it at all, give it to your mother in law but leave the daft price tag on.
Happens with books a lot (see Charlesworth Furniture Making Techniques v2)
If it doesn't sell and you need the space, drop the price until it does.
If nobody wants it at all, give it to your mother in law but leave the daft price tag on.
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pgrbff
Established Member
I could maybe understand the price if the construction was a bit more complicated/traditional but apart from the drawer it could be put together
with biscuits.
with biscuits.
Your not just paying for a bedside table. You are paying for Matthew Hilton to make a living from designing furniture, for De La Espada to pay someone to make the actual item, for marketing and website staff to promote the product, and for distributors and independent retailers to all make a living. It's hard work to make a business successful and they've obviously chosen a market sector where everyone can make a living and that isn't going head to head with IKEA on price.
Mark Karacsonyi
Established Member
https://manage.kmail-lists.com/subs...e996dd625c3dc59ea3635951c7&m=QXciQM&r=P4LQDmd
No advertising, correct, how is some of this justified. I really need these customers.
No advertising, correct, how is some of this justified. I really need these customers.
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