Bob's Discount Furniture

[Dakota]

Last Christmas, my dad bought us a recliner for our Living Room. This past spring, when the chair was just a few months old, I noticed it had a lean to it and it became physically challenging to actually close the damn thing. My dad got the Goof Proof Warranty and they did send somebody out who later called and said the bracket would take 3 months before coming in. Of course waiting 3 months for a part is not acceptable, so I demanded the chair be replaced and they did so this past May. Fast forward, last month, the chair started leaning again and I noticed screws popping up between the arm of the chair and the seat. I actually didn't notice them, I cut myself on them looking for the remote control (wasn't even there either, it was sitting in the kitchen so I got cut for nothing ) I called Bob's and told them I want the chair out of here and a store credit to pick another chair with no mechanics. Saturday, the techs came out and were immediately on the phone with corporate getting us that store credit.

Saturday afternoon, I walked around Bob's for over an hour. I must pick another item, schedule delivery and they will remove this hunk of junk chair I don't even want any of our pets sitting on, out of our house when they deliver the new item. The reason why I walked around for over an hour is because I thought just about everything in that store sucked. If it wasn't horribly uncomfortable; it was ugly and if it was comfortable and presentable, the fabric was picking, separating from the seams or torn in spots.... I was determined to spend the store credit, replace the item and move on.

I ended up picking a chaise lounge. I saw this same Chaise lounge on Wayfair and knew the reviews were very good, plus no mechanics but once I got home I noticed the chair at Wayfair is made by Simmons and the one I got at Bob's is advertised as a Napoli Chaise. They both look EXACTLY the same. The specs and everything are EXACTLY the same.

So... how does this happen? How can 2 different furniture makers have the exact same appearance in a product but be of different names? I didn't even think that was allowed? Or does Simmons buy the piece and put their name on it and Bob's buy the piece and put their name on it but it is the same piece? I made this section stand out because this is something I am very curious about and was wondering if anyone knew the answer to my questions.

Bob's http://www.mybobs.com/napoli-chaise

Wayfair http://www.wayfair.com/Simmons-Upholstery-Zephyr-Chaise-UFI2082.html

In all this, I will say Bob did honor the warranty and although I have had bad luck with this chair, they are trying to make it right. With that said, perhaps others have had great luck with furniture there but I've become so picky where furniture is concerned. This chair has been nothing but a piece of junk.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

With furniture you generally get what you pay for. I walked around Bobs and I saw nothing but cheap junk. There are often made in the US and made in China versions of the same piece, funny thing is the wealthy Chinese want the ones made in the US and will pay a premium for them.

The furniture and mattress makers do things to confuse you, they will make cheaper copies to sell to discount places and often put different names on them. Mattress makers have a trick where they wrap the same mattress in different color outer fabric and give it a different name to make it hard to comparison shop at different stores.

Really about the best you can do is shop at a reputable store that has a good track record and know that places with phrases like "Discount Furniture" in their name may not have the best stuff.

 

[littlelady]

With furniture you generally get what you pay for. I walked around Bobs and I saw nothing but cheap junk. There are often made in the US and made in China versions of the same piece, funny thing is the wealthy Chinese want the ones made in the US and will pay a premium for them.

The furniture and mattress makers do things to confuse you, they will make cheaper copies to sell to discount places and often put different names on them. Mattress makers have a trick where they wrap the same mattress in different color outer fabric and give it a different name to make it hard to comparison shop at different stores.

Really about the best you can do is shop at a reputable store that has a good track record and know that places with phrases like "Discount Furniture" in their name may not have the best stuff.

I think Dakota realizes all that now. Her chair was a gift. She did not buy it. She has to spend the store credit at Bob's or end up with nothing, and if she didn't her Dad's money would be wasted, too. I appreciate she posted her story so the forum can learn from her learning experience.

 

[Dakota]

I think Dakota realizes all that now. Her chair was a gift. She did not buy it. She has to spend the store credit at Bob's or end up with nothing, and if she didn't her Dad's money would be wasted, too. I appreciate she posted her story so the forum can learn from her learning experience.

That is exactly what it is...

I do fear I have a cheap replica of the Simmons chaise but I just didn't know for sure and I wasn't going to reach into my own pocket and add money to the credited amount because I didn't think anything in the store warranted my doing that.

I do wonder how many people buy furniture without giving it a solid and strict overall view? I checked all seams... all nooks and crannies, looked for loose threads and found very little there acceptable.

One chair they had was advertized as red and I swear to gawd it was fuschia and you have to be all kinds of tacky to put a fuschia colored chair in your living room.

 

[General Lee]

I have 2 pieces of furniture from Bob's. A desk and a recliner. Love the recliner but the desk is junk. I will no longer bother with Bob's. Like previously stated, they have junk and you get what you pay for there.

 

[littlelady]

My daughter had a bad experience with Marlo in Rockville. She bought a dining room set and when it was delivered, the table was flawed. The delivery guy took the report. When she called to get a replacement, they said they never heard of the complaint. She fought it for a long time, but they never replaced it. She had also bought their extended warranty. So, she got stuck with the table and decided to pay for a custom fit glass top that would hide the flaws and prevent further damage from inadequate finishing; plus bought a runner and placemats. Live and learn. Just as Dakota and her Dad did. It is a shame when we don't get what we pay for. It gets to a point that enough energy is spent and being so over it, we move on. It is the same thing that we should check our grocery receipts for wrong pricing, or that docs and dentists charge too much for their services, and most insurance sucks, anymore, etc. etc. etc. But what is someone supposed to do? We try to stay on top of things, but it can be overwhelming if one is paying attention.

 

[Vince]

So ya'll are telling me where not to shop for furniture. How about a place to buy good furniture?

 

[Dakota]

So ya'll are telling me where not to shop for furniture. How about a place to buy good furniture?

There is this guy named Vince that makes furniture, that might be a great place.

Actually, Raley's has nice furniture and I have had luck with this Jackson sofa I bought from Wayfair along with a few other items, otherwise I'd be interested in some places also.

 

[Dakota]

I have 2 pieces of furniture from Bob's. A desk and a recliner. Love the recliner but the desk is junk. I will no longer bother with Bob's. Like previously stated, they have junk and you get what you pay for there.

I bought a desk from a thrift store and in the inside top drawer there is a stamp from "Lea The bedroom people," and this desk has held up over 2 active kids (one is now nearly 17 and the other 20) and has been since redone and put in our living room. I won't get rid of it even if it is on the small side because everything made these days to me lacks quality.

 

[Vince]

There is this guy named Vince that makes furniture, that might be a great place.

Actually, Raley's has nice furniture and I have had luck with this Jackson sofa I bought from Wayfair along with a few other items, otherwise I'd be interested in some places also.

Yeah, but I don't make sofa's.

 

[tommyjo]

I ended up picking a chaise lounge. I saw this same Chaise lounge on Wayfair and knew the reviews were very good, plus no mechanics but once I got home I noticed the chair at Wayfair is made by Simmons and the one I got at Bob's is advertised as a Napoli Chaise. They both look EXACTLY the same. The specs and everything are EXACTLY the same.

So... how does this happen? How can 2 different furniture makers have the exact same appearance in a product but be of different names? I didn't even think that was allowed? Or does Simmons buy the piece and put their name on it and Bob's buy the piece and put their name on it but it is the same piece? I made this section stand out because this is something I am very curious about and was wondering if anyone knew the answer to my questions.

Bob's http://www.mybobs.com/napoli-chaise

Wayfair http://www.wayfair.com/Simmons-Upholstery-Zephyr-Chaise-UFI2082.html

In all this, I will say Bob did honor the warranty and although I have had bad luck with this chair, they are trying to make it right. With that said, perhaps others have had great luck with furniture there but I've become so picky where furniture is concerned. This chair has been nothing but a piece of junk.

This is how retail works...it nothing new. Actually funny for a consumer not to understand this...

One company will make the product (Simmons) and stamp different names on it to be sold at different retailers (Simmons name is on the Wayfair site and Naploi name is used at Bobs). Bob's isn't a manufacturer. Neither is Wayfair. They are retailers.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

I just bought a sofa w/ chaise from Bob's.

It's pretty comfy (considering we finally got rid of the 20 year old couch we were sitting [read, "sucked into"] on). We purposely decided not to go with any mechanical features figuring they'd go to hell in a few years.

My only downfalls:
- The salesman sucked. We were discussing possibly wanting a pull-out bed. He showed us the spring mattress price and said "but you want the memory foam, it's more better".
- We spoke to him about a couch we REALLY liked, but it had attached cushions. We told him that we didn't want attached cushions, as they sag and pull from the couch after awhile. He then tries to sell us on the Goof Proof Plus plan. I ask how a sagging cushion would get fixed under this plan, especially considering it's not mentioned on the plan sheet. He said a sagging cushion "means something is wrong", and they'd fix it. I wasn't falling for that crap.
- They wanted $60 to deliver it. We were going to pay for it, but they are only in our area on days that didn't work for us. I offered to pick it up instead, and save myself $60 (minus gas money to go to Rockville). The salesman obviously gets commission off the entire sale, because he was adamant that we pay for delivery. After repeated attempts to explain the days he offered aren't good for us, we finally got him to allow us to pick it up. He (falsely) told us pick ups were only on Saturdays. He then tells us the couch will be ready the next Friday....
- We get the couch home and realize the sofa and chaise don't have sofa connectors on it. So, we've got a couch, that isn't connected, with felt pads on the feet, on wood floors. It slides around all over the place. It's a cheap fix with parts from HD or Lowes (or a rug), but something we shouldn't have to do.

All in all, make sure your expectations aren't high to begin with, be prepared to talk to these "salesmen" like used car dealers (they dress the part also), and don't get any fancy moving parts. They're cheap for a reason, but should last if taken care of.

 

[lovinmaryland]

That is exactly what it is...

I do fear I have a cheap replica of the Simmons chaise but I just didn't know for sure and I wasn't going to reach into my own pocket and add money to the credited amount because I didn't think anything in the store warranted my doing that.

I do wonder how many people buy furniture without giving it a solid and strict overall view? I checked all seams... all nooks and crannies, looked for loose threads and found very little there acceptable.

One chair they had was advertized as red and I swear to gawd it was fuschia and you have to be all kinds of tacky to put a fuschia colored chair in your living room.

When we were shopping for furniture this past year we checked all the local places Regency, Bobs, Lazy Boy, Value, I feel like we looked forever! It was so hard because every store (other than Lazy) had the same furniture it was just different levels of quality. Bob's obviously the worst, then Value, then Regency... Eventually we decided to go w/ Costco. I know Costco stands by their products and their return policy really can't be beat. Normally from January -April they carry furniture in their warehouse but they always have it online. We were able to get real leather furniture set for less than sets offered at Bob's, Regency, Value etc... that was "performance fabric" (pleather) We've had it for about a year now and are very pleased with it

I will say on a positive note I really liked that Bob's had that refreshment area. That was very nice especially since we were shopping w/ the kids.

So ya'll are telling me where not to shop for furniture. How about a place to buy good furniture?

Check out Costco

 

[Hodr]

Seems like nobody is making good quality furniture anymore. Even the Amish are using pressboard and laminate.

After searching through a dozen stores, I ended up paying almost twice the asking price to have an entertainment center made (by the Amish) from 100% cut wood vs. the ply/press/laminate they usually use in the design.

I understand old growth and sustainable harvesting practices drive up costs, and I don't mind if my toilet paper, cardboard, and paper towels come from recycled or farmed stock, but at least give me the option to buy something well made.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

So ya'll are telling me where not to shop for furniture. How about a place to buy good furniture?

Sugar Creek Ohio, many Amish furniture stores. It is all top quality stuff too.





That or build it yourself.

 

[Dakota]

This is how retail works...it nothing new. Actually funny for a consumer not to understand this...

One company will make the product (Simmons) and stamp different names on it to be sold at different retailers (Simmons name is on the Wayfair site and Naploi name is used at Bobs). Bob's isn't a manufacturer. Neither is Wayfair. They are retailers.

Not everyone is as smart as you obviously

It would be nice if just once you could respond to anything without being a twit.

Anyway, according to what you are posting, the item I purchased from Bob's is the same item as Wayfair just $225 less because Simmons is more known vs. the Naploi name?

I don't recall ever coming across 2 exact pieces of furniture like this with different names so I've never had a reason to question it nor was my internet searching providing any good results. I now find that baffling because according to you, everyone should understand this....

 

[Dakota]

My chaise gets delivered later today... I am excited.

 

[Dakota]

I just bought a sofa w/ chaise from Bob's.

It's pretty comfy (considering we finally got rid of the 20 year old couch we were sitting [read, "sucked into"] on). We purposely decided not to go with any mechanical features figuring they'd go to hell in a few years.

My only downfalls:
- The salesman sucked. We were discussing possibly wanting a pull-out bed. He showed us the spring mattress price and said "but you want the memory foam, it's more better".
- We spoke to him about a couch we REALLY liked, but it had attached cushions. We told him that we didn't want attached cushions, as they sag and pull from the couch after awhile. He then tries to sell us on the Goof Proof Plus plan. I ask how a sagging cushion would get fixed under this plan, especially considering it's not mentioned on the plan sheet. He said a sagging cushion "means something is wrong", and they'd fix it. I wasn't falling for that crap.
- They wanted $60 to deliver it. We were going to pay for it, but they are only in our area on days that didn't work for us. I offered to pick it up instead, and save myself $60 (minus gas money to go to Rockville). The salesman obviously gets commission off the entire sale, because he was adamant that we pay for delivery. After repeated attempts to explain the days he offered aren't good for us, we finally got him to allow us to pick it up. He (falsely) told us pick ups were only on Saturdays. He then tells us the couch will be ready the next Friday....
- We get the couch home and realize the sofa and chaise don't have sofa connectors on it. So, we've got a couch, that isn't connected, with felt pads on the feet, on wood floors. It slides around all over the place. It's a cheap fix with parts from HD or Lowes (or a rug), but something we shouldn't have to do.

All in all, make sure your expectations aren't high to begin with, be prepared to talk to these "salesmen" like used car dealers (they dress the part also), and don't get any fancy moving parts. They're cheap for a reason, but should last if taken care of.

I was thinking about this post. You did bring up something I wasn't originally taking into mind. The Bob's chair was $399 + 60 for delivery + 50 for the warranty.... due to the entire hassle, Bob's gave me free deliverly but when you take all those numbers into play, the difference between the Bob's chair and the Wayfair chair is only $14 less at Bob's.

Bob's had another recliner I actually liked with wooden arms. It was on the small side which is fine for me but at 5'7", I am the shortest person in my household. It wouldn't have worked for them and I don't want to put a chair in our living room that only benefits me. I have a "me" room which has a perfectly good small chair that got kicked out of the living room before but if it breaks and I need to replace it, I may consider buying that one. I thought it was well made and affordable.

I am very pleased with the chaise lounge and so are my pets. I really think they thought I bought them a nice pet bed. In the times I have gone to sit on it, I have had to squeeze in between them.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

I was thinking about this post. You did bring up something I wasn't originally taking into mind. The Bob's chair was $399 + 60 for delivery + 50 for the warranty.... due to the entire hassle, Bob's gave me free deliverly but when you take all those numbers into play, the difference between the Bob's chair and the Wayfair chair is only $14 less at Bob's.

Bob's had another recliner I actually liked with wooden arms. It was on the small side which is fine for me but at 5'7", I am the shortest person in my household. It wouldn't have worked for them and I don't want to put a chair in our living room that only benefits me. I have a "me" room which has a perfectly good small chair that got kicked out of the living room before but if it breaks and I need to replace it, I may consider buying that one. I thought it was well made and affordable.

I am very pleased with the chaise lounge and so are my pets. I really think they thought I bought them a nice pet bed. In the times I have gone to sit on it, I have had to squeeze in between them.

Our dogs aren't allowed on the new couch.

We have to put bar stools on it to keep them off.

 

[lucky_bee]

Our dogs aren't allowed on the new couch.

We have to put bar stools on it to keep them off.