Everyone knows how much I love my internet peeps worldwide! But this Valentines day, after getting my refund for the abuse over at Vertical Scopes "BenzWorld.org"
I decided to take Brandee out to go furniture shopping... And check out my adventures that kept me at bay most of the day yesterday.
So it was Valentines day and I paid a visit to some old friends at another forum, but more about that in another thread...
Afterwards, I then proceeded to Art Van to check out a new sectional with the woman as sort of a Valentines day effort to buy a new sofa that would allow everyone to enjoy the newer TV in the living room and to finally lay to rest the old ones. Prior to this I went online to see if there were any "sales" or "discounts" as any reasonable shopper would.
With woman in tow we enter the furniture store and find two sectionals that we both agreed we could live with, then went outside to have a smoke to discuss how we were going to work them down, because as you know there is a HUGE mark-up in furniture. For an example, if you go to the Art Van website they are advertising 65% off PLUS another 25% off... Seems pretty simple right? 90% off!
Well of course we both knew this was BS going into it, and heres how it breaks down... They have a "suggested retail" which they take 65% off, said "MSRP" is usually some way over inflated number, totally unrealistic in any imaginable reality given the fact one of the sectionals was made of micro fiber and the other pleather aka vinyl, which was fine by me because we got kids and a dog and they managed to thrash the last real leather sofa set in short order.
So here is how the prices broke down for the exact items I was looking at
This particular set was my favorite, made of a cool color micro fiber, dual recliners, 3 tables and 2 lamps advertised @ $1799.90 after 65% off + 25% off! LOL! So 10% of this sofa's value is apparently $1799.99 - do the math as to the "suggested retail".
Then there was this pleather vinyl, which the wife liked the most... Don't ask me why..
This particular sectional was listed @ $799.90 and that is apparently after 65% + 25% off... So 10% of this pleather sectional is apparently $799.99 from whatever number would be considered "MSRP" @ + 90%. LOL PLEATHER!
After getting my head around the math, and coming to the conclusion that there is obviously a LOT of room in these items, I decided to make things even more interesting for them by applying for their in-store credit with 1 year no interest. Was approved on the spot for $3500, but truth is I had $2g in my pocket and I was looking for a deal.
After making an offer on the first set in the amount of $1700 CASH out the door, they balked. Then as a punishment I let them in on the womans favorite which was only $799.90 but didn't include a bunch of cheap tables and lamps... To this I peeled off $700 crisp Benjamin's and slapped each on on the desk where the sales rep, and now the manager were sitting. They didn't like it, they just lost $1000 in sales and you could tell they knew it. Upset they told me the best they were going to be able to do was $799.90, regardless if I paid cash or credit! And it would take TWO WEEKS to get them in!
I said to the guy, "this is real simple", we will take the one on the floor for $700 cash, as is, no warranty and he should get his guys to start wrapping it in cellophane and loading it into my truck... To which he replied that he could not sell me the floor unit! LOL! I asked him why!?? And his answer was that because then other people would want to do that... I looked around the store and asked the guy what other customers had been around to even know as it had been just me and the Mrs. for the past hour! Who the heck would know! He didn't seem to like that either...
So we left, now we're checking elsewhere... We had a good time, and honestly we were ready to buy in more ways than one... But you know how these furniture salesman are... I may have been willing to go $100 if even one of the people in there complemented me on my hat, but as it stands I guess I'll just have to make my existing couch work for a few more months until however long it is before people are ready to be reasonable. All of the stuff was made in China, and none of it carried the Art Van label.
On the brighter side... I was able to pick up a used DVD copy of Young Guns for $3.75 with free shipping! Which given the estimated time of arrival thru media mail, should arrive just about the same time as we find a furniture store that is willing to bargain.
Such fun... So I dodged a bullet, at least for awhile until we check prices elsewhere. Any way you slice it, we weren't going to get anything for two weeks, so no point leaving my cash behind for that nonsense.
I guess you can't always get what you want.. But I had one hell of a Valentines day yesterday! I hope everyones was just as much fun!
Oh, and FYI - I had a phone, wallet, pack of smokes, lighter and my car keys in my sweatshirts front pocket... I had to mention it because after looking at the photos I thought, man look at that gut! Then I realized, oops - I should have taken all that crap out of my front pocket! LOL, almost thought I was turning into a fat a$$ like Stoma.
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
Your wife likes the "pleather" suite simply because it's 100-times easier to clean, & it will always look like new.
These furniture places really take people for suckers, & make a killing on selling people stuff that they didn't want, since it wasn't in stock, & had a 2-week wait attached to the items...So if you've just moved into a new place, & need furniture & a bed, guess what ?....You're not likely to get what you really wanted, unless you're prepared to sleep on the floor & have your friends sit on your carpet when they visit.
This type of stuff happens here too....Unless you're prepared to pay really big bucks of course...
If you really like the pleather, I'd leave a deposit, & grab it when it arrives. Get all the smaller stuff elsewhere.
Alternatively, you can get some awesome S/H real leather stuff at different places too, though they're still expensive. A lot of this stuff is bought, & then never used, as it was too expensive to buy in the first place, & has spent its life covered in bed-sheets & blankets in a house with too many rooms, that never got a visit, as there was no TV there LOL !
Good luck,
Rastus
-- Edited by Rastus on Wednesday 15th of February 2017 10:18:40 AM
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
EVERYONE KNOWS THE UMNEYS BUY THEIR SHIT FROM THE GOODWILL OR PICK THEM UP FROM SOME STREET CORNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT SURPRISED THESE AMERICAN COMPANIES DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH ILLEGAL PIECES OF SHITS LIKE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY GOTTA FEED THEIR FAMILIES AND HAVE A BUSINESS TO RUN...................... THEN YOU HAVE BOTTOM FEEDERS LIKE REX COMIN IN AND LOW BALLIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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LIKE A PHOENIX RISING FROM THE ASHES.................... HERE TO SHIT ON REX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
