Quality vs Disposable Furniture: What to know before you buy
We’ve all heard the saying, “you get what you pay for," and this is especially true when you're considering purchasing patio furniture for your outdoor space. Several “big box” retailers such as Target, Home Depot and Lowe's carry what the industry secretly deems “disposable furniture”. These types of sets can be purchased at a cheaper price due to the manufacturers cutting cost wherever possible. Let’s dive a little deeper into the differences between what they carry and what American Sale offers.
Built to Sell, Not Built to Last
"Big Box" patio furniture sets typically last 1-3 years at most (especially here in Chicagoland with our weather), giving them the appropriate name “disposable furniture”. They are made from low quality materials that will break, rust, rot, chip and peel. Should a piece need to be repaired, finding a replacement part can be quite the challenge, as these manufacturers are often overseas and are not easily accessible. This is because these types of patio sets are not meant to be repaired. They are meant to be disposed of and replaced after only a few seasons.
For example, if the set you are considering is made from wicker, cheaper materials may have been used to cut costs. Take a look at the difference between the two wickers used below:
From these images, it is easy to see the patio set on the right is made of a much higher quality wicker. The high quality materials provide long lasting durability during harsher climates, are often water and UV resistant and will hold up longer after many years of use.
It is also important to pay attention to whether or not the furniture has replacement cushions available. The more reputable brands make replacement fabrics available for their furniture so that replacement is easy and convenient. These cushions are already made-to-fit and the fabric selection is usually substantial. You will not find this with most mass produced pieces. These brands have the mentality of "you get what you get". So if you're outside of the season you purchased, it will be very hard to find a replacement. American Sale makes sure to only do business with companies that retain fabric styles so we can find a replacement cushion that matches your set or you can easily pick a new style to freshen up your pieces that will fit and look great with your older set!
Warranty, or lack there of…
With major retailers, you typically only receive their 30-90 day return policy, in terms of a “warranty”. Some of the brands they carry do offer a manufacturer warranty, but this is not common on the cheaper options.
With higher quality patio furniture, like the sets we carry, you will receive anywhere from a 2 to 15 year warranty depending on the brand you choose. Fabric cushions are almost never warrantied for more than a year, even the best manufacturer warranties are at 3 years. This is why we also offer Guardian Insurance Plans to help protect your furniture against other elements such as weather, stains, burns or even a naughty pet or an exceptionally creative child! Plus, we always have our friendly American Sale Customer Service team standing by to help you with any questions or concerns.
You get what you get
With big box stores, your options are very limited. They only carry a handful of sets and all of the sets come “as is”. This means that you are not able to customize the pieces or colors.
At American Sale, we carry a wide variety of shapes, styles and colors of patio furniture collections. Should we not carry exactly what you need, we can build your dream set for you! Check out the link to our video below for more information.
Better Product on a Budget vs. Bad Product on a Budget
Our showrooms only contain the highest quality furniture, and we have something for everyone and for every budget! You don't have to skimp on quality because you want to be financially savvy. And our skilled Product Experts are there to help you find the perfect option! We have 60 years of experience helping Chicagoland pick out their perfect patio set, so it's safe to say that we know a lot about what customers are looking for and value. Plus, our selection is like no other store experience.
Warning of the Web
We've heard so many stories from customers who shopped for a set online first and didn't get what they really wanted. Many patio sets look wonderful in photos, but when they come they aren't the right color that was expected, or are smaller than usual furniture (3/4 of the size of regular patio furniture to save costs), and are missing pieces or hardware that you have to find to put together. We've heard all the nightmare stories, and we can assure you that what you see in our showroom is what you will get in your backyard. So come in and fall in love with our beautiful sets in person, they're available in stores and online.
Here's a photo sent from one of our customers who loved the display in our store so much that they bought it and were happy to see it in their backyard!
Delivery and Assembly
Unlike your major retailers, virtually everything on our sales floors is in stock and can be delivered to your home within a week. We also offer white glove delivery which includes delivery, assembly and clean-up of your products. This saves our customers hours of time and headaches and allows them to immediately start to enjoy their new furniture.
With all these things in mind, we can assure our customers that we are the best option for finding their new patio sets! Just like furniture you purchase for inside your home, your patio furniture should be something you use and enjoy for many years to come. Being in Chicagoland ourselves for 60 years, we know how to pick out the right products to ensure our customers get the best possible quality, value, selection, durability and service possible!
So come purchase a patio set or design your own and remember to Bring The Fun Home!