Being an outdoor furniture dealer in the age of the Internet is both easy and difficult. It’s easy because there are so many options for seemingly great furniture manufacturers out there. It’s difficult because there are so many options for seemingly great furniture manufacturers out there. With so many options, how can you make sure that you’re investing in the best pieces for your customers? As the furniture industry becomes less and less reliant on word-of-mouth manufacturer recommendations (and more reliant on good old Google), narrowing your choices down to a few high quality options can feel like an uphill battle. That said, it doesn’t have to be; the trick is to know the few non-negotiable qualities to look for in your furniture, and that’s exactly what we’re covering here.
Handmade, Every Time
The difference between handmade furniture and factory-manufactured furniture may not be evident at first glance (although it probably is), but it’ll be glaringly obvious in your customers’ satisfaction and business’s overall reputation over time. When pieces are produced in an assembly line in order to maximize profit, it’s inevitable that numerous mistakes and imperfections will fall through the cracks–not to mention that the process itself is designed to generate profit, not to produce long-lasting furniture, so the standards to which these mass-produced pieces are held aren’t that high to begin with.
On the other hand, handcrafted pieces are exactly that: they are given an expert’s individual attention from the beginning to the end, starting when they’re nothing more than raw materials. Choosing quality, well-designed and well-constructed pieces means investing in the furniture that’s been made with a great deal of care and years’ worth of well-honed craftsmanship. That’s something you can never get from an assembly line. Always look for manufacturers who take pride in crafting their pieces by hand.
The Best Materials
Craftsmanship is only one piece of the puzzle; pieces that look beautiful and last for many years must come from materials that are worthy of that challenge. To that end, we recommend going with a furniture manufacturer who is transparent about where exactly their pieces come from–and that place should be right here in the USA.
When a furniture manufacturer invests in domestically made pieces, it means they’re willing to spend more money on quality materials, having gone out of their way to be as involved as possible in the manufacturing process before it even officially begins. Companies that source their materials here in the USA are re-investing their money into other domestic businesses, all while upholding a high standard of quality for their furniture. That’s a winning combination that speaks volumes about a manufacturer’s business ethos and production quality.
A Seamless Process
Of course, quality outdoor furniture is no good if actually purchasing it is as difficult as going into a maze blindfolded. It’s a good idea to build long-lasting relationships with quality furniture manufacturers, and the best businesses to do that with are the ones who make purchasing from them both pleasant and easy. Look for a furniture manufacturer whose website is intuitive and easy to navigate, displaying a few of the following features:
- A clear, concise menu that makes it easy to navigate where you need to
- Transparent information about their manufacturing process and warranties
- Easy-to-access “contact us” information so that you never have to wonder how to get more information
If a company has placed a lot of thought into the experience you’ll have on their website, it’s a good indicator that they’re professional, organized, and prompt in business dealings, and it bodes well for your long-term relationship.
It can be difficult to find quality manufacturers as an outdoor furniture dealer, but knowing the most fundamental qualities to look for helps to make it a little easier. If you’re on the hunt for beautifully designed, long-lasting furniture, look no further than Windward’s collections. Click here to learn more.