Question:

I ordered a recliner three months ago. The furniture store had 2 shipped in. They claim both were damaged upon receipt. 

I am now being told it will be January before another shipment arrives. The leather had tears in it upon arrival. I don’t know if the furniture store damaged them opening the box or the manufacturer shipped them defective.

Jim W.

Dec. 11, 2020

 Answer:

There is a nationwide shipping shortage (lack of drivers) which has greatly impacted the furniture industry over the past year. Amazon and other major ecommerce giants have been growing rapidly and snapping up every available driver.

Smaller delivery firms and companies with their own trucks (both manufacturers and retailers) are experiencing severe driver shortages.

The cost of shipping has skyrocketed, especially for smaller businesses.

The problem started before Covid19 but has become far worse as the Pandemic has progressed. At my small manufacturing company, we are frequently waiting 2 weeks or more for shipping companies to pick up finished orders. (Prior to 2020, pickup within 24 – 48 hours was normal.) Deliveries of raw materials have also been impacted.

Another problem with the shipping shortage is that shipments are receiving less careful handling. This especially impacts heavy, delicate products such as reclining furniture.

Many deliveries of large bulk items that used to be made by two man teams are now being done by a single person.

Damage to your recliners may have occurred anywhere in the transportation process. My company now spends twice as much to pack our furniture as we used to, just so that it is able to withstand rough handling (like being dropped from a 4 ft. high truck bed onto a concrete surface.) Most furniture manufacturers have not yet taken that step.

The problem is worldwide.

Most U.S. made furniture includes a high percentage of imported component parts. For reclining furniture, this includes most fabrics and mechanisms.

• Severe worldwide shortages of shipping containers are creating months long delays and increasing costs for imported raw materials and finished products.

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