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It’s no secret that COVID19 has affected just about everyone in one form or another. Shutdowns, product shortages, and little inconveniences that most of us are not used to dealing with have had an impact everywhere, from businesses to personal lives.
One of the essential things that have been impacted during the pandemic is the furniture industry and global shipping. Larger products manufactured overseas and local factories have experienced many delays in the building and shipping process.
At Furniture Fair, we’ve seen the effects that COVID19 has had on furniture orders, and we want to help explain how a furniture order can be affected and what you can do about it. We want to make sure that you are as knowledgeable as possible during our world’s unusual circumstances.
If you are considering ordering furniture during the events of COVID19, you might not know how much the global pandemic can affect your furniture purchase. The purchase that you make at your local furniture store may have gone through quite an adventure to get to you.
This article will give you a little glimpse into your furniture’s journey to get to your home and provide a few examples of how a global pandemic can affect that journey and what you should do if your furniture is delayed.
In the past, you may not have placed much thought into where your furniture is built. Unless you like to buy local or made-in-USA, you might not know where your furniture is manufactured. As it turns out, a significant portion of your furniture comes from across the ocean.
The major countries that overseas furniture comes from are Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China. These countries have robust furniture manufacturing centers that take raw materials and create a table, which is then shipped worldwide to furniture stores, where it is then sold to customers just like you.
American-made furniture is made using two methods. The raw materials used to make the furniture are sourced from inside the USA, or they are sourced from overseas and then assembled in the USA. Unfortunately, COVID19 can affect both methods of manufacturing.
The 2020 shutdown of many manufacturing plants and furniture businesses created a shortage in manufacturing supplies, unfortunately still affecting furniture stock today. With companies not being able to employ workers, no furniture could be made.
Once many manufacturers were allowed to return to making furniture, the plants began to move again; however, due to COVID19 regulations, fewer workers were allowed to work and, to ensure health and safety standards, larger proximities had to be maintained between people, which resulted in fewer workers being employed.
The lack of furniture manufacturing during the months of the 2020 shutdown and the current limitations on working environments has left suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers scrambling to get the product out to meet the demand for furniture.
With the lack of supply comes another issue that only adds to the strain on available furniture.
The pandemic has affected many things that would probably not have been as noticed as before, and one of those things was people spending more time at home with their furniture. Nothing gets people to view their old furniture quality objectively, like sitting on it for three months straight.
Once people realized how uncomfortable or outdated their old couches, beds, and recliners were, the demand for new furniture grew exponentially. Unfortunately, the lack of new furniture manufacturing during the pandemic has meant a shortage of furniture in-stock.
Thankfully, manufacturers and retailers have been working harder than ever to get furniture in stock as quickly as possible so that you can find the furniture that you want, bring it to your home, and replace your worn, outdated furniture.
Believe it or not, the furniture that makes it to showroom floors may have traveled around the world to get there. If your furniture is not made in the USA, the chances are that it came from a manufacturing plant somewhere overseas.
Furniture made overseas is placed in large containers transported to cargo ships, traveling across the globe to the destination. Once there, the boxes are transported via truck to their respective warehouses, where they will wait for your order.
Unfortunately, the pandemic has created a backup in the shipping industry, which means that furniture that is made overseas cannot make it to global retailers until spots open up on the transport vessels.
Lack of shipping space has only made the demand for new furniture greater, and many customers are either eagerly waiting for the furniture they want to ship or hunting for any furniture in stock.
While the shortage of furniture due to shipping makes life a bit more difficult for all parties involved, the furniture will still find its way to your home.
Manufacturers, shipping companies, and retailers worldwide are working tirelessly to sort through the back-logged furniture and get the product to the customers.
The shutdown in 2020 led to many non-essential methods of delivery being cut off from the rest of the business world, and one of those was furniture delivery.
Thankfully most delivery portions of furniture retailers are back in business and ready to deliver furniture, but sadly, they cannot deliver what they do not have.
The combination of manufacturing limitations and shipping container backups has left many retailers in a kind of limbo, waiting to deliver furniture that still hasn’t been delivered to their warehouses. The orders are there but the supply hasn't yet caught up to the demand.
Thankfully once the furniture does arrive, delivery teams will be ready to deliver your furniture order quickly, using a variety of protection plans and delivery methods, including safer no-contact Curbside Shipping.
Ok, so now you might be thinking, “That’s good to know what’s going on with furniture delays, but how does that help me get the new furniture that I need?”
To help you figure out the best method for shopping furniture during the pandemic, we’ve put together a list of several ways to shop during COVID19.
A safer bet for getting your furniture faster is to order from companies that source material and manufacture entirely within the United States.
While the shutdown has also affected American manufacturing, the lack of overseas shipping gives made-in-USA companies a slight advantage. It lets them make and ship furniture a bit faster.
If you are looking for furniture and need it as soon as possible, look for furniture advertised as in-stock. Stocked furniture is already available at the location, and when you want something fast, in-stock furniture is your best bet.
Your choices will be a bit more limited, especially during pandemic events, but if you need new furniture fast, in-stock choices are the fastest option. Ask your salesperson to show you what items are in-stock, and you should be able to shop for available furniture.
This final shopping method during COVID19 involves a lot of patience and perseverance but will ultimately pay off. If you want a specific look or product, you may have to wait for the manufacturing process to meet demand.
If you want a specific product such as a Smith Brothers chair, it’s better to get your order when you can, as the demand for new furniture has only been increasing.
If you've found the perfect furniture for your home, waiting a few months for something that will last five to ten years will be worth the hassle. Your patience will be rewarded when you have a bed, sofa, or dining set that matches your style and decor perfectly.
COVID19 has affected just about every industry in the world, and the furniture industry is no exception. Furniture manufacturers, shipping companies, and retailers have been working hard to bring the volume of furniture back up, but it is a gradual process.
If you keep in mind the methods for shopping we mentioned in this article, you may be able to get your furniture faster. Remember to look for furniture in-stock if you are in a hurry and buy made-in-USA for a better chance at a quick turn-around.
If you are looking to enhance your home with some new furniture, consider shopping Furniture Fair for in-stock or ordering for delivery. We have been in business for over 50 years, and we have a wide variety of mattresses, living room, dining room, bedroom furniture available.
We have over 11 locations throughout the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Louisville areas, and we offer a wide variety of payment and delivery options, including curbside shipping.
