When deciding where to shop for furniture, craftsmanship and customer service are key
Sponsored by Bassett Furniture
Deciding where to shop for new high-end furniture can create a serious case of option overload. Some online outlets offer temptingly low shipping costs. Some big box stores entice us to spend less money and more of our valuable time assembling our own pieces. A glut of opportunistic retailers willing to cut corners to cut a deal has created more choices – and riskier investments – than ever.
It’s understandable, then, that craftsmanship is having its moment. Increasingly, shoppers are prioritizing “highest quality” and “best customer service” over “lowest price.” After years of buying it cheap, assembling it yourself and replacing it quickly, discriminating shoppers are turning to top-rated legacy brands like Bassett Furniture that create lifelong customers by refusing to take shortcuts.
“For us, quality craftsmanship isn’t a trend,” says Jordan Long, general manager of Bassett Furniture and Galeries Acadiana, with locations in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. “That’s why we are one of the great furniture brands. It’s how we’ve always done things. And it’s why we’ve been a successful business for over a century.”
Wood furniture is a case in point. Instead of the particle board typically found in bargain-basement products, Bassett offers cedar-lined drawers, English dovetail joints, and deep, multi-step dimensional finishes.
The same applies to Bassett’s upholstery pieces, which allow you to choose from a wide selection of high-quality fabrics or leathers in a range of colors and quality fabrics that are guaranteed to be part of your home for many years to come.
The biggest mistake shoppers make is assuming that quality is unaffordable.
“Our prices compete with those of lesser-made brands and even other quality furniture retailers, even as the durability of our furniture far surpasses theirs,” Long says.
The stores’ bread and butter is made-to-order, American-made custom furniture, which presents both opportunities and challenges in an era of instant gratification. Long and his team work to ensure that getting exactly what their customers want is worth the six-week wait. A focus on quality and customization helps customers see beyond the immediate convenience of mass-produced furniture.
“Our commitment to quality, affordability, and service means that we create long-term relationships with our customers,” Long says. “We know that once you have a Bassett piece in your home, you understand its value and want to return for another. We know that once you work with Bassett Furniture designers, you’ll trust them to help you inspire other projects, too.
“That’s not a relationship that happens with a quick sale, but with a reputation that’s earned after a hundred years of living our vision and values.”
Bassett of Louisiana is proudly locally owned and operated, which results in a different level of customer service than you can expect when shopping online or at a big-box chain store.
“We have a staff that we genuinely care about, and that translates to how our clients are treated,” Long says. “They’re not just a number walking in the door. We help them problem solve. We take it personally.
“We love new clients. But when someone who has bought from you sends their friends, their families and returns themselves, that’s the best feeling in the world.”
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