A friend of mines who just returned from a business trip to China dropped me a note indicating how cheap it would be for several of us to pool our monies together and purchase theater seating directly from China.

He believes that we can get four leather seats with leggett Platt mechanisms delivered to NYC docks for under $900. Here is a link to the manufacturers page: http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/51470403/Home_Theater_Leather_3_Seater_Recliner.html

Should I take him up on this offer?

While the offer may seem tempting my concerns would be with warrenty issues? Who's going to service the chair or correct any quality assurance problems that may arise with them? Just something to think about.

Does China use the same two prong 120 volt outlets that we use here in the USA? I have no idea since I barely ever leave Pennsylvania, let alone my country :D.

While these chairs are made in China, they are not made for China. They are manufactured to US standards and are the same chairs that you could purchase from sellers here.

As far as the warranty aspects are concerned, the cost threshold mentioned would accomodate purchasing an additional chair or two that can be cannabilized for parts on the chance something went wrong.

Typically, you will find that home theater seating holds up pretty well with the exception of the quality of foam used in seating nowadays. They are using 1.8 density which is the same as both Coaster and Berkline.

http://www.wikihow.com/Import-from-China

Interesting that they do have some Palliser seats:
http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?Type=&ssk=y&year=&month=&location=&keyword=&SearchText=palliser&Country=&srchYearMonth=&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=0

CJ

I know this must seem tempting, but I think it is a roll of the dice.

Cutting out the middleman will easily save you at least 15% on the price alone. Likewise, if it is shipped directly to the closest port while skipping a stop in a warehouse, additional savings are possible.

If you are going to order from China, the key is that you have to inspect everything prior to accepting delivery. If you have good eyes, then there are bargains to be had, but if you don't then I recommend staying away from the deal.

In this scenario, there will be several of us so many eyes is very useful.

You really are a 1-track individual..

Did you wife run away with a Berkline recliner at some point?
Did you get beaten up by a gang of brand-name furniture?

Or maybe you're just a cheap furniture salesperson?

chiltown,

There is little markup on the chairs from discount dealers. There would be little savings unless you purchased in bulk and everyone was located in the same area and willing to pick the chairs up. Factor in the duties, finding 20-30 people then you can save a bit but not much, the savings would mainly consist of saving freight costs.

Just SEEMS like you make it sound like us dealers are making so much money, retailers yes at times but those that sell at huge discounts are not. For example we are just scraping by and are seriously considering going part time for awhile. This is where we are at at this point and time. Things are that slow...to be competitive myself and other companies sell cheap but when there is no "bulk sales" then one does not make a living. We don't make much put it that way. Just wanted to clear things up, the markups are not there nor are the sales figures due to current market conditions and people in general with disposable income. Hope this helps, just wanted to hopefully clear things up.

This on top of what driving_hampster already mentioned...where does one go for service in this case should the need arise? Very important thing to consider as well. Everything takes resources.

I couldn't agree with johnsteph10 and power more. Unlesss you are going to purchase a factory in China or part of a factory in China and have someone over there supervise the production of the seats, this is a risky proposition. While purchasing overseas can save money, unless you know who you are dealing with and what you will get, you can get burnt. Plus, as Serge pointed out, the markups by online vendors on Coaster seats and other brands is usually very slim. I doubt that, in the end, you will end up saving money and end up with a product comparable to Berkline or Coaster. If you do decide to do it, I wish you well and hope it works out for you and for everyone involved.

Damn...Chiltown, how long have you been shopping for a set of HT chairs/recliners? I went back and reviewed the threads you've started on this topic and it's been quite a long quest.

Not to pile on, but if you paid yourself for the time you've spent in trying to "save" or bargin shop these chairs...my guess is you could afford to pay full retail at an average local store. Good luck in your quest. In this case, you maybe chasing windmills.

My wife is in the furniture business and they are about ready to stop ordering furniture that comes in from China.

The pieces they want are never in stock locally so they must be ordered.
The shipping method is by container and ship so delivery is typically 3-6 months.
If the article arrives damaged, you can refuse delivery but now you must re-order and wait another 3-6 months.

If you decide to go ahead with this. Please come back to this thread and let everyone know how it worked out and how long it took for you to receive the chairs.

I would think that right now, with the current economy, you could probably find some decent deals locally with a lot less risk.

Slow boat from China theater seat purchases? Hmmmm, I think most of us would pass on it.


Let us know how it works out for you.

Chiltown: Throw all the caution to the wind offered by the others on this thread. I think this will make for an interesting thread to follow your progress and results of the endeavor.

There is little markup on the chairs from discount dealers.

Serge, I acknowledge your statement to be true. I don't believe that dealers make a lot of money. I do however believe that money can be saved by avoiding an innefficient supply chain.

Consider the delta of what happens after the boat arrives on the dock. A dealer will pay to have it shipped to their warehouse and then a customer will pay to have it shipped to their home (there is no such thing as free shipping, it is built into the price).

Shipping of large items in this manner is more costly than the markup charged by the dealer and hence becomes the target for saving.

There would be little savings unless you purchased in bulk and everyone was located in the same area and willing to pick the chairs up.If we ignore the amount of costs avoided by shipping and simply factored in renting UHaul trucks (I don't have to pay myself to drive) then there is some savings in labor as well.

You are correct in that we need to live in the same area which isn't too difficult in the Northeast. I am at ten already.

We want a detailed blog of this event. Pictures of you at the docks etc. A Log of all phone calls, e-mails, letters etc.

The entertainment value could be better than some of this years prime time offerings.

I see a HGTV series about people importing direct from China. Maybe we call it "Kung Fu Bargains".

Consider the delta of what happens after the boat arrives on the dock. A dealer will pay to have it shipped to their warehouse and then a customer will pay to have it shipped to their home (there is no such thing as free shipping, it is built into the price).

The above statement is not always correct. Most online dealers have product shipped directly from one of Coaster's warehouses straight to the customer. They are shipped to Coaster from overseas by the container, of course. Coaster probably ships thousands of containers a year. So, again, I don't think your buying power, QC and especially shipping rates are going to come anywhere near Coaster's or Berkline's (who are now having some seats made overseas). Again, if you decide to proceed, best of luck. Let us know how it turns out.

Well good luck to you...

The containers can't just sit there at the dock so the container needs to be stored somewhere which adds $. Then who will take care of who for warranty purposes, getting everyone the correct chairs, taking care of any defects if any, transportation issues if any, people backing out if any, etc. But if the ten of you just look at the bottom line price (to the dock) while not considering anything else that is your choice. Sure everyone wants to save a buck but one cannot just look at a tentative $900 price. Figure the duty and taxes for one thing, the storage, the U Haul for alot of these people which usually runs around $50-$100 alone by the time all costs are factored in, etc.

It can be done but beware of these additional costs not to mention someone has to be responsible for undertaking the project and taking care of everything. If you are willing to do that then great. Factor in the long wait as well, if your in no rush then it's not an issue. All the best on your endeavor. Factor in what Ken as well. Weight all costs and be careful, everything costs money so "to the dock price" is not the total price.

I ordered an item from a forum sponsor....he had never sent this size of item to the states before....so there were problems between what UPS said in his country and the UPS office in the US. The taxes and duties add up. Finding a broker takes time. The broker costs are not cheap either. Fortunately, I encountered a VERY NICE UPS rep here in the states that walked me through the process and helped me locate a broker. I didn't place this order to save money...I did it to buy this certain item.

It's a pain in the butt and do not want to do this again.

The containers can't just sit there at the dock so the container needs to be stored somewhere which adds $.

Clearing customs is mysterious and takes awhile to learn all the rules. My friend has experience in importing from other countries things that have even more regulations (e.g. food, agriculture, etc) so this is something he already knows how to move.

If the online dealers aren't actually touching the product then that begs another question of why haven't the retailers considered a more direct channel where they split the difference to save customers money and increase their otherwise declining margin.

It has happened in other verticals such as insurance where you used to purchase insurance though your local insurance agency and now many consumers go direct.

Coaster probably ships thousands of containers a year. So, again, I don't think your buying power, QC and especially shipping rates are going to come anywhere near Coaster's or Berkline's (who are now having some seats made overseas).

Volume purchasing is an amazing thing. I currently work for a government contractor, and even as big as the federal government is, this contractor can almost ALWAYS purchase equipment cheaper than the government can. And that includes the contactor's overhead charges. The government purchases things for nationwide use, the contractor purchases things for worldwide use. The savings are sometimes enormous.

I don't see how ten people are going to outbuy Coaster or Berkline and actually save on shipping. Maybe you could get lucky and the manufacturer finds room in a container for a couple of extra chairs at a time (and I doubt a Chineese manufacturer is going to go to any great lengths for a one-time purchase of 20 or 30 chairs), but then who gets the chairs first, etc?

Good luck!

I don't see how ten people are going to outbuy Coaster or Berkline and actually save on shipping.

It is important to understand how business works in China. If you attempt to specify your own design, you couldn't possibly compete with Coaster or Berkline on prices. However, if you go to the same manufacturer of Coasters and Berkline's and you ask them to simply clone a run that is already in progress, you can secure for the same price.

By law, anyone can learn of who manufacturers goods for others as this information is filed with U.S. Customs and is part of the clearing process.

As far as the aspects of shipping, the rates are established based on a container. Coaster and Berkline pay the same rates (generally speaking) to ship a filled container as say a non furniture manufacturer.

Interesting that they do have some Palliser seats:
http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?Type=&ssk=y&year=&month=&location=&keyword=&SearchText=palliser&Country=&srchYearMonth=&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=0

CJ

I bet consumers are really curious as to why there is such a difference in price between what is listed on the website and retail vs a powerbuy? Freight, customs and other misc fees doesn't explain the entire picture.

What do you have against people trying to make a PROFIT?

I bet if you could look at the books of the various businesses who sell HT seating, that after factoring all the costs of doing business for their particular business model whether it be INTERNET versus brick and mortar storefront that none of them is making an obscene profit.

Buy some chairs and enjoy your theater.

What do you have against people trying to make a PROFIT?

One could ask, what do others have against consumers wanting to purchase for the absolute lowest price possible. The diversity of thought on AVS is good in that some will go out of their way to save $5 while others don't mind throwing a little away.

Each person should decide what is best for them.

For those who are interested in an even better deal: http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/51119476/Home_theater_chair.html

This factory makes pieces for Berkline.

chilt,

I think we get the point and a few other members might be interested in your proposal but look at all the countless posts, work, time and effort you have put into your theater seating searches. Hours and hours and if you order a container for example you will have more work and responsability to go along with it as well as post sales service. If you and others are wiling to invest all that time and wait to save a few bucks then more power to you. Especially you, you are not factoring your time in all of this to save that $200-$300. If someone was paying you for your time on this in terms of hours invested "researching" i'm sure you would have earned yourself a FREE row of theater chairs for sure by now LOL.

Each person should decide what is best for them.

Agreed!

http://rougeforthewin.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/throne.jpg

or for some, FREE for pick up:

http://traversa.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/03/18/chair.jpg

The Chinaese chairs (or any chair for that matter) will have quality issues. From ym experience, the Coasters are a fantastic deal, with only some minor quality annoyances. but minor as they may bem they render the seat functionality (reclining) useless, UNLESS you ahve someone to go to for parts.

Case in point, as you may have read in this forum, are the coaster handles. A few of us have had them break, but the dealer (HT Authority in my case) has stepped up to the plate and provided replacements very quickly.

I would never consider buying direct and loose the warranty/support, unless the savings were *monumental*.

I would never consider buying direct and loose the warranty/support, unless the savings were *monumental*.

Please provide your definition of monumental...

Free seats!

please provide your definition of monumental...

Free seats!

I would love for someone to say how this could be accomplished as part of a powerbuy! Seriously, nothing in life is for free...

Chiltown,
As far as I know, anyone can do a Power Buy on the forum. So, with the amount of research you have done, it sounds like you'd be the perfect person to do one. You can pay for it right online on the forum. You already have 10 buyers so that's a good start. Then, everyone can follow the thread and see how it turns out.

As far as I know, anyone can do a Power Buy on the forum. So, with the amount of research you have done, it sounds like you'd be the perfect person to do one. You can pay for it right online on the forum. You already have 10 buyers so that's a good start. Then, everyone can follow the thread and see how it turns out.

Isn't that what he is doing without paying for it?

good point, Roman.

This may end up like the custom intros endeavor.
that being "interesting" for those not making an investment.

You may have noticed that I haven't posted prices in public nor asked anyone to PM me so that I can provide a "quote" offline, so my actions do not constitute a powerbuy.

Now, if others want to steal my idea to make it happen, they are more than welcome...

Now, if others want to steal my idea to make it happen, they are more than welcome...

Steal your idea? You think too much of yourself :)

Roman, I am not sure why you are attacking me personally. I am simply sharing a way for others in this tight economy to save money. I am not selling anything nor have an interest in making a profit off of anyone that visits this forum.

And no, the idea of importing furniture isn't mines and wasn't meant to imply that I was the one who came up with it.

What do you have against forum members making their own decisions as to pay more by shopping with you or choosing a more economical alternative.

chilt,

I think what others are saying and that i tried to touch on is that "bulk" purchasing power makes for a cheaper price. Even if you order 2 containers say for your people interested it will cost more for this reason. If your people are willing to pick up then great they can save some money for the added inconvenience and 3 month + wait time.

Nothing wrong with what you are doing but be careful. People change their minds as well or have other commitments that often times take priority so the people that you do get that are interested may opt out by the time the chairs land. For example and my advice to you is that for quotes and/or phone calls from very interested customers (not counting customers just researching or wanting info but the serious ones) to us directly, we will get 1 or 2 out of 10 that end up buying after all is said and done. We also buy just as cheap as you can but we cant move much product with this market right now.

So my advise is do it but be careful, what you or someone else is proposing is a big responsability prior/during and post sale and you don't want to be stuck with chairs that you can't sell either that are just sitting in the warehouse. And this is assuming you do not get any damaged chairs or chairs with any issues to them. If you order a hundred chairs for example you can expect to have a minor issue with say 2-5 of them and have to deal with it accordingly. So much to think of and plan for and to account for cost wise and time wise. Like i said before it takes resources beyond the "landed" containers, you have to have those resources in place, you can't guess or play along when you are doing something like this...

Most members would agree that the limited savings is not worth it IMO. Then there are the few that want the absolute cheapest they can find without regards to anything else. Common mistake but some do come out a winner in the end. And I say this because we see and you can read countless stories on this forum about members "cheaping out" in one form or another and getting burned in the end whether something goes wrong, something needs to be redone, cost ends up more, etc.

Just be careful and take our advice seriously. That's how the market is right now...money can be tight and priorities change, we get this all the time even after actually placing orders. It would not be prudent to ignore ALL the possibilities. Hope this helps.

Serge,

Be careful when shorting his name - he may get offended and consider it to be a personal attack :)

Chiltown,

I was not trying to attack you in any way. Honestly, I am just truly amazed how naïve you are… I have nothing against people saving money and getting the best possible price. At the same time I always try to remind folks that THE BEST PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST DEAL. While you are on your mission of getting the best possible price (and I believe you have been on that mission for quite a long time) do not try to confuse other people that they will get the best deal... It is just not true, at least not always. Yes, you can get lucky ones or twice, but at some point you are going to get burned and will learn your lesson, and it is not going to be pretty…

What really bugs me is the fact that some people on the forum including you are trying to “provide” some information without having deep knowledge on the subject. Many folks read it and unfortunately believe what they read as a result.

Again, I have nothing against people whose goal is to get the best possible price, but I have seen it too many times - you are going to get what you pay for. And I have seen too many times people paying twice for their mistakes…

chilt,

I think what others are saying and that i tried to touch on is that "bulk" purchasing power makes for a cheaper price. Even if you order 2 containers say for your people interested it will cost more for this reason. If your people are willing to pick up then great they can save some money for the added inconvenience and 3 month + wait time.

Nothing wrong with what you are doing but be careful. People change their minds as well or have other commitments that often times take priority so the people that you do get that are interested may opt out by the time the chairs land. For example and my advice to you is that for quotes and/or phone calls from very interested customers (not counting customers just researching or wanting info but the serious ones) to us directly, we will get 1 or 2 out of 10 that end up buying after all is said and done. We also buy just as cheap as you can but we cant move much product with this market right now.

So my advise is do it but be careful, what you or someone else is proposing is a big responsability prior/during and post sale and you don't want to be stuck with chairs that you can't sell either that are just sitting in the warehouse. And this is assuming you do not get any damaged chairs or chairs with any issues to them. If you order a hundred chairs for example you can expect to have a minor issue with say 2-5 of them and have to deal with it accordingly. So much to think of and plan for and to account for cost wise and time wise. Like i said before it takes resources beyond the "landed" containers, you have to have those resources in place, you can't guess or play along when you are doing something like this...

Most members would agree that the limited savings is not worth it IMO. Then there are the few that want the absolute cheapest they can find without regards to anything else. Common mistake but some do come out a winner in the end. And I say this because we see and you can read countless stories on this forum about members "cheaping out" in one form or another and getting burned in the end whether something goes wrong, something needs to be redone, cost ends up more, etc.

Just be careful and take our advice seriously. That's how the market is right now...money can be tight and priorities change, we get this all the time even after actually placing orders. It would not be prudent to ignore ALL the possibilities. Hope this helps.

Like I said back in the begining of this thread... seems like a roll of the dice to me. ;)
And like was stated above... the economy makes the odds even worse for this to come out in the OP's favor.

I think I read somewhere that warranties for Berkline should be honored by all dealers and not just the one you purchased it for? If there is truth to this, then the servicing issue goes away. If this is really lip service then I would even start to worry about purchasing through either method.

Chiltown,

Did you go forward with your purchase? I'm curious to see how this turns out for you.

I'm all for saving money, but at some point you need to consider that for a couple hundred bucks, there are people who've already are experts at doing this groundwork of importing, who check for quality every day who stand behind their products.

If you do go forward, I'm curious who the other 9 or 10 people are who are coordinating through you for this purchase. If I were them, I'd be asking for your name, permanent address, etc so if my seats show up with scratches, tears, etc.

Anyway, keep us posted on how it goes.

The last I read that Chiltown was looking at discounted seating at Tweeter stores that maybe closing. Since his quest for cheap seats has been going on for months, I would highly doubt he'll be moving forward with any firm plans anytime soon. That's not meant as a "slight", but it would seem (like many of us in this hobby), he enjoys the research as much as the purchase.

Maybe someone could post a thread to help him out on a moderately easy DIY on making your own Powered Home Theater Seating with supplies purchased from China, using leather, 2x4's, and grass clippings for stuffing. Could probably save a couple hundred bucks.