LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Supply shortages are leading to long delays for furniture purchases at retailers across the country.
What You Need To Know
- Supply shortages leading to long delays for furniture purchases
- Airan McMichael purchased a kitchen table set in August, but it didn't arrive until February
- Demand went up as people did projects during the pandemic, and there is a shortage on things like fabrics
- The shortages and delays have proved beneficial for local consignment shops
Louisville resident Airan McMichael learned that the hard way. She bought a kitchen table set in August. Six months later, that kitchen set finally arrived in February.
“We did know there would be a delay. We just didn’t know it would be a six month delay,” McMichael said.
While that was welcome news, it wasn’t the end of her furniture debacle. She said when the table arrived, there were some issues. She isn't having to pay for the replacements, but she did have to wait. The retailer replaced the tabletop soon after McMichael called, but the parts for the two chairs and barstools that need to be replaced were not in the store, so she is waiting once again.
“We are out of half of our seating for a dining table,” McMichael said.
Her frustrating furniture purchase is not unique. Retailers across the country are facing delays during the pandemic. Two main things are driving that trend. First, demand went up as many people were doing pandemic projects at home during quarantine. On top of that, there’s been a shortage of things like fabric, which is often shipped from overseas.
That burden has actually been a benefit to Eyedia Design It Again, a consignment furniture store in Louisville.
“We’ve seen an increase in the number of customers coming in to give us a shot because they are looking for other avenues and other options for them because those new pieces are just not as readily available,” store manager Krista Shipley said. Her customers can take furniture home that day or that week if they want to, which eliminates the waiting game so many have been playing when purchasing new furniture.
If you don’t take the consignment route, McMichael has this word of warning based on her experience.
“I don’t want anybody going into it thinking they are going to get their furniture immediately or in a timely manner, because right now, it does not seem like that is the case for anyone,” McMichael said.