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There are growing concerns with manufacturing furniture abroad.

There are many reasons why it is quicker and more efficient to manufacture sofas in the same country. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is that furniture manufactured abroad has a further distance to travel and therefore the time it takes to manufacture, ship, pass customs and reach your doorstep is likely to take much longer than furniture that has been manufactured and shipped within the UK. In addition to this, furniture manufacturers outside of the UK usually have to wait until they have a certain amount of orders before it becomes economically viable for them to dispatch the goods, and therefore this could result in a rather lengthy wait for some customers. With view to this, it can be very difficult for even the best of sellers to give a reliable delivery date. What’s more, manufacturers in the UK are able to transport goods weekly, if not daily, enabling them to provide a much more efficient service. Furthermore, if there was an issue with the furniture in the first place, the return and restoration process will also take a lot less time than the overseas process.

Additionally, the distance between the place of manufacturing and the place of purchase will most definitely become a problem if there is a fault with the item of furniture and it needs to be repaired or returned. Despite the fact that the supplier may be based in the UK, spares or replacements will need to be ordered from abroad and therefore another long wait may ensue. Conversely, if the goods are manufactured in the UK, although there may be a slight delay whilst repairs are being done or replacements are being issued, the lack of intercontinental trade means that these can take place much more quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a result of the long distances that non-UK manufactured furniture has to travel, there is a much higher likelihood of it being damaged in transit, again possibly resulting in a lengthy wait for a replacement.

Essentially, it is the distance between the buyer and the place of manufacture that causes the most problems for people who buy furniture that is manufactured abroad as it can result in unpredictable delivery dates, goods damaged in transit and all sorts of complications if a replacement or repair work is required. Nevertheless, many of these risks can be minimised by purchasing furniture from a reputable supplier and ensuring that it is manufacture is UK based.