What you will learn from this episode: 

• How ‘lead times’ started to become delayed

• What we are still dealing with in the furniture industry

• My goal in sharing this knowledge and information with you

I’m recording this episode in early May of 2021 and I wanted to talk to you about the largest issue my industry is having right now, and therefore if you’re a consumer, you by default are dealing with right now as well. That is the extraordinary lead times that furniture, furnishings, lighting, and everything to do with my industry is now dealing with.  

If you’re an interior designer, I know you have been pulling your hair out, as have I. And I’m sure you and your team have been spending an inordinate amount of time tracking down open orders or searching for items that are “in stock”, whatever that means right now – which we’ll get into! And everything in between. And then you have to make the phone calls to your client, which nobody enjoys, to tell them how far out their items are, and then dealing with the repercussions.

I want to take a step back…..my industry has always had lead times. Depending on what sofa my client decides on, maybe the frame is already built, maybe it’s not, maybe the material is in stock, maybe it’s not. Either way, the sofa is not just sitting on the factory floor already made. But it all started to change in 2008 when we had the downturn of the economy. Fast forward to 2019 when the U.S. put tariffs on exports from China. And then of course Covid. The beginning of Covid created major shutdowns in China. And then this past winter, the freeze in Texas, greatly impacted the factories there that make the chemical that is the main ingredient of the foam we use to build furniture. Right now, there is an extraordinary delay in furniture, so I want you to understand why. It’s not just Renee at DeVignier Design, or your interior designer’s fault that you aren’t getting your furniture anytime soon.

As things improve obviously timelines will shorten and people will get their product sooner. But in the meantime patience. Patience with your interior designer, workrooms, furniture stores, patience with almost anyone, will be greatly appreciated.

When you see things happening around the world about things like shipping delays, tariffs, etc. it has a global impact. I happen to feel it the most in mine, but I am giving you this knowledge of what is happening around the world, to help you better understand the why, and set people’s expectations accordingly.

Like this Episode?

• Be sure to check out Episode #9 : Home Trends to Consider: A Lesson From a Pandemic

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