Bob’s Discount Furniture and the case of the fake leather
Posted by rscme on July 1, 2009
It sounds like a Nancy Drew mystery, but it’s not. Recently, Bob’s Discount Furniture started running a TV spot where Bob says that his company was rated the #1 Furniture Retailer of the Year by “Furniture Today” magazine. This is an industry (trade) publication subscribed to and read by other furniture dealers, NOT the public. As much as I have no interest in discussing Bob’s Discount Furniture AGAIN, I have an even stronger desire to make sure the public knows the truth.
And why wouldn’t Bob’s get voted to the #1 spot by his peers. He has great sales numbers, apparent customer loyalty. and fools the public and bilks them out of millions of dollars. He’s a giant success. Other furniture stores only wish they sold as much “bi-cast leather” and “bonded leather”, neither of which are real leather at all. How proud Bob must be to have convinced the public that they are buying quality leather furniture when in fact the processes used to produce this type of “leather” make his leather furniture the ”Pringles” of the leather world.
Pringles are a potato chip-like product made from mashed up potato starches and then scraped across a mold to look like “chips”, then fried. Bonded leather is the same process, only with leather scraps. Bi-cast leather (also called Bicast, bycast, split, or PU leather) is cheap leather which is separated into thin sheets, sprayed with polyurethane, and then put back together to resemble a durable leather product.
However, unless the owner of such a leather piece of furniture is diligent about dusting it, cleaning it with a high quality leather cleaner, and diligent about never touching it with the natural oils from one’s own skin, statistics say it will only last about 18 months. So if you are a neat freak and plan to never let your skin touch your leather furniture then bi-cast leather is for you. Especially when you can buy a “bi-cast leather” chair and ottoman for $299. You really do get what you pay for.
When Bob yells “Come on down!” he doesn’t mean to his store, he means to his level.
Happy furniture hunting.
kdbrk said
I fell into the Bob’s trap – bought a livingroom set that started to fall apart after 2 weeks – I tell everyone all the time “Bob’s sucks, don’t go there!!” What a waste of money!
rscme said
Bob’s Discount Furniture has been a staple in the New England community for many, many years. They have always een a joke and a beacon of poor quality. I am so surprised that ANYONE buys furniture from these people. That is why I wrote the articles I did. Consumers need to understand that they are bing lied to. Average consumers don’t know much about quality furniture. It takes a lot of time and research to learn about good furniture. When people see or hear “leather” they automatically think quality. So when “leather” and “sale” or “discount” appear in the same place, they go crazy and never ask what “bonded” leather really is, or any kind of immitation leather for that matter. Again, Pringles can’t be called “potato chips” for a reason. They are called “potato flavored snacks”. Just because there is potato in them, doesn’t make them what you think they are.
klandry1023 said
haha maybe you should check out a local furniture store. Maybe a big Red and blue one in Sanford down by the old A-frame gas station. Maybe when you’re there the manager (who is me, haha) can show you some REAL furniture, at a good price!! Any store but Bob’s!!! Support Local business!!!
rscme said
Any relation to “J” who used to live in my building in Sprinvale?