NB Liebman Furniture

Take Refuge from our Economic Woes at N.B. Liebman

2012-01-26T08:51:00.000-08:00

A belated Happy New Year to all readers of this blog. To those of you joining us for the first time, we use this space to report on what is happening at N.B. Liebman (such as our Needy Family Giveaway and our Decorating Seminars) and also to provide worthwhile tips to prospective furniture shoppers. These tips can run the gamut from economic news to how smart shoppers can distinguish between different products on the market to how to guard against deceptive advertising practiced by other retailers - one of my pet peeves!

We begin 2012 with a mixed bag of economic news. At first we were told that the unemployment rate came down a tick or two. But then, after Christmas, the number of new applications for unemployment increased, presumably because temps hired to work the Christmas rush were now unemployed again. The 30 year mortgage rate hit an all time low this month, but prospective home buyers were not stepping up to buy new homes. The reason? The new requirements of credit score and higher downpayments are providing obstacles that many folks wishing to participate in the American Dream of home ownership simply cannot overcome. And until the backlog of used homes on the market is reduced, where is the incentive for builders to resume putting up new ones?

Consumer spending is the biggest driver of GDP, and shoppers spent money cautiously but enthusiastically in the Black Friday through Christmas time period. But early indications are that retail sales in January remained sluggish.

Moreover, a casual glance at the classified ads in the local paper shows a continued scarcity of job openings. Where are all of the jobs we need going to come from? How many jobs have been outsourced, never to return? One bright spot- GM, Ford, and Chrysler are growing again and hiring more workers.

And there is some more good economic news to report. A relatively mild winter has saved businesses and homeowners a fortune in heating and snow removal costs. February may bring us a few wicked storms, but the savings in December and January have been significant.

At N.B. Liebman, we began the year with a staff meeting in which all management renewed their pledge to continue making the shopping experience at our stores as enjoyable as possible. . Our selection will continue to be the most up-to-date in the mid-state, and our sales associates will be knowledgeable, attentive, but never pushy. You can browse to your heart's content at N.B. Liebman without anyone breathing down your throat. Our customers continually tell us how much they like that.

And, as I mentioned earlier in this blog, we will not insult our customer's intelligence by telling them we are offering a savings of 50% ,60%, 70% ,or 80% off, when we most certainly are not! Nor can anyone else and remain in business! But we are still the only prominent furniture retailer in the area that does not run that kind of deceptive advertising. Our customers tell us they do not even pay attention to those ridiculous claims anymore. The know whan they are being bamboozled. When N. B. Liebman puts something on sale, the savings are real - you can count on it!

So I suggest you hunker down for the rest of winter in a comfortable new Barcalounger or Tempurpedic memory foam mattress from N.B. Liebman. Those are 2 of our best selling categories. Rest assured that you're getting quality merchandise at a fair price backed up by our outstanding customer service.

And maybe by the time Spring arrives, you can poke your head out the door, find warm sunshine, the Phillies back in action in Citizens Bank Park, and that our elected officials have put partisan bickering aside long enough to jump start our economy by the second half of 2012!

Until next time,
Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture http://www.nbliebman.com/

And the Winner is...

2011-12-28T11:06:00.001-08:00

For the 3rd consecutive year, NB Liebman partnered with CBS21 in our Houseful of Furniture Giveaway. A family in Central Pennsylvania was chosen to be the recipient of beautiful furniture for their living room, bedroom and dining room!
Over 1000 people nominated themselves or loved ones to win this wonderful prize. The entries were all read and the winner was chosen! Below is the beautiful essay written by Central Dauphin East Senior, Nishan Pressley, about her mother, Heather Pressley.

Charles Liebman with 2011 Houseful of Furniture Winner, Heather Pressley and her daughters

Dear N.B. Liebman Furniture, This nomination is straight from my heart. It's not a made-up sob story; it's the truth. Before September 8th, 2011, my life was like any typical teenager's. It circled around school, movie dates and homework. Even though I lived in a single-parent household with my mom and younger sister, I lived a care-free life. My mom never burdened me with the finances or any other issues she was having, and she never showed it on her face; she was a strong woman. On September 8th, 2011, we lost our home. Not by foreclosure or by choice, but by natural disaster. Everything was washed away in the Great Flood of 2011: materialistic items, along with our hopes and dreams, were gone in a matter of hours. This was the first time I saw my mother truly cry. At first glance I thought that my mother was crying because our house was underwater. Boy was I wrong and naive! My mother's tears showed defeat; an emotion seldom on her face. I can't describe to you the helpless feeling that was present in the pit of my stomach; a feeling of confused and scrambled emotions. This is what my mother worked for; her first house she ever owned - a place where our childhood memories will forever be - washed away, but not forgotten. The Christmas holiday is right around the corner, but this year is different. Usually, our tree would be put up by now, along with our Christmas lights in our front yard. The smell of Christmas incense would be present in the air, and Christmas movies would be on repeat. With the burden of our house being rebuilt, bills for our apartment, my mom's car in the auto shop, and college applications for me; Christmas spirit just hasn't been in the air. Everyday when my mother gets home from work, I can see the stress on her face and the defeat in her body language. If I could give one thing to mom for Christmas, it would be an ounce of optimism. Even though times get hard, we still have each other to lean on, each other to pray with, and each other to love. By winning the Houseful of Furniture contest, I may be able to remind my mother of old times, with our Christmas movies, our Christmas incense, and our Christmas light decorations. We may have lost everything in the flood, but we can't lose our hope. Hope is all we have when everything else is gone. Have a blessed and safe Christmas, and Thank You for listening to my story. Sincerely, Nishan Pressley.

Veronica Rodgers and Bee McQuillin were also chosen as our second and third place winners. These nominees were also victims of the flood of 2011. Each will receive a gift certificate to NB Liebman Furniture to help them get there homes back in order.

We would like to thanks CBS21 and all who took the time to write the beautiful essays that were received. We look forward to next year! We plan to make Christmas 2012 extra special for three more families!

Please see our Facebook page for pictures of the Pressley family while they were in our store picking our their bedroom, living room and dining room!

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, NB Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

NB Liebman is the First Place Winner, Again!

2011-12-21T09:22:00.000-08:00

The results are in. Once again, Susquehanna Style Magazine has announced that NB Liebman is the first place winner in their annual "Who's Who in Business" (Furniture Store Category) for 2012 in the Harrisburg market.

This is the only statistically accurate poll taken in the mid-state, and all of the NB Liebman staff is thrilled to have finished first for the third straight year!

Take note that I said Susquehanna Style magazine's poll is the only statistically accurate survey of consumer preference taken in this region. Conducted by the independent market research firm, Polk-Lepson of York, PA, the survey adheres to the ethics and statistical methodologies set forth by CASRO (Council of American Survey Research Organization). It identifies the region's leaders in a variety of business categories as determined by a random sample of the residents of each market.

You may be familiar with Harrisburg Magazine's "Simply the Best" contest. Though I do not wish to disparage their efforts in any way, the results of their popularity contest have no validity because businesses can affect the outcome by passing out ballots to their friends and associates, or by encouraging people to vote numerous times on the Internet using different identities. So if your favorite beautician puts a "Simply the Best" sign in their window, you can't be sure if they deserve the recognition or not.

But when you finish at the top of the "Who's Who in Business" survey, it's the real thing. Why has NB Liebman been chosen the leader in our business category? I think it is because we present the most up-to-date selection of fashionable furniture in the mid-state. We price reasonably and work tirelessly to satisfy every customer. We use our own customers in our TV spots - who better to tell you about the great shopping experience NB Liebman provides?

And, of course, we never resort to deceptive advertising practices like so many other home furnishing retailers. We refuse to insult our customer's intelligence by telling them something is worth 2 or 3 times more than we sell it for.

I saw a TV commercial recently wherein a local mattress chain offered, "Buy 1 queen mattress set for $999 and get another absolutely free!" How can a store give you two sets for the price of one and stay in business? Well, simply put, they can only make this offer by doubling up the normal price of the first set, and then throwing in the second set at no extra charge. We hope that shoppers are getting too smart to fall for this. If you are reading this blog, I hope I am referring to you!

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, NB Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

Needy Family Furniture Giveaway

2011-11-21T12:14:00.001-08:00

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Its time for our third annual N.B. Liebman/CBS21 "Houseful of Furniture" Giveaway! Yes, for the 3rd consecutive year, we are partnering with CBS21 in this exciting event. CBS21 news anchor, Tonya Foster, and I have teamed up on a series of promotional announcements about the event that we are airing on CBS21.
Somewhere in Central Pennsylvania, one family will be chosen to be the recipient of beautiful furniture for their living room, bedroom and dining room. It could be you!
If you would like to nominate yourself or a friend or family member, go to http://www.nbliebman.com/ and click on the "Houseful of Furniture" icon on our homepage to submit your entry. Or, stop in to either N.B. Liebman location, Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg or Jonestown Road, Colonial Park to pick up an entry form in person.
The most deserving family will be chosen, and the announcement will be made on our website on December 19, 2011, and also on CBS21. The family will also appear on a CBS21 newscast as well!All of our N.B.Liebman associates look forward to this event each year, and are thrilled to help a family in need with our Christmas present of new furniture.

Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

Answering Questions from Our Email Bag

2011-10-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

W.B. from Newville asks,
Does it make sense to buy furniture from a second hand store?
Thanks for the question, W.B..... beautiful little town you live in. Well, it is chic to be cheap today, so I do understand folks wanting to go that route. What I recommend, however, is to visit the heirloom quality consignment shops, and look for something that was made very well (like an 18th century style diningroom set from 40 years ago). A top brand like Baker, Heritage, Drexel, or Henredon. That's where you really get value. To buy a used (relatively new) piece of popular price furniture doesn't make sense to me because prices on brand new goods have come down so much in recent years that you can buy new for little more than the resale shop is asking. And then you don't have to worry about bedbug infestations or the like. If you positively must buy used because your budget is very tight, I am told that Craigslist is a good source to visit on line. That would appeal to me because then I can at least check out what kind of home the furniture is coming from when I go to look at it. In summary, visit conventional stores like N.B. Liebman's Value Center area in Mechanicsburg and those stores selling lower quality goods as well, and see what new couches, end tables, etc. cost before you shop the second hand store. That way you will know if you are really saving money. Remember, some of those dealers are out to rip you off if you are not an educated consumer.

Margeaux62 from York asks,
Is 30% off and then 30% off of that price a good deal?
Well, Margeaux62, it sure sounds like a great deal! But, first of all, 30 plus 30 doesn't equal 60% off as it sounds like it should . It's really only 50% when you do the math... Gotcha, didn't they? And always remember - any discount off a heavily inflated comparative price is not a deal at all! Stores that routinely advertise 50% off have found that consumers are not responding like they used to do. And so they are raising the bar by offering 30% off and then another 30% off of that amount to fool you once again.

SuzieQ from Harrisburg asks,
How can a mattress store offer 50% off every mattress in the store and still stay in business?
Well, SuzieQ, I think you know the answer - they can't! But if you mark everything up 400% and then cut it in half, you can stay in business by fooling all of your customers in just this fashion. So proceed with caution - there are deceptive advertisers out there waiting to trap every unwary consumer. Shop at N.B. Liebman if you want honest pricing and real savings. Some mattress stores also have terrible reputations for customer service as well. Just google XYZ store customer complaints, and see what I mean.

Your questions are always welcome!
Until next time,
Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, www.nbliebman.com

Gloomy Weather and Economic News, Too

2011-10-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

If you are a resident of Central Pennsylvania, its safe to say you've had enough rain, thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornados (and earthquakes??). Most of us have never seen anything like it. By the time our basements dry out, we are battered again by another torrential late afternoon drenching.

To those residents of the Mid-State who have suffered major damage to their homes and possessions, all of us at N.B. Liebman extend our sincere best wishes ,and hope your lives will return to normal soon. We often see victims of natural disasters on TV saying things like "I've lost everything. I have to start all over again." Apparently, we have a great reserve of intestinal fortitude that we don't know we have until we have to tap into it.

Along with the gloomy weather , there is nothing to cheer about on the business pages either. Traders are worried about Europe's ability to contain its debt crisis. The economy has expanded at an annual rate of 0.7% in the first six months of this year, the weakest growth since the recession ended. If it did end!

In August, employers added zero net jobs, and the unemployment rate stayed at 9.1% for the second straight month.

Housing prices have fallen 30% or more since the peak in 2007. Some people have had their homes on the market for a year without a single offer.

About 25% of American home owners owe more on their house than what it is worth. They are "under water" as the expression goes, and not from the weather.

So it's a great time to buy a house, and mortgage rates are the lowest I have ever seen. But lenders are requiring higher credit scores and bigger downpayments than many prospective buyers can muster.

Gasoline prices have dropped recently though they are still above where they were a year ago. All the pizza chains are rolling back prices, in an effort to get our business. Be thankful for small favors.

With all of this troubling news and weather comes an increase in "cocooning," defined as a trend that sees individuals retreating into their home more, insulated from the outside world.

And that's where N.B. Liebman comes in. You didn't think I would write this without a connection to furniture, did you?

But, really, furniture values have never been better. Our current promotion, "Fall Furniture Frenzy," offers unprecedented discounts to cash buyers or long term interest free financing to those who prefer to stretch their payments over 1,2, or 3 years.

If you are going to make your home your castle, you need to purchase a new reclining sofa, a memory foam mattress, flat screen TV console, home office desk, or a counter height dining set(you'll feel like you're at a local pub.)! N.B. Liebman has them all!

We all get hassled from the outside world, and from our daily commute and pressure at work. The ability to come home to our own little cocoon is very stress relieving.

So break out of the doldrums! Come to N.B. Liebman and go home with some beautiful new furniture, and see if that doesn't make a cloudy day look a lot brighter.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

N.B. Liebman's Fall Furniture Frenzy!

2011-09-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

As the summer winds down, economic news indicates there is a risk we may be heading into another recession. But as many of us believe, we never truly came out of the first one.

Job growth screeched to a halt last month as modest hiring by private employers was offset by continued government layoffs. Total payrolls were unchanged as was the 9.1% unemployment rate (about 2 points lower in Central Pennsylvania).

This is consistent with recent signs of a weakening economy including low consumer confidence, and slowing factory orders.

Now, how does this affect you - a resident of the mid-state intending to make a furniture purchase in the immediate future? Well, quite frankly, it means you have to be more alert than ever to deceptive techniques used by all advertisers detirmined to get your business at any cost. Stores are anxious to do business, and will pull out all the tricks to make it happen. Phony claims of savings , and, just as bad, inferior merchandise photographed and described to be of decent quality await the uninitiated shopper. It's everywhere so look out.

When it comes to furniture (just a drop in the bucket compared to all retail sales) we continue to see the same outlandish claims of savings being made by most furniture stores in the region. Some are afraid to do anything else while others lack the creativity to do anything else.

The so called "high end" stores refer to MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price) and tell you that they're going to save you 50% or more. But no one ever sells at MSRP anymore so this savings concept is strictly bogus.

"Medium to medium-low" stores simply make up a "reference price" or "regular price" that is 2 to 2.5 times higher than what they intend to sell the item for, and then mark it down from there. Do you like being taken advantage of like that?

And real "low end" stores play the same pricing games and then tempt you with poor quality goods (at cheap prices) that will fall apart, and look awful from day one. Do you really expect to pay $277 for a sofa when that was the prevailing price 40 years ago?

Here at N.B. Liebman Furniture, we have felt the effects of the recession along with most local businesses, but we have not and will not resort to deceptive advertising practices or downgrade the quality of goods that we sell!

When we have a sale like our "Fall Furniture Frenzy" that just began, the savings are honest. All markdowns are real reductions from the prices we sell things for on an everyday basis. N.B. Liebman continues to be a name that you can trust, and that's not changing.

"Fall Furniture Frenzy" is one of the most exciting promotions that we have run in years. It's designed to stimulate business, and keep all of our wonderful employees on the job. Depending on the amount you purchase, you may opt for 1, 2, or 3 year free financing, or take a cash discount of 10%, 15%, or 20% instead. There's something for everyone here!

Please see our TV ad (below), and come into our store for more details. But, whether you choose to furnish your home at N.B. Liebman this fall or not, remember that fashion, quality, and pricing integrity is what we stand for. No one else tells you that!

And to all of our friends in Central Pennsylvania who are suffering through a long period of unemployment or under-employment, we join you in hoping that better times are ahead. I hope that you will find success in your job search, and find your standard of living returned to pre-recession levels.

To that end, we will be partnering with CBS21 again later in the year and providing a HOUSEFUL OF FURNITURE for one needy family in the area. Stay tuned to CBS21 for details on how to enter.

Until next time!

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

FAQs (with answers!)

2011-07-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

Question 1: Should I buy furniture or a mattress at a warehouse club type store?

Answer: The furniture and mattress selection at warehouse clubs is minimal at best. The last time I looked, there were 2 or 3 Sealy mattresses on display and 1 complete bedroom set from a manufacturer comparable to our vendors. If you're not too picky about what you are sleeping on, you might buy a mattress there and save a few bucks. Same goes for all categories. They had 2 recliners when I was there and 1 black leather sofa. The prices seemed reasonable, but not spectacular. So, as I said, if you are not too picky, and find something that will work for you, buy it. I imagine you would have to haul it back if something is wrong with the product. I would assume they do not have skilled service techs to come to your home like N.B. Liebman does. I shop at warehouse clubs myself so I am not going to knock them, but if you are trying to create a beautiful, fashionable look in your home, the warehouse clubs are not for that purpose.

Question 2: Should I buy a mattress at a so-called mattress only specialty store?

Answer: There is certainly nothing wrong with buying a mattress at a specialty store. They often have a nice selection, and a lot of gimmicks - "free this or free that." But watch out for one major issue - customer service. If you have a problem with your purchase, you may be very disappointed in how you are treated. Just Google "(sleep shop name) customer complaints", and see what you find. I Googled the name of the area's most well-known mattress store and found these postings:

"thieves and liars", "rip-off!", "double taxed by bamboozlers", "I will stay away from _________ for the rest of my life!", "terrible company", "breach of contract", and many more!

Now in all fairness, when you have hundreds of stores and (possibly) unqualified employees staffing them, its not possible to excel in customer relations to the same degree that a smaller company like N.B. Liebman can. So it is something to consider when making your buying decision.
We have all the major brands here, and back it up with the customer relations mindset we have long been known for. So there is no need to go to a mattress only store when you can buy your new mattress here along with the bedroom furniture of your choice.

Question 3: Should I buy furniture over the Internet?

Answer: As a brick and mortar traditional retailer, you would expect my answer to be an emphatic no. But it's not as simple as that. Furniture, by its very nature, is a product you really want to sit on and try out before you buy. You should lay down on that recliner, pull out the drawers in the chest, etc. Furthermore, items that you buy on the Internet from a picture can look quite a bit different when they arrive at your home. You just can't trust the color of the fabric, or stain of the wood in a photo to match what you get. And furniture is subject to damage in shipping so some major disappointments could be lurking ahead when that UPS truck rolls up. So I strongly suggest that it's worth it to possibly pay a bit more, and buy your new furniture from a local retailer you can trust to take care of problems that may occur. Now there are many reputable sources from which to buy furniture over the Internet, but is the hassle really worth it if you have to fight for replacements or money back?? Do you want to deal with someone in India? It's awfully far away! Do you want to be placed on a long hold before you speak to someone?

N.B. Liebman takes all the "hassle" out of the buying experience. That's why our customers speak for us!

If you have any furniture related questions that you would like me to answer, email them to us, or post them below, and we'll do our best to give you a good answer!

Until next time!

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

N.B. Liebman Partners with CBS21 to Combat Muscular Dystrophy

2011-06-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that N.B. Liebman Furniture has partnered with the good people at CBS21 to help sponsor the upcoming MDA telethon that will air on Labor Day.

2011 marks the 46th year that CBS21 has broadcast this event. This will also be Jerry Lewis' final year as the host of the show, by the way.

We invite you to watch CBS21 news at 5:30pm every Thursday this summer long and learn about some of the people, events, and amazing medical advances that have benefited from the money raised in Central Pennsylvania. And don't miss the "MDA Inspirations" vignettes available at http://www.cbs21.com/, or on broadcast television as well.

N.B. Liebman is proud to be associated with this worthy cause. The telethon has helped fuel muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related diseases. In addition, MDA provides health care services to its national network of some 200 hospital-affiliated clinics.

The MDA is the first nonprofit to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Medical Association "for significant and lasting contributions to the health and welfare of humanity."

We invite you to visit http://www.mdausa.org/ to learn more and make a contribution. Thank you.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

Click link below to see a memorable moment on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon!!

http://youtu.be/UlksTohQJa4

A Final Word on Deceptive Advertising.....for now.

2011-05-26T08:47:00.001-07:00

As we approach Memorial Day weekend, retailers of all types of products are gearing up with special promotions for the holiday. And N.B. Liebman is no exception. We will be advertising Sealy and Spring Air mattresses and a wide variety of living room sets that will be reduced in price. Memorial Day is always a good time to go shopping.

But here's a word to the wise - deceptive ads are everywhere. They're meant to draw you in, and make you think that you scooped up a great bargain. And it's not just furniture, it's virtually everything.

Allow me to make a bold statement. N.B. Liebman is the only significant furniture retailer in the greater Harrisburg area that advertises honestly. When we say something is "on sale," it really is. Our real everyday selling price at which we have offered and sold merchandise to our customers has been lowered, either for a limited time or permanently. We do not quote savings off "reference prices" or "suggested retails".

Similarly, we don't ask you to buy one suit of clothes and then give you another suit plus 2 shirts and 2 ties for free. And we don't tell you to carpet one room, and then give you 3 more rooms of carpet for free.

"Half price" offers used to be a rarity. Now these offers are commonplace. Savings of 60% to 70% are seen regularly. And who wouldn't want to save that much? But let me tell you these offers are usually not true. It's too easy to inflate the comparative or "regular" price, and then cut it in half when no one is there cracking down on the practice.

I've made these points over and over again in earlier blogs, and there doesn't see, to be any benefit to addressing them again. We'll revisit the subject in future blogs of something significant occurs. In the meantime there are many other interesting subjects to address in this space. But if you remember one thing about this subject, let it be that all furniture retailers do not operate in the same way. At N.B. Liebman, our sale prices represent "honest savings". We do not have a corporate culture of deceiving our customers anyway we can just to make a sale.

So if you want to buy your furniture from a store that practices honesty and integrity in dealing with its' customers, N.B. Liebman is the store for you.

Until next time,
Charles Liebman, President, N.B.Liebman Furniture, www.nbliebman.com

New York State Cracked Down on Deceptive Advertising

2011-05-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

Back in 2008 , then Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo (now New York's Governor) ordered a Utica, N.Y. furniture retailer to stop their deceptive pricing practices. The AG's office said that "Affordable Furniture" used fictitious "regular" pricing in their ads that had no relation to the actual price of the store's merchandise. (http://www.ag.ny.gov/media_center/2008/oct/oct24a_08.html)

These fictitious prices led consumers to believe that they were receiving a discount from the regular price in violation of the state law prohibiting deceptive business practices and false advertising.

"My office is committed to holding businesses accountable for the way they treat their customers," Cuomo was quoted as saying in LegalNewsline.com (http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/216885-n.y.-attorney-general-targets-deceptive-furniture-prices). "This furniture retailer artificially inflated the prices of its inventory as a way to dupe consumers into thinking they could bargain to get a good deal. When we learned about these practices, we immediately intervened to put a stop to them."

Well, hooray for Governor Cuomo! And exactly what he was talking about is happening now in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and all through Pennsylvania. Read my previous blogs to find out about all of the catch phrases being used like "reference price" and "MSRP".

I actually just saw a new one the other day. A low-end national chain (with local franchise owners) advertised as follows:

"Why pay $900 for this bed when our sale price is $488?"

The implication is very clear- either the store itself or other stores are selling the same bed for $900 - but without any proof, its just another way to trick you.

Author Jim Green blogging on the Furniture Today (www.furnituretoday.com/blog/Furniture_Biz_101/index.php) website, recently said,

"Why some retailers cling to the past so vehemently and continue to mislead their customers through deceptive advertising is beyond me. Some persist in using arbitrary and fictitious regular retail prices so that contrived sale prices can be offered...I hope I will see the day when all retailers value ethics, integrity, and honesty, and will employ excellence in merchandising and marketing to sell products. I also hope that the day will come that the attorney general in various state will have no further interest in (the furniture) industry."

Well, Jim, I couldn't have said it better myself. You have described precisely the strategy N.B. Liebman has employed in our advertising and marketing. We highly value ethics, integrity, and honesty. But meanwhile, the cancer is spreading like wild-fire in all forms of advertising, not just furniture.

Until someone cracks down on these bogus ads, more and more retailers will cross over to the dark side for fear of being overwhelmed by their unscrupulous competitors.

Wherever you live, if you've observed or been victimized by deceptive advertising practices, I invite and urge you to let me know about it. I can include your stories in my future blogs, and maybe prevent the same thing from happening to someone else.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

National Chain Going out of Business, or Not?

2011-05-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

A nationally known furniture manufacturer, with privately owned franchised retail stores, has been making a lot of noise recently on our Central Pennsylvania airwaves about a "sale" that they are having.

Unfortunately, it's more of the same deceptive advertising that I have been telling you about, but with a different twist.

Perhaps you've seen the TV spots - a callow voiced announcer screaming at the top of his lungs, and talking as quickly as he can. "Nothings Held Back" and "Everything is on the Public Selling Block" are some of the promises that are being made.

In addition to these commercials, random people have been hired to stand out on the street holding placards announcing the "sale". And extra sales help from a liquidation company have been hired to work in the stores. You couldn't possibly know about that, but we found out. That alone is a tip-off that something fishy is going on.

Now this retailer, to my knowledge, has no intention of going out of business, but when you use phrases like "Everything is on the Public Selling Block," it sure sounds like it. And that is definitely by design. They are trying to create the impression that they are liquidating their entire inventory, and are in dire financial straits. The plan in deals like this is to make a quick killing at the public's expense, and then return to normal operations. It is assumed that the public will quickly forget about what they heard on TV and saw in the store. And, sadly, it is very true.

So you'd expect to shop at this store now and get one helluva bargain, right? Wrong! If you choose to do that, you will find all of the merchandise has been marked up anywhere from 40% to 60% higher than it used to be, and the salespeople/liquidators are allowed to haggle with customers to close the sale, You may end up paying more for your furniture than before "this huge sale!" You see the liquidators have to make money, and the store has to make money, and they can't do that by passing along any bargains to you. So I suggest you steer clear of events like this, and tell all of your friends to do that same.

Interestingly enough, the way this whole scam came to our attention is that a current employee of this company came into N.B. Liebman Furniture and applied for a sales job. This individual told us that they hated what was going on, and hated lying to the customers.

It is very rare that something like this happens. Most salespeople would think this is a chance to make a lot more money that usual, and willingly go along with the program. But this one individual felt that they just couldn't stand working in that environment any longer. Someone has some scruples left I am glad to see.

Now many furniture stores are hurting badly in this recession, and I have no problem with them running "Must Raise Cash" type of sales - if it means staying in business or closing the doors. But when you create the impression that you are "selling out to the bare walls," and then mark everything up much higher than it was only to haggle it down, I feel the need to tell people what's going on.

So until someone in authority cracks down on these deceptions, you better shop in a reputable store like N.B. Liebman Furniture, or else you may get ripped off big time. Deceptive advertising is everywhere. Read some of my other blogs for more examples. And furniture is just the tip of the iceberg. Virtually every commercial on TV, from mortgages to personal injury lawyers, is fraught with tricks and exclusions, most of which are discovered too late by naive clients.

I'll continue blogging about this stuff until I see the abuses come to an end.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

More Phony Price Comparatives

2011-04-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

The beat goes on............... Two circulars from Harrisburg area furniture retailers arrived in my mailbox recently. And both were filled with the kind of deceptive advertising I've been writing about in this space.

The first piece comes from a high end design-oriented store whose previous ads have been generally straight-forward and honest. Now every item in this newest flyer is priced as follows:

"Name Brand" Sofa, Reference Price, $6195. Sale Price with 6% discount starting at $3599"

Ugh! There is goes again - that dreadful phrase "Reference Price!" I can only assume that this high-end retailer has seen someone else playing the reference price game and decided to join in the charade rather then be left by the wayside. Apparently, the loss of credibility by educated consumers is not too big a price to pay.

Remember, I have written previously that whenever you see the words "reference price" used in computing savings, run the other way as fast as you can. It is strictly a phony number made up by the retailer to make you think you are saving a lot of money when, indeed, you are not. There's a sucker born everyday, but, hopefully, you aren't one of them.

I can almost sympathize with this designer store. It's hard to play by the rules when you see almost everyone else cheating and getting away with it. At N.B. Liebman, we are still committed to great furniture, great customer service and honest pricing. We shop all over the globe for our product, and the values speak for themselves. And we have a sale, it's for real.

The second advertising piece that I referred to was a postcard from a low-end to medium priced regional chain famous for deceptive tactics. The offer this time is "HALF OFF reference price ON EVERYTHING!" The words "reference price" are set in type so small that they are hardly visible. The reader just sees "HALF OFF EVERYTHING!"

Consumers beware, They do not mean half off their regular selling prices. They mean half off a phony number inflated to the moon. If you want to shop at a store that insults your intelligence like that, don't say that you weren't warned.

Do you really believe a business could cut every price by 50% and stay in business? Hopefully, someday the public will understand the deception, and stop patronizing retailers who employ these practices.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

45% + 10% off of Reference Price Equals What??

2011-04-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

A regional furniture chain recently advertised (in Harrisburg) a sale whereby you can deduct 45% off "reference price" and then take another 10% off of that price. Does that sound like a total of 55% to you? If you're not paying close attention, it sure does. Now, first of all, read my earlier blogs to understand the meaning of "reference price". In the interest of brevity, let me just say that whenever you see a retailer offering savings off of a "reference price," run the other way because you are being scammed. Now back to the mathematics. If you deduct 45% and take 10% more off, you are only getting a total of 50% off. It is not the same as taking 55% off to begin with. For example, if you begin with $100 and take 45% off, you have $55. An additional 10% off of the $55 will make your total $49.50.

100.00 x .45 = 45.00

100.00 - 45.00 = 55.00

55.00 x .10 = 5.50

55.00 - 5.50 = 49.50

If you begin with the same $100 and take 55% off from the beginning, you will pay $45.

100 x .55 = 55.00

100.00 - 55.00= 45.00

Now imagine that with larger numbers!!! So this retailer is guilty of deceptive advertising in 2 ways - use of unsubstantiated "reference prices" and the tricky math. Don't fall for either!

It has come to my attention that we have a furniture store in the area calling itself an "Clearance Center," and within that "Clearance Center" is a "Clearance Outlet." Your guess is as good as mine as to what the distinction is. But the important issue is, should you trust that label to be true? What you have to watch out for is whether the store mixes in a variety of low end, poor quality merchandise from different suppliers normally not offered in that store. That kind of stuff may be added to make you think that you are getting a bargain when, indeed, you are not. Unless you have actually worked in the furniture industry, you could be easily fooled. So if you choose to do business with the type of store, be cognizant of the fact that just because the sign says "Clearance Center" doesn't make it so. You really need to shop hard to verify if you are getting a value or not. The cards are stacked against you so proceed with caution.

At N.B. Liebman Furniture store in Mechanicsburg, we have a small "Value Center." Every item in there has come directly off of our floor or is a cancelled customer order. The selection varies from week to week depending on what we have to offer, but this is a real "Clearance Outlet!" The savings are real -- of that you can be sure!!

Until next time!

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

What is Bonded Leather?

2011-03-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

Bonded leather is a relatively new term to the furniture industry, and it deserves a bit of an explanation. Essentially, it is a blend of materials fashioned into a fabric for upholstered furniture and other products like Bible covers,. The contents are commonly cowhide, polyurethane (vinyl) and polyester in varying proportions. One better grade fabric that we will be offering at N.B. Liebman is made up of is 23% cowhide, 50% polyurethane and 27% polyester. Others in the industry contain as little as 16% cowhide.

N.B. Liebman offers bonded leather on a handful of styles in our showroom. They have sold well, and no consumer complaints have surfaced. But you need to know what you are buying. I am afraid there are retailers around the country that are passing off "bonded leather" as "leather" without any further explanation. I truly believe the product was initially developed for just that purpose - so unscrupulous dealers could pass it off as the genuine article. Over time, the bonded leathers have been improved, and it was only then that N.B. Liebman agreed to offer some.

But essentially, bonded leather does only 1 thing - it gives the appearance of and carries the name of leather at a reduced cost. It really is a stepped-up vinyl upholstery product. FYI, sofas covered in all polyurethane sell for even less than those in bonded leather.

Let me also point out that the leather portion of bonded leather is not in its original form (whole pieces of animal hide). Instead , it comes in pieces that are pressed together and adhered via a bonding agent, and the resulting product usually is used only on the back of the fabric. These leather scraps would otherwise not be used and simply trashed.

All of the above notwithstanding, bonded leather has become a desirable alternative to genuine leather when a shopper's main concern is a lower price. Just understand what you are buying.

Since this blog focuses mostly on helping shoppers avoid deceptive claims made by other retailers, let me again stress this point - consumers may simply hear the word "leather" and assume the furniture is made with real leather. That is a no-no!

A few more pros and cons - bonded leather furniture does not undergo chemical tanning and thus contains low levels of environmentally unsafe formaldehyde. As a result, it may appeal to people who are looking for "green" products. But chemicals such as lead and cadmium that are used to create the shiny bonded leather finish may be harmful to other consumers.

In an upcoming blog, I will focus on the difference between "split grain" leather, "top grain" leather, "full grain" leather, and leather/vinyl combinations, the latter being my top choice for reclining furniture. In closing, be assured that N.B. Liebman will never knowingly mislead you about any product we offer for sale in our stores. That's why "Our Customers Speak for Us!

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

Fixed Prices on Tempur-Pedic - how come?

2011-02-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

We have received some inquiries from customers wondering why Tempur-Pedic products sell for the same price at every retailer (including N.B. Liebman), and why no widespread discounting of the product line exists, even on the Internet.

Since this blog is specifically directed to consumer issues, the Tempur-Pedic pricing subject seems an appropriate topic for me to discuss.

To begin with, it is true that Tempur-Pedic maintains fixed prices that all retailers must adhere to, and that the company will refuse to do business with anyone who violates this policy. Rather than trying to explain this myself, let's visit Tempur-Pedic's official website (where they also sell direct to consumers at the same fixed price), and get the company's explanation of their pricing policy. http://www.tempurpedic.com/

Here it is - (http://www.tempurpedic.com/our-company/buy-with-confidence.asp)

"Many consumers ask us 'do our beds ever go on sale?' We understand that - we all love a deal - and we offer special promotions on our pillows and accessory products, savings on delivery, and special financing offers from time to time. But when it comes to our mattresses, you'll see we do not discount them. We craft our beds for long term quality and durability, and our prices reflect that. With the exception of model closeouts, we do not run sales or promotional pricing on our mattresses - instead, we price them at an everyday value for the quality and years of improved sleep our owners tell us our beds deliver. We just don't believe in marking our beds up sometimes so that we can occassionally put them on sale. So shop confidently, and sleep soundly...everyday."

Now there are some aspects of that statement that I really admire like a desire not to cheapen their product like everyone else has done, but if I was a consumer shopping for a well-known mattress, I would be a bit ticked off about it, and wondering if it is "legal" for Tempur-Pedic to operate in such a fashion.

If that's the camp you're in, you'll be interested to know the State of New York's Antitrust Bureau (Office of the AG) has investigated this issue, and the details of this matter can be found online. (http://www.mayerbrown.com/publications/article.asp?id=8831&nid=6)

I am sure that Tempur-Pedic's lawyers will vigorously defend their client (this will take a long time), but, eventually, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, will determine if Tempur-Pedic has to back off their one price policy. In a statement made by Linda Garguilo, Assistant AG of New York State, "Tempur-Pedic products are sold at virtually, uniform, high prices by all New York retailers. Discounting occurs rarely, if ever. These uniformly high prices result from Tempur-Pedic's prohibition on discounting. As a condition of establishing, maintaining or continuing a business relationship with Tempur-Pedic, all retailers are required to sell products at the prices specified by Tempur-Pedic."

In a response, Tempur-Pedic "admits that since 2002, Tempur-Pedic has conveyed that it will suspend doing business with any business who does not adhere substantially to Tempur-Pedic's resale prices."............. So there is no cover-up here. Tempur-Pedic is saying - you must do business our way if you want to sell our product.

What is N.B. Liebman's position on this? First of all, Tempur-Pedic is a brand we are proud to carry. It is a quality product, very innovative, and one that has truly revolutionized the mattress industry, We have received many unsolicited testimonials from our customers and our employees who rave about how much they like sleeping on their Tempur-Pedic mattresses. So it behooves us to comply with Tempur-Pedic's sales contract. But, secondly, I very much like the fact that due to Tempur-Pedic's pricing policy, the ubiquitous mattress stores cannot and do not offer Tempur-Pedic at 50%, 60% and 70% off (ficticiously, of course) as they do with Sealy, Serta and other brands. When it comes to Tempur-Pedic, the mattress chains suddenly start talking about their vast selection of models ,and how you're going to get a great night's sleep. The phony price comparatives totally disappear. That should give you a hint about the credibilty of the rest of their ads. When the manufacturer won't allow them to make phony claims, they suddenly clean up their act. So I really admire that aspect of how Tempur-pedic operates- the unintended consequences of which are a leveling of the playing field, and a prohibition of bogus savings claims.

Hopefully, I have answered all the questions my readers have had about Tempur-Pedic. A large investment in a quality mattress is a wise decision. We invite you to try all the brands we carry, many of which have borrowed from Tempur-Pedic's ideas by incorporating similar materials into their offerings as well.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

No End to Deceptive Advertising

2011-01-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

It's not getting any better. Newspaper readers and TV watchers between Christmas and New Year's Day were treated to an abundance of furniture and mattress ads offering savings of up to 70% off bogus "reference prices", "retails prices" and plain old "regular prices," too!

I know the Attorney General has a lot on his plate these days (in fact, he's now the Governor), but it would be nice if the new AG would crack down on this deception sooner rather than later. Until that happens. question everything and believe nothing unless you're dealing with an honest company like N.B. Liebman Furniture.

I'm sitting here with these ads spread out on my desk, and one is worse than the other! First, we have a locally based department store offering "50% OFF all regular price in-stock furniture." Wow! EVERYTHING is half off?? That sounds like a going out-of-business sale to me (but it isn't). I can see selected items at 50% off like slow sellers, discontinued items ,Christmas cards and gift wrap, or outdoor furniture in November. But a department store's entire selection at half price? How can they do it, and make a profit? (Think about your answer.) Yeah, you're right! The "regular price" is inflated (like 400%) so it can be cut in half, and still net down to a realistic selling price. This department store actually tags their merchandise at the "regular price" for a period of time to establish credibility with their pricing. But no one in their right mind would come in and buy anything at those "regular prices". When I visited the furniture department of this particular store, a salesperson told me, "Oh, no one pays these prices. We tell everyone to wait until it goes on sale!" So are you really getting 50% off here? Technically, yes. But it's 50% off a price that's inflated for advertising purposes only. That's how department stores do business. Very few (like Nordstrom) vary from this age old formula.

The next ad is from a high end furniture and design store. Savings of 35% to 50% off "retail" are offered on a wide variety of items. "Retail" for this store means "Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price," a meaningless leftover from the past. Scroll down to one of my earlier blogs for a complete explanation of "MSRP." Specifically, one item in this particular ad (a leather sofa) is said to have a "retail price" of $2100. In our store, the identical item sells everyday for $1098 and would go on sale for less. Unlike the department store's "regular price," this high-end retailer doesn't even pretend to sell anything at the "retail price". So claims of savings off prices that they never sell at are disingenuous. Look at the bottom line price only, and just laugh off those phony baloney savings claims.

The last ad I took out of the paper is from a mid-price regional furniture chain that offered "At least 50% off the Reference Price of Every Sleep Set." The words "reference price" are set in a tiny type size so to be almost unnoticeable. And rightly so! I'd want to hide that kind of deception as well!

Again, scroll down to one of my earlier blogs for a complete explanation of "Reference Prices." You will learn that they are just made up numbers with no validity whatsoever. Of all the examples I have given you in this blog, these "reference prices" are the most egregious . Be very wary of a store that operates in this fashion.

So there you have it - a quick trip through the furniture ads in the Harrisburg newspaper, and on TV.

Like I said, things aren't getting any better when it comes to truthful advertising - it seems like they're getting worse as the recession winds down. But at N.B. Liebman Furniture, we won't deceive you. We spell out every offer as clearly as we can. Just ask our customers. After all, they speak for us!

Until next time.

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com

Houseful of Furniture Give-a-way Winner!

2011-01-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

Our second annual N.B. Liebman/CBS21 Houseful of Furniture Giveaway winners have been announced -- Steve and Rebecca Francis. Together with their 9 children, Steve and Rebecca were enjoying Thanksgiving day together when their house suddenly caught on fire.

Fortunately, the entire family escaped without harm , but the house itself and all of its contents were ruined. Thus, the need for furniture, and plenty of it.

While their home is being rebuilt, the Francis family is temporarily residing in Coatesville, and their new furniture will be delivered there so that they can live more comfortably in their temporary digs.

It was a pleasure for me personally to meet these lovely people, and hear their story firsthand. All of us at N.B. Liebman Furniture are thrilled we could help out this family in their time of need.

Hopefully, the Houseful of Furniture Giveaway will be back again next year. Over 500 entries were received this year and among them were some very compelling stories. I wish we could have helped them all.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the great people at CBS21 who partnered with us to make this event possible. News anchor Tanya Foster, promotion director Brett Freitag and sales representative Courtney Chapman made this a big success.

To everyone, happy and healthy new year! We'll continue this blog in 2011 in the hope that it will help consumers make informed buying decisions and avoid those other retailers that value deception over good faith.

Until next time,
Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furntiure, http://www.nbliebman.com

The Most Outrageous Disclaimer I Have Ever Seen!

2010-12-19T10:09:00.001-08:00

Greetings! A disclaimer is the fine print usually found at the very bottom of a retailer's ad. You probably don't read it -- but you should!

In it you will find the rules of a given offer - what is included and what is not, or how a retailer arrived at the claim of savings put forth in the ad.

We do it here at N.B. Liebman as well, but for decades we have called it "N.B. Liebman's Consumer Alert." I used that terminology to let my customers know that nothing is being hidden from them, or misrepresented in any way. No other retailer has ever followed suit.

Very recently, I was reading the disclaimer at the bottom of an insert in The Patriot News on Thanksgiving Day. The advertisement was for a regional "low-end" furniture chain, and it was the most outrageous disclaimer I have ever read. Here it is -

"Our 'compare at' and 'save' prices reflect the current selling price of merchandise of like grade and quality sold by others in (our) trading area, which is a national trade area that includes online retailers. As a result, advertised 'compare at' and 'sale' prices may or may not necessarily be the prices at which such merchandise is sold by traditional retail outlets in the local area. Advertised higher price is not a retail price comparison or representation that any sale of this product at this price have taken place in the local area. This price is merely a representation of what similar competing products have been priced at in the recent past under similar retail market conditions. The consumer should check competing prices for similar products to determine what percentage of savings is present on products of this type in the current retail market."

Are you kidding me? Could anyone possibly follow this long winded gobbeldey gook? I think that I can, so permit me to translate...

This retailer is saying (a) advertised prices are not necessarily a reduction of their own regular selling prices, (b) you might find another store somewhere in the Universe selling something similar or you may not, (c) you have to go out and shop yourself to find out if their advertised prices represent a good value or not.

I can imagine a roomful of lawyers spending hours to make the language as ambiguous as possible. Could you possibly want to buy anything from a retailer that insults your intelligence that way? I hope not.

At N.B. Liebman we have one price - our price. An item may go on sale, and then revert to its original price afterward. Any claim of savings we make represents a reduction in OUR OWN regular selling price. We keep it simple. We do not intend to deceive or confuse. We could possibly sell more merchandise if we adopted a policy of deception like many of our competitors have done, but its not going to happen. You have my word on that!

Until next time -- have a great holiday season!

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com

Second Annual Needy Family Giveaway

2010-11-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

We did it last year and we are doing it again. In cooperation with CBS 21, N.B.Liebman Furniture will be giving away a complete living room, bedroom, and dining room set to a needy family residing in Central Pennsylvania.

A link has been established on the N.B. Liebman website (http://www.nbliebman.com/) and visitors to the site may click on the link, and be directed to a page outlining the rules of the contest, and how to go about nominating yourself, a friend or a family member.

Over 500 entries were received last year. A panel of judges from NB Liebman and CBS21 selected the winner, Ms. Sandy Barrick. Ms. Barrick, of Duncannon, Pennsylvania was nominated by her children, and walked away with the grand prize after spirited voting by the general public. I expect we will receive even more entries this year as this dreadful recession has certainly not gone away.

The Needy Family link on our site has been activated, and CBS 21 will be airing a series of public service announcements about the event throughout their programming day. Let me add here that the folks at CBS 21 are wonderful corporate citizens, and have devoted a lot of time and effort to this event.

In these difficult economic times, N.B. Liebman is pleased to give something back to the community that we have served for over 60 years. All of our employees are as excited as I am about this event, and look forward to making this holiday season a memorable one for one family in need in the CBS 21 viewing area. I wish for good health. happiness, and prosperity for all my readers in the coming year.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com

Nickelodeon Day

2010-10-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

Over 300 families with children, neighbors, and cousins in tow came to visit our stores on Columbus Day weekend. Although we would love to say that they were here just to admire our beautiful furniture, they were also here to meet SpongeBob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer. These two cable TV star

s were in town to help us introduce the brand new "Nickelodeon" Youth Bedroom Collection. The first 100 children on each of the two day visits received free SpongeBob prizes and candy! The turn out and the excitement that was experienced by the children was just tremendous!

This collection is the most exciting new kids' furniture we've seen in years! Understanding that kids rooms serve many needs - study, a gathering spot for friends and sleep - this collection was developed with input from parents and kids in cooperation with Nickelodeon Consumer Products (NCP). The collection features storage and functionality that grows with the child through college and beyond. Most panels are reversible, so when the child outgrows the cartoon characters, panels can be switched to solid white. Characters from shows including Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go! and SpongeBob Squarepants, and graphics based on the network's signature SLIME! infuse the collection with the essence of the Nickelodeon brand and characters. If you haven't see this 3-part "Nickelodeon" collection, bring the kids and check it out. It's designed for youngsters, pre-teens and teenagers, too!

Until next time!

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com

Furniture - Your Best Value! - More Deceptive Advertising.

2010-10-05T08:19:00.000-07:00

I read a statistic recently that made me sit up and pay attention. Apparently, the price of an average home and automobile is now 14 times higher than it was 50 years ago.

Assuming a basic sofa sold for around $199 back in the 60's, N.B. Liebman's average sofa today should sell for $2786!

Well, attention consumers! You already know that is not the case. Most fabric sofas at N.B. Liebman and elsewhere sell between $499 - $999, and that includes many sofas with two built-in recliners!

How is that possible? There are a variety of reasons including new technology, limited fabric selection and smaller collections. But the number one reason by far for the sea change in pricing is that most U.S.A. furniture manufacturing has moved to the Far East - China, Vietnam, etc.

Though we hate to see all these manufacturing jobs disappear, the net result is the American consumer is getting an incredible value on their furniture purchase. So it's a real catch 22 - we are putting skilled craftsmen out of work and mothballing factories in search of "cheaper" goods. This applies, of course, to the whole spectrum of consumer goods of which furniture is just a small part.

I am happy to report some segments of furniture manufacturing in the U.S. are still viable - particularly upholstery. The process of applying fabric to a frame still goes on here, but the fabric itself probably comes from a mill in China. Pre-cut batches of fabric (engineered to fit a specific frame) are loaded on containers, shipped here, and applied to upholstered furniture. Someday, this may disappear as well.

This process of outsourcing to the Far East seems irreversible. From the clothes on our backs to the shoes on our feet, everything that can be made cheaper somewhere else will be made cheaper somewhere else. Why? Because we demand it.

So in the year 2010 you can buy a perfectly serviceable and attractive sofa at N.B. Liebman for as little as $599 instead of $2500 or $3000. In today's difficult economic times, it's nice to know your furniture dollar stretches awfully far. Will the pendulum ever swing the other way? Will political unrest in China ever put a halt to the steady flow of containers bound for Walmart and the like? Will we ever start manufacturing things in this country again? I don't know, but enjoy the values while you can.

*************************************************************************************

At the time of this writing, Columbus Day TV ads are beginning to pop-up. And Central Pennsylvania consumers are being fed the same diet of gross exaggerations and outright deception. A regional furniture chain offered savings of 45 to 70% off "reference price" while a local department store quoted up to 80% off "ticketed prices." "Reference Price" is defined as what somebody else somewhere else might be selling the same item for. But indeed it's just a made up number with no substantiation whatsoever. "Ticketed Price" is a number that the department store actually puts on an item, but they never sell any at that price. There's always some kind of sale going on rendering that price meaningless.

So once again, look past all the hype. The savings are phony. The bottom line selling price is all that counts. But if you enjoy someone fabricating a story about an item with a "Reference Price" of $1699 that they are marking down to $699, have at it. Columbus Day will be a great time to be duped.

We look forward to seeing you at N.B Liebman where honest savings is the only kind we offer.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com

It's Not Just Furniture

2010-09-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

A recent TV ad for a well-known men's clothier made this offer, "Buy 1 suit and we'll give you a second suit free plus 2 shirts and 2 ties!"

Elsewhere, a prominent carpet dealer offered "Carpet 2 rooms in your home and we'll carpet the rest of the house for free!"

As you can see, deceptive advertising is everywhere - not just in furniture ads. And I feel sorry for consumers today who are busy living their own busy lives, and have no time to investigate the validity of these attractive offers for things that they want to buy. You would like to believe they are true, but there's no one out there policing this stuff. You are really on your own.

How do businesses make these offers, and still make a profit? I'll try to explain. Advertisers know that consumers like the word "free", and so they load up the price of the itens that you are paying for , and toss in the rest of the stuff for "free". In the case of the men's clothing store, a suit that might sell for $499 is tagged $999 (just an example) and the free shirts and ties (the poorest quality in the store) are thrown in along with the second suit. So you buy the whole package for $999, and leave the store thinking you made a killing.

Is what the clothing store doing deceptive? I say positively it is. It creates an illusion of savings that does not exist. They could have said, "We are having a big sale! Suits are selling for $449, shirts $30 each, and ties $20.50 each." Thus, if you purchased 2 suits, 2 shirts and 2 ties, your total bill would have been $999. But the offer of something free is much more compelling than individually priced items even if they add up to the same total. Any psych major out there want to weigh in on this issue?

As to the carpet offer, I'm sure you can figure it out yourself by now. First of all, the offer is limited to certain grades of carpet, and limited to room sizes, too. You'll find out all this when the sales rep comes to your house. They are not going to allow you to carpet your livingroom and diningroom, for instance, and then get free carpet for the rest of a 4,000 sq. ft. house! If you do take the offer and choose the carpet on sale and have a modestly sized home, you'll still overpay big time for the first 2 rooms. Tell them you want to carpet 2 rooms only (and not the rest of the house) and see how the price drops!

Here at N.B. Liebman, we sometimes offer something free to stimulate business, but nothing out-of-this-world like the examples in this blog. Later this year, we are going to offer a free recliner with a purchase of a specific 2-piece sectional. But the selling price will not be raised one red cent. You have my word on it. In fact, if you don't want the free recliner, we'll even lower the price of the sectional. I don't think that you can beat that offer.

That's it for now. If you have any other examples of deceptive advertising in your area, please tell us about it at customerinquiries@nbliebman.com, and we'll include it in future blogs!

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com

"Buy 1 Mattress Set, Get Another Free?"

2010-08-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

In recent posts, I have focused on a variety of what I call deceptive advertising techniques employed by retailers in the N.B. Liebman trading area and beyond. And so we continue...

Recently, I saw a TV spot for a regional mattress chain. It begins with an actress posing as a customer asking, "You mean if I buy 1 King Size mattress set, I can get another absolutely free?" And the announcer answers "Yes, you can, or a queen, full or twin set, too!" That's a pretty compelling offer, but I can assure you its too good to be true!

First of all, the offer is always limited to a select group of lower quality sets, and then those products are marked up excessively to cover the cost of the "free" set. Secondly, the retailer is hoping that you choose as your "free" set one that is smaller in size (and cost) than the one you came in to purchase. If you bought a king set, for example, you probably don't need another king set. Most people wouldn't have the room for it. So you take a twin or a full bed and the dealer's profit margin gets a welcome boost. But even if you choose another King set and sell it to your neighbor, the price of the first set will adequately cover the cost of the free one.

A very disgruntled customer writes on http://www.my3cents.com/: "Do not fall prey to these ads, Buy one Get One Free. If you buy a queen set and then get a full bed or smaller as the free set you will come out the loser on both ends. Have they just doubled the price and added 1 more set? Good question." Well said.

So here is my advice - buy a good quality mattress. Don't choose the lowest price, and don't be misled by gimmicks like "buy one get one free". A good mattress can last 15-20 years, and improve the quality of your life by providing a peaceful night's sleep without morning backaches.

At N.B. Liebman, we feature nationally known brands like Sealy, Serta, Tempurpedic, and more. As much as we would like your business, we will not employ deceptive advertising techniques like "Buy One Mattress Set, Get Another Free." Would you expect to buy a car, and get another one free? Keep dreaming! Shop smartly, wherever you live, and avoid falling prey to those retailers who are quite willing to insult your intelligence.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com

Suggested Retail Prices

2010-07-12T10:52:00.001-07:00

Furniture shoppers around the country are often subject to advertisements like this: "Famous Brand Dining Room Suite, MSRP $10,000, our price $4200, save 58%!" How can this be possible?

In this blog, I will try to answer that question. First of all, MSRP means "Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price." Indeed, some manufacturers do publish a list of such prices for all items in their line, but virtually nobody sells the product at these greatly inflated prices. Instead, retailers determine the price they want to sell for, compare it to the MSRP and then quote a percentage of savings.

On the surface, this seems straightforward enough, but, in my opinion, this is clearly deceptive because consumers are led to believe that they are saving 58% (my example) when they clearly are not. When shopping at such a store, you should disregard the MSRP, and instead ask for the retailer's real everyday selling price (if one exists) and compare that to the $4200 sale price (my example again).

Perhaps you have seen the suite tagged at $4995 on a previous visit to the store. In this case, you would be saving 16% (not 58%). Either way, you deserve to know where you stand.

One prominent retailer in our area told me point blank "We quote savings off MSRP everyday. If the manufacturer doesn't publish such a list, we make up MSRP on our own for that item." So you may encounter a "suggested retail price" at some stores that the manufacturer didn't even create. What a mess!

How does a smart shopper avoid all these shopping minefields? It's almost impossible to do so. But, if the store you are shopping at has the words "reference price," "compare at," or "MSRP" in its ads and on its price tags, be very wary, ask questions, shop around, and find out if you are, indeed, saving anything at all.

At N.B. Liebman, we try to make the shopping experience as simple as possible. We have one selling price for ever item. If an item goes on sale, that price is reduced temporarily, If we decide to discontinue an item, its price is reduced permanently until all stock is gone. If you do not reside in Central Pennsylvania look for dealers who follow our lead.

Next time, I will comment on how some furniture stores can afford to give away "free" TVs.

Until next time,

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com/

"Compare At" What?

2010-06-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

As promised, I will comment on what consumers should think about an advertisement that says something like "Italian Leather Sofa, $599, compare at $1999."

Unlike "reference price" which is totally unbelievable, there are certain cases where "compare at" can be legitimate. For example, if a retailer purchases a closeout from a manufacturer at a big discount and passes the savings on to the consumer, it is possible that a sofa selling for $599 could be comparable to one selling elsewhere at $1999.

But the operative word is "possible". Its just as likely that the claim of savings is grossly inflated. And if you're not an expert on Italian leather sofas, how can you tell?

First of all, monitor the advertisements of any merchant using "compare at" with great regularity. If you see that phrase used over and over on a variety of times, think twice before buying there. Second, shop around and see what $1999 buys you elsewhere, and then compare that to the $599 product. Are both top grain leather all over or does one have "splits" on the sides? Does either have matching vinyl on the sides? Are both real leather or is one "bonded leather"?

I am not attempting to give a complete tutorial on leather furniture in this blog. It is certainly something we could address in great detail in future posts. But if you ask just a few questions such as the ones I have suggested, it will certainly help you make a wise decision when confronted by the "compare at" phrase in your local newspaper.

At N.B. Liebman, we will not use "compare at" in our ads because we want to eliminate any confusion in our customer's minds about what we are really trying to say. In Eastern Pennsylvania, I have observed Boscov's Department Store (among others) using "comare at" in the ads along with "ticketed", another ambiguous and potentially deceptive term. I call on Boscov's, one of the last family-owned department store chains in the United States, to eliminate confusing terms from their ads, and in the process, distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack.

Next time, I will continue this series with a blog about "Suggested Retail Prices." Hoo, boy! Do I have a lot to say about that one!

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com

Deceptive Advertising Practices

2010-06-16T07:33:00.001-07:00

In Blog #1 I explained that I will be blogging about one of my current pet peeves - deceptive advertising practices used by furniture stores in Central Pennsylvania and throughout the country.

Here is some of the terminology you may encounter, and how to protect yourself from being "ripped off."

(1) "Reference Price": If a store is claiming that they are selling 50% - 60% - 70% off of a reference price, be wary. This is not a reduction in that store's real selling price, but rather a comparison to an arbitrarily assigned value that the store has attached to a specific item or group of items. A claim is being made that somewhere in the universe, a store exists that is selling the item for the "reference price." My suggestion is to ignore the reference price completely. Without substantiation, it is of no merit. Focus instead on the bottom line only. If you are told a chair has a "reference price" of $1750 and is now on sale for 60% off ($699), pay attention to the $699 price only, and forget about all of the other hype. Then ask yourself this question - is this chair worth $699? If you are not sure, shop around and see what $699 can buy you elsewhere. I suspect you will discover that at other stores (including ours) an equivalent or superior chair sells everyday for $699 or less.

But you must also ask yourself these questions - do I really want to buy from a store that purposely deceived me by telling me I was saving 60%? Are they also likely to deceive me in quality and customer service? Personally, I would hesitate to buy anything from a merchant who deceived me about savings.

Another term you'll see in some furniture ads is "compare at." Be equally wary of this. I will talk about this is depth in my next post.

Like always, please leave me your thoughts.

Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com

Introduction

2010-06-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

Hello, everybody! This is my first blog. I hope you will visit the N.B. Liebman website regularly, and read what I have posted.

I promise that I will not try to sell you anything - that is not my goal. Instead, I will focus on information to benefit the consumer - here in Central Pennsylvania and across the country as well. Even though there is not an N.B. Liebman store in every major city (I wish there were), the subjects I discuss will help you to make informed buying decisions at other retailers in your area.

If you live in our trading area, you are probably familiar with our TV commercials. We use real customers on the air, and let them talk about a variety of issues. One of the hot topics of late is "deceptive advertising practices" employed by other furniture stores in the area. Our customers "get it" and don't like it one bit. (see below)

This is a subject that is very important to me too and I will cover it in great detail in blog #2. By way of introduction, let me say today that certain stores in the greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania market advertise bogus claims of "50, 60, 70% off" to entice you to buy. Some have been guilty of this for a long time. Others have ratcheted up their deceptive claims more recently in an effort to combat the recession. Where ever you live, you may be seeing the same thing.

Either way, you shouldn't fall for it. Personally, I would rather go out of business than base my entire marketing efforts on deceiving the public. See you next time.

- Charles Liebman, President, N.B. Liebman Furniture, http://www.nbliebman.com