The Insider's Guide to Buying Home Furnishings

Rating:
Summary: Note from the author--please read
Review: A recent review referred to my book as having "old information". This is a mistake.

Each time my book is reprinted by the publisher, all sources are completely updated. I remove any companies that have gone out of business, add new sources I've found since the last printing, and update information on any sources that may have moved.

These updates are done approximately every two to three months.

I am sorry to hear that the reviewer below somehow received an old edition of my book (which can happen due to the way bookstores stock books and is totally out of my or my publisher's control).

Any person who happens to get an old printing of any of my books is welcome to exchange it for a brand new printing hot off the press. Just call the publisher at [phone].

Thank you,

Kimberly Causey

Rating:
Summary: Don't Buy Home Furnishings Before Reading This Book
Review: I always heard you could save a great deal of money buying home furnishings direct from manufacturers in North Carolina, but I never knew where to begin. Well, this book is where to begin. A great primer and full of excellent info. (I also note that the information in my book is current, unlike a previous reviewer's. I think the author is correct in stating that it depends who you buy the book from. Some booksellers may be keeping an old version on hand.) I bought mine from (...) and it was all new, updated info. After reading this book and the author's other book, I went to North Carolina with my sister and we were both astounded at the savings. If anything, the books understate the deals you can get. And we never bought such high quality before -- this book tells you how to recognize and purchase quality also. I will never buy any home furnishings again without referencing these books -- whether I buy in person or via telephone ordering. She tells you exactly how to do both.

Rating:
Summary: Don't Buy Home Furnishings Before Reading This Book
Review: I always heard you could save a great deal of money buying home furnishings direct from manufacturers in North Carolina, but I never knew where to begin. Well, this book is where to begin. A great primer and full of excellent info. (I also note that the information in my book is current, unlike a previous reviewer's. I think the author is correct in stating that it depends who you buy the book from. Some booksellers may be keeping an old version on hand.) I bought mine from (...) and it was all new, updated info. After reading this book and the author's other book, I went to North Carolina with my sister and we were both astounded at the savings. If anything, the books understate the deals you can get. And we never bought such high quality before -- this book tells you how to recognize and purchase quality also. I will never buy any home furnishings again without referencing these books -- whether I buy in person or via telephone ordering. She tells you exactly how to do both.

Rating:
Summary: Great information and bias all in one.
Review: I recently received my copy of this book. I have found the information valuable, enlightening and biased. The author seems well versed on the pros and cons of the furniture and decorating industry, giving detailed information and tips on everything. As a consumer who delights in finding a lot for a little this gets my creative juices flowing and awakens my sluething to find bargins in places I hadn't thought of. Quality is very important to me and the book gives very detailed information on what to look for and avoid. The resources for finding places to save is well covered too, so you are not left salivating with no way to quench your appetite. With all this said I was however quite annoyed with the authors bias against interior designers, decorators. She gives you the impression that ALL retailers, designers and decorators are unnecessary, greedy, snobbish, untruthful and in business to take advantage of you as consumer and should be avoided. Giving the reader cautions is great but the way she words it clearly indicates her bias against them. Surely once was more than enough! Retailers, designers and decorators all have their place in the food chain. As I read this book I realized that not all "mark-up" is a waste of my resources because it buys service, guarantees and refunds that I won't get when dealing direct. So if you want an education on this industry and practical things to put into practice and look out for, I recommend the book, just look beyond the bias.

Rating:
Summary: Which edition?
Review: I want to buy this book but strangely, Amazon.com only carries the 1996 edition. My understanding is that there have been several editions after that and the latest edition is 2004. This is available on the author's web site but at a much higher price. I tried emailing Amazon to clarify, but they have not been able to help in this matter.

I then emailed the author and she says that they regularly ship the new editions to Amazon and they should carry the new editions. By the way, I got admonished for even mentioning her post here saying that she will exchange the older edition for the newer one. She said people like me "greatly abused her offer"! She has a good book but she sure is rude.

Rating:
Summary: Useful info, wrong numbers!! Time to get them straight.
Review: Kimberly, time to update your contact information for factory outlets.

BEWARE of wrong contact information!!!

A lot of work for the very first numbers I call! Although I found some great information about furniture buying in Kimberly's book, I also had to do extensive research on the phone numbers and locations listed in it. In light of the author's comments [about the content], I was expecting the information and phone numbers in her book to be accurate and up-to-date. It bugged me to find this is not the case. The first number I called (the Hickory Chair Factory Outlet in Conover, NC) was not a working number. I later called the factory itself and they said they hadn't had that outlet store for "a couple of years." The very next number I called which Kimberly listed for a Hickory Chair factory outlet was also wrong. I got some other furniture retailer who sells antique grandfather clocks. By going to the company website, I found they have three factory outlets operating within Thomasville Factory Outlet (the spokesperson said Hickory is owned by Thomasville) only one of which is mentioned by Kimberly in her book. Kimberly also lists Hickory Chair as having a factory outlet in the Hickory Furniture Mart (see p. 33) but it is NOT a factory outlet. It is a retailer, Boyles, who sells Hickory Chair (as well as other brands) at the Furniture Mart. Even though she lists the furniture factory outlets at the Furniture Mart on p. 35 and the Hickory Chair company is not one of them, she does list Hickory Chair under Factory Outlets on p. 33. I also found a problem with the third number I called!

Not such a good record and I all this work on the very first numbers I call! I'm wary of trusting any more factory outlet numbers and information.

Rating:
Summary: The Insider's Guide to Buying Home Furnishings
Review: The Causey Book is outdated. The information included is available online in a more professional format. A good internet browser will get you more information than this book.

Rating:
Summary: Great information and bias all in one.
Review: This is a great explanation of how to save money when buying furniture. However, I tried the number that Kimberly Causey suggests in her response to this fact and the people I spoke with said that the 1996 version of the book is the most up-to-date.

Either Kimberly is mistaken or the people selling her book are mistaken. Either way the only version I have found is the one that is 5 years old.

Rating:
Summary: Good book but out-of-date
Review: This is a great explanation of how to save money when buying furniture. However, I tried the number that Kimberly Causey suggests in her response to this fact and the people I spoke with said that the 1996 version of the book is the most up-to-date.

Either Kimberly is mistaken or the people selling her book are mistaken. Either way the only version I have found is the one that is 5 years old.

Rating:
Summary: A good start
Review: You can go down to North Carolina, it's said, and purchase furniture for a deep discount off showroom prices elsewhere in the US. Buy enough and the freight charges are well offset by the savings.

However, where to begin? Who to see? What to watch out for? The internet is surprisingly little help in providing clear information about buying furniture direct from manufacturers and outlets in North Carolina. This book is of some assistance, organizing information for you. The only caveat is like any other book dealing with retailers or outlets, the information becomes dated. Companies come and go. Websites go up and down. So I recommend this book to learn about the process of buying furniture this way, but you may find the information needs an occasional update.