The Furniture Factory Outlet Guide, 3rd Edition

I stumbled across Causey's book on a North Carolina furniture discounter's web site. My husband and I made the trip from Portland, OR, for less than $400 with all of our frequent flier miles and Marriott Reward points. We loved the people and had a blast! Causey's book was instrumental in helping to plan the trip. It reduced the number of stores we visited significantly, and we were able to trust in the discounters that we visited. Here's my advice: 1. If you don't know exactly what you want (ex: style of bedroom set), get the book and make the trip. We went to the After Market Sale in early May and just about everyone had a big sale. I can't understate the value of seeing so many pieces within a short time. We were able to quickly develop preferences for which styles, manufactures, and colors would work in our home. Our favorite place was the Hickory Furniture Mart - a great experience for those buying mid- to high-end furniture. 2. If you already know exactly what manufacturer and collection you want (maybe you've seen something in your home town), get the book and call all of the listed discounters for quotes. The book has an index by manufacturer, so it's really simple and will pay for itself in the time you save. There are tons of discounters, so the book is needed to weed through the masses. (...) At the end of the day, the trip was well worth it. We found a perfect dining room set and bedroom set to meet our needs. We ended up buying Thomasville furniture due to their very unique, warm, and rich Cognac stain (fantastic sales team at the Hickory Furniture Mart: ask for Shana Bretzius and Randy Huffman). Seeing all of these pieces in person, we thought Thomasville was a clear standout. We are ecstatic and couldn't have found such perfect furniture for us without making the trip. We also validated that in all cases, the DirectBuy prices are lower than the NC discounters, even when including the After Market Sales. Unfortunately for us, DirectBuy doesn't carry Thomasville (due to Thomasville's minimum retail pricing policy), and we decided the Thomasville furniture was the perfect fit for us. We did, however, get the minimum pricing + free shipping + free white glove delivery (they carry it in and set it up) to Portland, OR. And, a much better deal than our local stores!

This one looks like one...every page has a different outlet, with information like location and telephone, hours, email, a brief description with very personalized comments from the author, directions on how to get there, and lists of manufacturers each outlet carries or does business with. It also has some photos of items you could find there and the great discounts offered. Too bad I don't live in the North Carolina area or I would be off every weekend going to every outlet. It's great for those who really want to save big money on furniture and accessories for the home. The book did mention 3 big warehouses in NC, which I already know about, but offered more info about them than what I already knew. If you plan on getting furniture, get the book, but first check if there is a copy in your local library instead of spending the money on the book. This is a guide you will probably use once every other year, or until you finish furnishing your home.

This book was well-organized and informative. We saved about 20% on the cost of a whole suite of furniture for our bedroom including headboard, footboard, night stand, dresser, mirror, chest of drawers and an armoire - even after shipping costs! We also purchased a special-order sofa and loveseat at just over half the cost at a local retail store based on the author's suggestion. The only down side to using an outlet is the time you have to wait for your furniture - about 6 to 12 weeks. However, this book will help you cut down on search time. This book saves countless hours surfing the net for furniture outlets! A great buy!

This book is a "how to" book on buying fine furniture at deep discounts. The author reviews many separate outlets, providing the information you need, such as phone numbers, reputation, brands carried, and payment methods. The index is a cross reference to the outlets that carry the brands you want. I have actually followed the author's suggestions and bought furniture by phone - with great satisfaction.

This book is an excellent guide for anyone wanting to save money on furniture. It gives excellent reviews of each furniture outlet, and became the crucial foundation for planning a trip to the furniture capital--North Carolina. Telephone numbers along with the lines of furniture carried at each outlet helped me save time by knowing exactly which outlets I wanted to visit prior to arriving. It also distingushed which outlets accepted telephone orders. Excellent source for information in one location. I saved $650 on 3 pieces of furniture; it was well worth the cost of the book!