Ask Mike, The Furniture Expert, at The Consignment Warehouse

Ask Mike

The "Expert" on home furnishing

I’ve spent the last 30 years in the furniture business - wholesale, manufacturing, design, and retail. I started The Consignment Warehouse because I hated seeing great furniture being wasted and disposed of. Furniture lasts forever, and just because one person is finished with it, doesn’t mean that it’s worthless and should be destroyed.

My store is a different experience than any other furniture store you’ve visited. We get new items every day, and sell almost 20% of our inventory each week. That’s what we offer - upscale, beautiful, pre-owned furnishings - for less than half of what they sold for when new (sometimes a lot less)!

I personally inspect each piece of furniture with a critical eye to ensure it meets my high standards. When you make a purchase from The Consignment Warehouse, I’ve already looked it over - you can’t make a mistake!

Got a furniture related question?

Email Mike and get a tip from the Expert!

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Furniture Myths Exposed:

Myth #1: Furniture is expensive.

Reality: Compared to what? Cars? Houses? Electronics? Re-modeling? Did you know you can furnish your bedroom for the price of a flat screen TV? Or furnish your entire home for the price of an average car?

People, we have it backwards! I'll bet you've bought and sold at least 3 cars, and still sit on that same old couch. Why? because furniture is expensive?? So are cars... $20,000 - $80,000+ -- especially when they wear out or breakdown. You can buy a lot of furniture for that kind of money.

Our homes are where we raise our children, entertain, relax and unwind. They should be comfortable, tasteful, something we're proud of. The right furniture will transform your home and last a lot longer than cars and electronics. Furniture is cheap compared to that stuff, and MAYBE you'll replace it 2-3 times in your lifetime.

Furniture is a very justifiable purchase, and worth every penny when you consider the above.

Myth #2: Furniture markup is 300-400%

Reality: What a crock. I WISH!!! Believe it or not, the MOST successful furniture stores in the country get to keep $7 - $8 for every $100 they sell. I mean it. -- $92 - $93 of that sale goes to overhead like rent, advertising, labor, payroll, trucks, warehouse/storage, utilities, etc., etc. An AVERAGE store gets to keep $2 - $3 for every $100 they sell. And that's BEFORE taxes!!

Don't get me wrong, it's a fun business, and most furniture people stay in our industry for their entire career -- we really enjoy it. But it's not because we're all getting rich!

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Mike’s Top Ten Habits of Savvy TCW Shoppers:

1. They stop by The Consignment Warehouse at least once a week.

2. They TAKE THEIR TIME wandering through the store.

3. They let us know what room they are working on, and what things they're

looking for so we can call them when something they "have to see" comes in.

4. They don't hesitate when they find something they love.

5. They take advantage of our test drive policy.

6. They ask about the stories behind the items.

7. They use their camera phones to send pics to their spouses.

8. They never miss one of our Private Sales.

9. They join our @list club to find out first.