Alstons Furniture

Be_Happy

Hi.  Wonder if anyone else is having a problem getting furniture ordered from Alstons.

I ordered sofa from local furniture shop in July.  Quoted 6 weeks delivery, but knew this was optimistic as online sellers of same sofa were quoting 10 weeks.  Expected to have some delay due to Coronavirus.

Now local shop closing down (by choice, not in liquidation) and I went in to query delivery update.  Sofa is coming direct from Alstons.  Told problem is entirely with Alstons - no cloth, unable to get parts, backlog, etc,etc.  Delivery due in December, so time has now changed from 6 weeks to 5 months.  Only benefit of Coronavirus is that I'm not allowed visitors, so don't need seating, but am surprised that Alstons, who I thought were a large company, are having such problems.

I've only paid deposit so far, but do worry about local shop closing before my sofa is due, and losing my point of contact.

LordRocket

Hi. I work in the furniture trade and the whole supply chain is broken. Springs come from Turkey, wood from Scandinavia, fabrics from Belgium, the list goes on and then there's a worldwide shortage of containers, they're in the wrong place or the ships can't get into port; in 25 years in the trade I've never known anything like this.  Many manufacturers are having great trouble getting hold of raw materials and then to compound the problem demand from consumers has gone through the roof. I think because people can't spend their money on a holiday they're spending it on purchases for the house instead and so we have a perfect storm of too much demand and too little supply. Alstons are a well known and reputable firm but they are at the mercy of their suppliers - if you placed an order today you'll be quoted 2021 for delivery, possibly with the caveat that delivery dates are an indication and not a guarantee, that's how bad things are. 
July was well before Alstons Christmas cut off date (which was around 2 - 3 weeks ago) so in theory you should get your sofa by Christmas BUT will component shortages being what they are I as a salesman wouldn't promise it. 
I'm sure someone versed in consumer law will be able to suggest a course of action for you but I wanted to reassure you that from what you've written, the store is telling the truth about supply etc. 
Good luck and I hope you enjoy your new sofa - when it comes!

accorian

Under Law, you've a claim for breach of contract -- you contracted with Alstons for the supply of  a new sofa on the basis of a 6-week delivery date. You now need to go into the shop (whilst it's still there) and say you want your deposit returned if the ordered item isn't delivered to you within the next 7 days. You should also write to the company's head office notifying them of the cancellation of your order and rewquest for refund of the deposit paid due to the company's non -compliance with the original terms of contract.

Don't waste any time hanging around; it's now October and you were due to receive the goods by the end of August or early September. Don't just meekly let the local store shut  without having been round there to make your presence felt and your complaint known; as to the sofa, forget all about it, there's no guarantee Alstons can deliver it to you this side of the next millennium, so don't wait on them. You want your deposit back, and you want it now.

Be_Happy

Thanks.  I do understand the problems all manufacturers are having with getting supplies.  I just wondered if anyone else was having the same problem with this manufacturer or if the local store was just palming me off.  So thanks for detailed explanation.

Realistically, there is no trouble as I don't need the seating with being banned from visitors due to Coronavirus regulations, it's just a matter of principle.  Annoyed at local store as they did have the sofa I wanted as a display model (different cloth) and had I known they were closing down I would have tried to buy that one.  I only heard they were closing from someone who had passed the shop and knew I had a sofa ordered.  Went in but all the display sofas had been sold off.

Shop assures me that Alstons have stopped taking new orders in September so that they can work full out to clear the backlog before restarting ordering and that they have the materials needed for my sofa.  I had even said I could be flexible about choice of cloth if there was a problem, but told this was OK.

Will just wait it out.  I spent ages looking on the internet before choosing this one as it was exactly what I wanted.  Paid deposit by credit card so money safe and won't be paying full balance until it is delivered!