How do I check a furniture store’s relationship with its delivery carriers?
Ask who actually delivers: the store’s own trucks, an outside carrier, or a mix. Request the carrier agreements, recent invoices and the record of damage and late-delivery complaints. Then call the carrier, with the seller’s permission, to ask whether the relationship would carry on under a new owner and on what terms.
Delivery is where a furniture store’s reputation is made or lost. A beautiful showroom does not help if the sofa arrives scratched or three weeks late. Ask for the complaint log and look at how many problems trace back to the carrier rather than the product.
Find out how the arrangement is documented. Some carriers work on a handshake and a rate sheet, others under a written agreement with insurance terms. Ask who pays when an item is damaged in transit, how claims are filed, and how long they take to settle. Review invoices to see whether rates have been rising.
Ask how dependent the store is on a single carrier. If that carrier stopped taking calls tomorrow, how quickly could deliveries resume? A backup option is a good sign. Finally, ask whether the carrier has a personal link to the seller that may not transfer. Your lawyer can read the agreements, and your insurance adviser can confirm coverage. Finally, ask how customers are told about delays and who handles that call. A store that warns customers early and keeps its promises is usually working with carriers that respond. Ask for a few customers’ names, with permission, who had a difficult delivery.
Key takeaways
- Learn who delivers and obtain any written carrier agreements and recent invoices.
- Read the complaint and damage log to see how often the carrier is the cause.
- Ask the carrier, with permission, whether it will continue under a new owner.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
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