What should I ask about a furniture store’s custom upholstery fabric supply?

Begin with the suppliers. Ask for a list of fabric sources, how long each has supplied the store, and whether any are the only source for a popular line. Ask to see recent orders and the dates they arrived, so you can compare promised delivery against real delivery. Late fabric means late sofas, and customers remember.

Next, ask about the rules around ordering. Some suppliers require minimum lengths, charge for cutting samples, or refuse returns on cut cloth. Ask how the store handles colour variation between dye lots, since a mismatch can mean an unhappy customer and a costly redo. Find out who covers the loss when that happens.

Then look at what is on hand. Leftover bolts and remnants are inventory that may or may not be usable, so ask how they are tracked. Also ask whether the store has an arrangement with the workshop that does the upholstery, and whether it is written down. Finally, ask what customers have waiting. Unfilled custom orders and deposits are obligations you would take on. Ask how the store quotes customers on delivery times, because promises made at the counter are the ones you will need to keep.

Key takeaways

• Ask for supplier names, tenure and any sole-source fabric lines.
• Compare promised delivery dates with the actual ones on recent orders.
• List deposits and open custom orders you would be inheriting.