[.ca] The Furniture Factory Outlet Guide (ISBN 1888229446)

remember the college guides?:
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.

Terrific Guide!:
I am furnishing a new house and looking for all types of furniture. I had heard North Carolina was the place to go. With this guide, all the questions I had have been cleared up. As a matter of fact, since I already knew the make/model # of the items I wanted I was able to call up many of the places in the guide and do my shopping over the phone!! On one item- an end-table, it is retailing for $... - I got it for $... plus only $... shipping (includes set up in my house) from North Carolina to NY!...I know I will save thousands. I have already saved hundreds! The trick to using this guide is KNOWING the make/model# of the item you are after so you can specifically ask for that when you call/visit places in the guide. Otherwise the guide will help you map out a trip to NC if you just want to browse. ...

Saved thousands of dollars:
I purchased a house recently and decided to replace almost all my furniture. I bought The Furniture Factory Outlet Guide for assistance. I saved literally over $10,000 using this book. My one recommendation to use this guide is to shop your local furniture stores, get the furniture manufacturer's name, the group name and/or number of the pieces you like. Then use the guide to call the stores listed in the guide that carry the furniture manufacturer you're looking for, and price shop, one against the other for the best deals. You really don't even have to go to NC, unless you want to spend a couple days looking and figuring out what furniture you like. Then go home and call the stores in this guide. Good luck and happy shopping.

Great resource but not updated since version 1:
First let me say that this book and its previous version saved me thousands -- I'll never buy retail again. For the simple xreference and "all in one place" numbers -- the book is worth its price. Now for why I gave it only a 3. I bought this version because I thought it would be up-to-date (now I see there's a 2003 version!) but it wasn't. Almost no one had a web site or e-mail listed but through my investigation I found most of the companies did. In searching for a vendor that carried a maker of furniture, I heard "we stopped carrying that line 3 years ago" == fine for the older version but not what I expected. I suggest you check out the 2003 version -- hopefully they've scrubbed the listing. The blurb under almost every outlet reads the same "great prices, worth a phone call" but I found that the same outlets seem to always be the cheaper so don't take the author's word -- call around.

Book can be misleading or inaccurate:
Used the book on our visit to North Carolina. Found it misleading or inaccurate concerning discounts available, shipping costs and outlets not charging sales tax when shipping out of state. Some of the "So Called Discounters" were not there or out of business and directions were frequently incorrect. We wouldn't do the trip again.