I would NOT recommend Z&R Furniture -- aggressive sales experience and disappointing customer…read moreservice
I purchased Southern Motion furniture from Z&R Furniture, and while I have been impressed with the quality of the Southern Motion furniture itself and the professionalism of the delivery team, my experience with Z&R's sales process and customer service has been extremely disappointing.
The problems started during the sales process. The sales approach was excessively persistent and, in my experience, became uncomfortably high-pressure and coercive. I was repeatedly pushed toward making a purchase, and the experience became uncomfortable enough that I now believe this is the point where a customer should simply walk away. A furniture purchase should not feel like you're being pressured into making a significant financial decision before you've had adequate time to evaluate the product and price.Unfortunately I was not on my 'A game' the day I visited Z&R - and the sales team AND OWNER took complete advantage.
My strongest advice: do not sign the sales receipt until you are absolutely certain you are ready to purchase. My experience was that once the sales receipt was signed, Z&R would not allow me to cancel the purchase even though they did not provide the documentation they promised. Knowing that beforehand would have significantly changed how I approached the transaction.
I was also led to believe that I was receiving a substantial discount on the furniture. After eventually obtaining the actual product information and doing my own research into the specific Southern Motion models and configurations, I have serious concerns that the price I paid was not consistent with the level of discount that was represented to me at the time of purchase, nor was it comparable to other companies who openly place their purchase price online.
This is where the lack of timely product information became a major issue. I repeatedly requested the actual manufacturer model numbers, SKUs, and product specifications for the furniture I had purchased. That information was not provided in a timely manner -- and by "not timely," I mean I literally did not receive the information until the day before my furniture was scheduled to be delivered.
That delay was particularly problematic because without the actual product specifications, I could not independently research the furniture or compare prices with other Southern Motion dealers while I still had an opportunity to make an informed decision about my purchase. Had I been given the model numbers and specifications when I requested them, I could have researched the exact furniture, compared legitimate dealer pricing, and evaluated whether the discount I was being offered was actually competitive before the furniture was delivered.
There was also a significant problem with communication surrounding delivery. My furniture was delivered outside the estimated timeframe I was originally provided, yet I received no proactive communication or follow-up from Z&R explaining the delay or providing an updated delivery timeframe. I had to pursue the information myself rather than receiving the level of communication I would expect after making a substantial purchase.
To be fair, I want to make an important distinction: the Southern Motion furniture itself appears to be high quality, and the delivery team was professional and did a good job. My concerns are with Z&R's sales practices, pricing transparency, communication, and customer service, not with Southern Motion or the people who ultimately delivered the furniture.
My experience has left me with the impression that Z&R is much more focused on closing the sale than taking care of the customer after the sale.
If you're considering purchasing from Z&R, my advice would be:
Do not let yourself be pressured into making a decision.
Do not sign the sales receipt until you are completely certain you want to purchase.
Get the manufacturer's exact model numbers, SKUs, materials, colors/leathers, and specifications in writing before signing.
Research the exact products and compare prices with other dealers before committing.
Get a realistic delivery timeframe in writing and ask how delays will be communicated.
Don't assume that a large "discount" necessarily means you're receiving a good price -- verify the actual market price yourself.
For me, the biggest lesson is simple: when a sales process becomes excessively persistent or makes you feel pressured into buying, walk away. You should have enough time and information to make an informed decision about a major purchase.
I really like the Southern Motion furniture and had a positive experience with the delivery team. Unfortunately, those positives don't overcome what has been a very frustrating experience with Z&R Furniture's sales practices and customer service.
