So, I know I live in Fairfield County. Land of overpaying for everything. So, I rarely experience sticker shock. That does not mean I don't hunt (and find) sales and bargains and overall cheaper prices before settling on paying over inflated prices if I can help it. So, why should baby furniture be any different. Let me start by saying, the baby business is a lot like the wedding business. At every possible corner, someone is preying on your hormones and the fact that everything you are looking at now is so little and cute and you would just hate to deprive your child of anything so you'll ignore the fact that they are charging 75% more for it. It's comparable to visiting the florist for bouquets and centerpieces. They all come at you with the "once in a lifetime" theory. Phooey.
A couple of months into my pregnancy, my mom and I visited a baby and teen funriture store in town. I'm trying to avoid mentioning their name for legal purposes but I will say it is on High Ridge Road so you do the math. Their stuff was beautiful, stunning and if I had all the money in the world, I would definitely go crazy in that store. But, the fact of the matter is, I have goals for myself like eventually moving into a bigger place some day, having money in the bank for emergencies and unstable economies, maybe having more kids and you have to send those kids to college and put clothes on their backs. So, is it that important that they sleep in a $1200 crib with silk bedding? No, not really. Is it pretty? Absolutely. Is it every little girl's dream to walk into a room like that? Yes. Am I J. Lo? No. My mom and I talked to the owner of the store for a while and we took a catalog. She was not busy at all so we didn't feel as though we were wasting her time. I would definitely be back, maybe not for furniture but definitely for some cute accessories or unique gifts for future baby showers I may get invited to.
Yesterday, The Hubs and I were on our way to Verizon because my phone was acting up. I asked if we could stop as said overpriced boutique because they had these cute little socks I had been coveting for years. This was AFTER I attempted to find them at Lord & Taylor armed with my coupon. L&T did not have the exact ones I wanted. The Hubs had sticker shock too when I showed him adorable little Converse sneakers tye-dyed on sale for the bargain price of $90. More than what he paid for the Ed Hardy's on his own feet and he surely would not grow out of those in a month or less.
I grabbed the socks and went to the register to pay. The owner recognized me as having come in a few months ago looking at furniture. If I was quicker on my feet, I would have said that was my twin. But, I am a bit slow and distracted lately. Then, she started the grilling process. "Did you find furniture?" "Where did you buy it from?" Again, if i were smarter, I would have said that a friend is making me some. Who can dispute custom made furniture? I avoided telling here where I got it from, just that I got it and it was a convertible so it would last me a long time. But, she would not let up. Now, it was bordering on annoying. Jesus lady, you own a store, times are tough, maybe you should LOWER YOUR PRICES if you need more business or be thankful that eventho' I didn't buy my furniture from you, I still came back and gave you business. It was reminiscent of my hairdresser and now I was annoyed. Luckily, some friends walked in the door so it was the perfect distraction from this awkward moment.
The Hubs said I should have just said loudly enough for the other customers in the store to hear, "Frankly, I didn't buy your stuff because IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE." She could actually learn a lesson from the people that DID sell me my furniture. The guy actually tried talking me out of buying the crib when I told him that my sister wanted to give me one but i was bit concerned because it was 12 years old. The guy said, "well, you can save yourself some money and just have someone paint it to match the dresser." For that very reason, he got my business. Well, that and he had the crib for $200 cheaper than I saw it for its cheapest online price.
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5 comments:
Now I need to know where you got your furniture! I know of the store on High Ridge and will not allow myself to go in.
Do not go in. It is way too tempting to buy everything. I will email you later with the place I ended up going to.
Supposedly, we are supposed to get used to people telling us what to do... but it's frustrating. Having a kid is stressful enough w/o strangers getting in your beeswax. Even people you know well will just say the stupidest stuff to you.
On my latest blog entry, I make a suggestion where to buy mid-priced furniture... I too am curious where you ended up going, but won't ask you to tell me since it's not my beeswax. :)
I also find that people around here are pretty competitive. Like, if you are hoping to go meds-free, they'll tell you why that's "dumb" (as if after one pitocin-induced labor they are an expert on labor pain) not so much to help you, but bc they want to make sure they themself did birth the right way...
It's hard, bc you want to share info w/people, bc that's how you learn, but it is frustrating to feel judged esp. when you did not bring up the damn topic.
Oops did I just vent?
When is the baby getting here already?! :)
I went to the Baby and Toy superstore on Cresecent Street. But, right now, they are on my shit list because they said 12 weeks for delivery and it is approaching 15 with no estimate in sight other than when it left the warehouse in Timbutook.
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