This Unexpected Item Has The Worst Reviews At Crate And Barrel
The best thing about online shopping is the huge selection that brick-and-mortar stores just can't compete with. By looking online, you can find virtually any item from retailers across the globe. The downside, of course, is that you don't have hands-on experience with the item. You can't get a good look at the quality, materials, or size. Many online purchases disappoint simply because what you buy is not what you expect – NGPF reported that 18% of online purchases were returned in 2020.
That's where reviews come in. Reading about other customers' experiences can veer you away from low-quality items. In furniture shopping, online reviews are an extra advantage because many issues with furniture have to do with longevity. You can read reviews from a customer who bought the couch you've been eyeing a year ago, only to find out it fell apart within months.
We've found one of the worst-reviewed items at Crate and Barrel — and it might not be what you expect. Here's an item to avoid while shopping at the popular furniture retailer.
High prices means high expectations
According to Comfort Works, purchasing a sofa from Crate and Barrel can be a major headache. The typical price for a fabric sofa at the retailer is about $2,000, and their leather sofas are usually over $3,000. On top of the high prices, customers have complained about shipping issues, commonly saying they didn't get their items on time. This could be due to issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but some customers believe there was a lack of transparency regarding the delivery date.
When you spend this much on furniture, you expect the highest quality. Nothing is more frustrating than splurging on what was supposed to be a luxury item, only to find that you might've been happier with the bargain option. Though Crate and Barrel is known for having high-quality pieces (even the IKEA fanatics at Comfort Works agree), there are still quite a few complaints from customers on Crate and Barrels' website about quality issues. From fabric tearing to feathers causing a mess, some customers aren't happy after dropping a few grand. One expensive sofa in particular has caused many disappointments.
An expensive but flimsy couch
The Lotus Modular 3-Piece Extra Long Low Sofa Sectional is 113.5-inches long and costs a little over $4,500, according to Crate and Barrel. It's described as a very comfortable and crisp-looking piece that only needs some fluffing and rotating to look pristine. Currently, this sofa has a 4-star rating out of 125, which doesn't seem too bad; however, some of the 1-star to 3-star reviews are alarming for a furniture piece that is so expensive.
One customer described the sofa as looking "deflated" after a year, even if regularly fluffed. They also stated that the wood frame began to stick out as the fabric slowly became thinner. Others shared pictures of feathers poking through the cushions, and one review claimed that there were pointy parts of the feathers constantly poking both her and her child, making their overall experience very uncomfortable. One reviewer named Hannah said that the couch looked stunning online, but after only a few weeks, it looked "years old." Though this sofa has plenty of fans, we want fewer negative reviews when throwing $4,500 towards a couch.