ᐅ Would you consider buying from a bankrupt kitchen manufacturer?
Created on: 12 Jul 2017 14:23
S
Smurfberry
Hello everyone,
As announced today (but already long expected), the kitchen manufacturer Alno is insolvent and has filed for bankruptcy.
Our current plan was to buy an Alno kitchen through the kitchen studio, but nothing has been signed yet. Alno itself says they will continue producing as usual. From many industries, we know that insolvency does not necessarily mean the end of a company – but I don’t know if that applies here as well.
So my question is: do you have experience with this situation, and would you still consider buying from a manufacturer in insolvency, or is it too risky since this has happened before and eventually no spare parts or service were available?
In my opinion, it shouldn’t be a problem in most cases, since it is not the kitchen studio that is insolvent, just the manufacturer. Spare parts might be more difficult to get, but service should still be available. Moreover, appliances are probably more prone to faults than kitchen cabinets and countertops.
What do you think? Thanks for your opinions!
Best regards,
Tom
As announced today (but already long expected), the kitchen manufacturer Alno is insolvent and has filed for bankruptcy.
Our current plan was to buy an Alno kitchen through the kitchen studio, but nothing has been signed yet. Alno itself says they will continue producing as usual. From many industries, we know that insolvency does not necessarily mean the end of a company – but I don’t know if that applies here as well.
So my question is: do you have experience with this situation, and would you still consider buying from a manufacturer in insolvency, or is it too risky since this has happened before and eventually no spare parts or service were available?
In my opinion, it shouldn’t be a problem in most cases, since it is not the kitchen studio that is insolvent, just the manufacturer. Spare parts might be more difficult to get, but service should still be available. Moreover, appliances are probably more prone to faults than kitchen cabinets and countertops.
What do you think? Thanks for your opinions!
Best regards,
Tom
I just talked to my sister (a furniture salesperson) yesterday. She said that last month alone, nine suppliers filed for bankruptcy or shut down. I wouldn’t assume that the reasons for Alno’s situation are any different from the others. German quality is nice, but customers are no longer willing to pay for it. Furniture now comes cheaper from Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, China, and so on. The gap is widening here as well. The mid-range, traditional German quality is disappearing. There are only basic and luxury options left.
It’s sad to see long-established traditional companies closing their doors forever. But people’s preferences do change over time. Especially younger people often have no interest in high-quality furniture. They prefer to travel and fill their homes with the entire IKEA range or similar products.
Also, for non-experts, the visual differences are barely noticeable anymore. Whether it’s solid wood or real wood veneer – you just can’t see much difference.
It’s sad to see long-established traditional companies closing their doors forever. But people’s preferences do change over time. Especially younger people often have no interest in high-quality furniture. They prefer to travel and fill their homes with the entire IKEA range or similar products.
Also, for non-experts, the visual differences are barely noticeable anymore. Whether it’s solid wood or real wood veneer – you just can’t see much difference.
S
Smurfberry16 Jul 2017 09:43kaho674 schrieb:
Young people often have no interest in high-quality furniture at all. They prefer to travel and fill their homes with the entire Ikea range or something similar.At 32, I would still consider myself "quite young" when it comes to building a house. In my circle of friends, I see that this statement (at least in my environment) is not accurate. Almost all of them have invested money in their houses, kitchens, and furniture. So far, I haven’t seen any IKEA kitchens or IGNIS appliances. Brands like Leicht and Alno are commonly mentioned.
But of course, this might not be representative, as the kitchen planner sections at IKEA are often quite busy.
Yes, the impression is often misleading when you only compare within your own circle. Usually, friends and relatives come from a similar background. What really matters is where the majority buys, or more precisely, what they buy. Nowadays, almost all furniture retailers have to offer tables from Romania as well. There is simply no other option. The price differences are huge, while the quality differences are minimal or, as is usually the case, not noticeable at all.
Smurfberry schrieb:
... So far, I haven’t seen IKEA kitchens or IGNIS appliances anywhere. Brands like Leicht and Alno are much more commonly mentioned.
But of course, this doesn’t have to be representative, since the kitchen planner sections at IKEA are often very busy. And how do you know that the IKEA kitchen planner is always busy? Because you yourself often go there, instead of to the more expensive competitor?
Similar topics