Care home furniture supplier vs manufacturer; which is best for me?

Across the UK there are many different suppliers and manufacturers of care home furniture but many offer different solutions and working out which is best for you can often be a challenge.

In this article we explain some of the key differences between a furniture supplier and a furniture manufacturer to help you to decide which one is best for your care home.

What’s the key difference between a care home furniture supplier and a manufacturer?

Whilst both a supplier and a manufacturer do supply furniture to care homes, a manufacturer makes the furniture in their own factories either to order or for stock and a supplier buys the furniture in ready-made for stock and then sells it on to the end-user.

This means in some cases, but not all, a care home supplier has shorter lead times as they have furniture in stock and do not have to wait for the furniture to be made. However, in saying this, there are furniture suppliers in the UK that do have very long delivery times due to them being unable to control their supply chain.

Suppliers Vs Manufacturers; Advantages and Disadvantages

Suppliers

Advantages

Typically have shorter lead times

Furniture can be more cost effective as its manufactured in bulk

Save time ordering due to smaller product offerings

Disadvantages

Limited choice available

Your home looks the same as your competitions due to limited options available

Bespoke / custom product lead-time is very long

Quality can be lower due to furniture being manufactured in bulk and being unable to control the supply chain

Manufacturers

Advantages

High level of customisation available

More premium look possible due to being able to use any fabric etc.

Create a unique look in your home setting you apart from your competitors

Typically have a higher quality level due to being able to control the manufacturing processes

Disadvantages

Delivery times typically longer due to items not being stocked

Can be more expensive due to items not being manufactured in bulk

More time consuming to order due to more options being available

So, should I choose a supplier or manufacturer?

Whether you choose to work with a furniture supplier, or a manufacturer comes down to what it is that you are really looking for. If you are looking for something that you need delivered very quickly and don’t mind looking the same as your competitors then a supplier may be the best option for you but if you want something more unique and are happy to potentially wait slightly longer then working with a manufacturer may be a better option.

Who is Edison & Day® and where do we fit into the above?

Edison & Day® is a UK manufacturer of care home furniture and soft furnishings, but we are quite different from the other care home furniture manufacturers out there.

Our Dayex® service is a fast delivery service where you can have your furniture, delivered to your room, in as little as 5 days and it’s still made-to-order. We stock the components for our furniture in our factories rather than assembled furniture; this enables us to offer one of the largest selections of furniture in the UK that is available for delivery in 5 days! Need something a little more bespoke? You can still take advantage of our Dayex® service and have them delivered in as little as 10 days!