Abitare UK Blog

Madonna and the Natuzzi Sound Chair!

In a recent article in an Italian Magazine it was revealed that pop sensation Madonna and estranged husband Guy Ritchie used the Natuzzi Sound Chair for more than listening to popular music! GR was reported to have said that Madonna had a liking to making love whilst listening to her own back catalogue of hits! So much so that she bought 10 of the chairs to have in her various homes accross the globe! Now that the Natuzzi Sound chair has a bigger brother in the Surround Sofa…….

Natuzzi Prices

Natuzzi prices are going up. Not a lot but enough. Due to pressures of the £ v €, Natuzzi SPA will be increasing all of their prices for all of their products from the 1st March 2010. This means that everything sold from either Natuzzi Stores, Independent Natuzzi Gallery Shops and Stores that sell Italsofa and Additions will enjoy this price increase. This is not something that has come from retailers. It has come direct from Italy and is subject of the problems that the £ has suffered over the last 6 months. Abitare will continue to offer the best service and prices that we can. Any orders placed before the 1st March will NOT be subject to this price increase despite the goods being delivered after the 1st March.

Nightmare Continues

It seems that there is just no end to the troubles that many clients have had that have bought sofas from the local retailer featured heavily on www.complainstboard.com, to the point that despite all the press clients have been duped into paying balances and placing orders in December 2009 and even as late as January 2010.

There is till no news on who has been appointed as Administrator or when that will happen.

Abitare has continued to assist clients by taking orders and absorbing deposits paid, where possible, and to give added security to these clients we have accepted to take orders without clients paying us a deposit.

There are many many clients that I have spoken to that have placed for all over the Country. It seems fortunate that these clients are the ones secure as they have all paid on Credit Card. Those local to Preston have paid in cash and cheque and it seems less than likely that these local people will ever see anything back even if an Administrator finds assets.

It goes to show that really the only way to shop now is with the security of Credit Cards as they atleast offer insurance. There is NO benefit from paying cash if you are a legitimate business. The Banks charge to accept cash just as there is a charge to use a credit card. As a retailer we absorb these costs.

From this sorry situation perhaps the important lesson learned is that cash is no longer king.

Abitare Home Visits!

Good and Bad News! I am rolling out the home visit plans. Normally our home visits are for design clients that we are working with. But I have decided that for any clients that would like a home visit to check on sizes and colours and plans of Natuzzi and any other goods, will be a pleasure. And totally FREE and without me holding you to buying anything! The band news is though…its me. MD and chief bottle washer that will be coming out. Is it a good thing for my clients that you will receive such personal attention? Lets wait and see! Call me on either 01942 248842 or 07921 661240 to make an appointment. Phillip J Ashworth.

Natuzzi Confused

There are Natuzzi Stores and Natuzzi Gallery. Stores are dedicated to selling only Natuzzi and these are shops owned and run by Natuzzi UK. The Natuzzi Gallery stores tend to be very large independent stores, privatly owned, that sell a wealth of brands and that have been around for many many years. My Company is one of them. My Natuzzi Gallery in Wigan is something like 3 times the size of the Natuzzi shop in Trafford Centre. This isnt uncommon that Gellery Stores are much larger than Stores. It also means that shops like mine carry a much more comprehensive range of Natuzzi furniture. For example on average I carry twice as many groups as a Natuzzi flagship store.

 After 20 years of dealing with Natuzzi I just love the constant moves in fashion and vibrance in their products and even in the way Natuzzi deal with us here in the UK. Natuzzi must be special if I still maintain the best selection anywhere in the UK. And they are. They are the best as what they do.

I heard today from a Natuzzi Store, that if you are a Natuzzi Gallery, your order doesnt go to the same place as that of a Natuzzi Store. Mmmmmm. So the multi mulit millio £ computer system that Natuzzi installed so world wide Gallery Stores and Shops could order real time was just an Italian tale? No. The Natuzzi you select from Abitare is EXACTLY the same as the Natuzzi you buy from Natuzzi Stores around the Country. And is exactly the same as the Natuzzi you but from Gallery Stores. The product and production times are identical. The Guarantee and Warranty are identical. Abitare even has the same person at Natuzzi looking after service issues. Just ask my mother!

 What is not the same is what you find in store and the delivery service. With most Gallery Stores being owner run you get a service that can not be compared to a multi national. Our aim as a Private Store is all about client expectations and satisfaction. In the Gallery stores like mine you deal with people like me. The owners. People that have been looking after clients designs and needs for ever! Think of going to natuzzi and dealing direct with Pasquale Natuzzi himself! Thats just like coming in here and dealing with me. To me, my clients are number one. Not just a sale and commission for sales staff. But a real person and an opportunity to build a relationship.

 Sometimes there are bad eggs as we have seen recently on the Complaints Board with one retailer. More often its the groups like Uno, Kingdom of Leather…that cause the problems.

I guarantee this. The service, selection, price…everything that you get from Abitare is the best I can offer. I guarantee that you wont be let down. And if anything ever goes wrong or anybody is unahappy. I’m here in the store in Wigan 7 days a week and always at the end of the phone.

And if you ever have a service issue, then my mother will be at hand to help. And she never gives up fighting for our clients!

New Natuzzi Displays Arrive

Abitare has just had delivery of some brand new Natuzzi display groups. This brings our displays up to 39 groups! The biggest in the UK. Getting new stock from suppliers is one of the best bits of having a great shop. The only problem is that I have to pay for all the beautiful stock when it arrives!

Important notice to Natuzzi, Italsofa, Incanto and Sofaitalia customers

It has been brought to our attention from that two major Italian Furniture Manufacturers, Natuzzi Group SPA and Incanto Group SPA will NOT be supplying any orders taken for their products from a retailer in the Lancashire area. These include orders for Natuzzi, Italsofa, Incanto and Sofaitalia.

Abitare has been in contact with many Natuzzi and Italsofa clients and has offered to honor deposits paid against these orders up to a limit. Abitare has also been in touch with Credit and Debit Card suppliers. Those people that have paid by credit card are insured against FRAUD as ARE those that paid by debit or Maestro cards where balances were taken from the card WITHOUT the cardholders permission or confirmation, which include PIN verification or signature.

Please speak with your credit card suppliers for further details on how to get your money back. Deposits and/or balances and full payments made in the shop premises by cash or debit card are unlikely to see the return of anything.

Abitare is working with Incanto Group to try and supply all outstanding orders placed from between 1st December 2009 and the present time. Please remember that Incanto Group WILL NOT supply any orders to this retailer regardless of you having paid deposits or balances. Please contact me directly on 01942 248842 or the Incanto Group Agent Aleeq on 0781 3784241.

Orders taken by Abitare, Arichi Bianchi, Housing Units, Proffits and Stokers Group are secure.

You can also e mail me directly at phillip@abitareuk.com