Caveat Emptor! (May the buyer beware!)

It is not normally our practice to criticise alternative products. Recently however, we have been made aware of ranges of “Oak” product now available through some oak furniture suppliers including some of the “Big Box” stores.  These products are also available in the UK and are generally a budget copy of the trademarked Besp-Oak UK Vancouver™ range.  In many cases, they are virtually identical copies with the same handles and finish.

We don’t mind competition of course, and they say that imitation is the best form of flattery, but as these products are often promoted as being “solid wood furniture” which could easily be interpreted as “solid oak” we think is unfair when often they are made from a majority of pine and MDF with oak cladding and veneer.

We purchased one of the items from a big box store, “on special” at 40% off. We sell our similar Vancouver™ product at 30% less than their advertised “retail” price. While to the untrained eye the products look virtually identical, there are major differences in materials and construction. Where the Genuine Vancouver ™ product is made from Oak (the drawer base is made from Oak ply) the other product is largely made from pine with Oak veneer. The drawers do not have runners and the rear drawer panels are thin butt joined and stapled pine, where ours are solid Oak, dovetail joined, with side runners. The legs are actually pine, with a 6mm Oak cladding to give the appearance of solid Oak...

Check the following images –