So I can't guarantee that everything on Spoken .io is the same (I am not affiliated with the site) or that prices won't change. Links to the cheaper versions are in the description...
As a guy that owns a furniture store, in a very far away country i have to say that Nick has a very strong point, modern retailers do not want to invest in a huge warehouse full of furniture, because even if they do, can not cover all the designs out there. So distributors were created and retailers buy from them plus their exclusive imports. And for Nick's Subscribers, a small advice. There are only 3 pieces of furniture thats worth spending on 1. Mattress 2. Your main sofa 3. The dining chairs that you use every day. All the rest are there just to fill the space.
4. Your desk chair, particularly if you work from home or you spend more time at your computer than you do in front of your tv. I also think bookcases are an investment item, especially if you are a collector of books because books are heavy and bookcases take a beating. A well-built bookcase can last decades and save a ton of $$ long term vs buying a new kallax or whatever every 2-3 years as they scuff/break/bow under the weight. I'd also argue in today's society a well-functioning desk is a prime investment too... again, especially if you work from home. A sleek desk with no drawers may look nice but also be wholly impractical if you need office supplies/cables/snacks at the ready.
Nick, I think one of the most outrageous cases of white labeling was the Pottery Barn's "Bamboo Wall Art" incident from a few years back. Pottery Barn released this "Hand Crafted Bamboo Wall Art Plate" that they sold at retail for $299, guess what... That "Plate" actually came from the Philippines and is what we call a "Bilao" (Bee-Lah-Oh) we literally use it to put a large amount of food meant to be shared in town fiestas. It can be any food for sharing: Noodles, fruits, rice cakes, heck even Western foods like chicken wings, roasted pork, etc. They literally sell that on the roadside here for.... $0.70 - $1.50! It was so ridiculous it actually managed to make the papers when the incident came out😂😂😂
Speaking of Pottery Barn. I ordered two, large, $500 lamps a few weeks ago. When they were delivered, they were larger than I expected and looked too over the top in size for my room, and since I wasn't thrilled, I'm not spending that kind of money on them, so I sent them back. For some unknown reason, after I sent them back, I decided to do a reverse image search for them and found the exact ones (not dupes) for about $175 less. Same exact style, dimensions, place of origin, etc. No doubt they were the exact lamps. That's when I learned a valuable lesson. Glad Nick posted this video to give me more insight on this.
OmG, yes. 🤣 I have been a witness to a lot of these "works of art". I've also been a victim .....and a "culprit" I paid $35 dollars for a 5 x 4-inch grey glass tulip so called candle holder. When I got it, I could swear it was a glass lampshade taken off from one of those multi head floor lamps. And actually, it was! Years later, at a thrift store, there they were five grey glass tulip shades stuck on a floor lamp. The lamp cost 25 bucks', it was beautiful, it worked and I bought it Just look at it for what it is. If you see a "piece of art" and it's just a bunch of carpet remnants stuck on a framed canvas sprinkled with gold paint, ,(like one I sold for fifty dollars in 1984) that's what it is.😏
Content like this is why i'm subscribed. I jokingly refer to "inferior desecrators" - those people who dictate how your home should look, and spend far too much money giving you the same look everyone else has. There are plenty of YT channels like this, with videos like "Amazon items you ***Must*** buy" or "West Elm's Best Pieces for You". Nick is the exact opposite. He does have style opinions, clearly stated as personal opinions. And he's willing to offer design principles for those who like styles he does not. [How to do Farmhouse.] He does not push product ... and with this video, he does the exact opposite. I bet a lot of furniture retailers are not happy right now. I have my own style. As a web designer, I know the principles of design; Nick translates those to home interiors. And now, he's helping me find pieces that work with my style without paying extra.
Sometimes I do like to do the fun "what's new at x retailer" videos too because I genuinely enjoy them. Oh and don't you worry, I have thought about how this is going play with retailers - not great I bet. Oh well! Ultimately, I am supported by you guys and not them, so I have to be loyal to my audience. I've never been great at playing the game in the corporate world because I can't shut my big mouth, so that's why I'm on RUclips! No one can stop me here. Mwahaha
I'm an interior designer. I've seen many different styles in my years of helping people make their home thiers. I don't care what you love I will help you make it look cohesive. I don't follow trends just to make you hate your house- I follow trends to see what will go out of style and what does not work in the long run .
@@ah5721 I want to make clear that I don't consider ALL interior designers style dictators. I know there are talented people in the profession who work hard to turn their client's vague ideas into reality. But I have met enough of the "well, you simply must follow the latest trends!" designers that give the profession a bad name. And when you have a style idea as quirky as mine, I figure I'd leave a lot of designers completely baffled. I describe it as "Frank Lloyd Wright meets a steampunk zeppelin captain in a dark alley behind the Bauhaus."
Sometimes dupes, sometimes the same thing. Everyone is sneaky and you can't always tell. Sometimes they are lazy and use the same photos supplied by the distributor...
The only caution I would add is to include shipping costs in comparisons. They can even out some differences. I’ve seen sellers have “specials” with free shipping, only to realize they’ve added the shipping costs to the special price! It is the same overall cost as the day before the sale! Creative accounting!
Slightly related anekdote. I used to work in a shop with home appliances and parts etc. and so often we’d get customers that came in for something but we wouldn’t have it in stock so I’d have to order it (might take a few days). When I told them the price they said they saw it cheaper online and leave. Most noteworthy was a part that costed 1,49 in my shop and 0,99 online. I told them to take into account shipping costs, but they left anyway. Next day they came back to order through me because the extra 5 bucks shipping just wasn’t worth it…
As an added tip, I’ve used reverse image search in the past to find other websites selling the same furniture! Wouldn’t work in the scenario where the retailer rephotographs the product, but maybe an extra tool to use. Thanks for the website recommendation!
I discovered this practice by scouring the internet for everything I order online, but I didn’t know the name. Thank you for this post! The first time I realized this was going on was when I ordered a console table from Perigold for nearly 1k and then found the exact same piece on another sight for half price, even the reviews were the same! I called Perigold to cancel my order but they ended up giving it to me for half price because the other retailer (I think it was All Modern) was part of the same company but Perigold is marketed for a higher end customer. So it pays to shop around. As Nick said, look for specs, country of origin, and I would add reviews before making a purchase. Thanks Nick, this kind of content makes you stand out above the rest.
Love this one, Nick! You are so right, we deal with this as interior designers and in my case Film design all the time. The biggest thing we deal with that I think you didn't mention (maybe I missed it) is that some sites have a lower cost but charge a high shipping rate. Others offer free or low cost shipping, and this can make the total cost very similar... not always, but still important to note. Love that you mentioned and reminded us all to buy as well based on not just cost but also return-ability/reputation for service, etc. Super important to be able to support the retailers who also meet personal ethical standards and those things can play into that. Love your channel!
Surmised that when I saved thousands buying my leather sofa's from a furniture store instead of the same leather sofa's from Pottery Barn. Same look, same scale, still holding up like new 6 years later. Thank you for confirming my suspicions.
Yep. I’ve found a lot of their pieces at Wayfair. Always worth doing an image search if you find something you like at PB to see if you can find a better price.
When I took interior design classes in college, one of our assignments was to go to different stores and find exact same products and compare prices. Wow was I shocked at that time. But it makes sense. In a free market, anyone can charge whatever they want as long as they have buyers that will pay the price. We buyers just have to know that and do our due diligence. 💕
I just bought my son chairs from Amazon for 69 bucks a chair and found them on another site for 69 for set of two for a client for staging. They came in and were in the same exact box, same manufacture. They are the same exact chairs. So when I shopped for the breakfast table I did a lot of research and found the table for 250 instead of 600+ on other sites. It came in and it was the exact table! It pays to shop around if you have the time. I just did this for bathroom fixtures Delta. The same exact faucett was priced from 69-359 each and shower/tub set was 119-529. It is so crazy to me and the worst part is when you do buy and then you get ads (from cookies) telling you that you could have bought it for less.
It’s also helpful when you have been eyeing a piece at one retailer for awhile and they choose not to carry it anymore. I was looking at a specific iron side table at Crate and Barrel for awhile and wouldn’t you know it when I was finally ready to purchase it they no longer carried it. I happened to do some digging and found the exact same table at Burke Decor and wouldn’t you know it.. it was around $150 cheaper (and more with a coupon code)
Oh interesting Crate and Barrel! It's tough for me because I suggest products all the time but I can't guarantee every link or image I use is from the cheapest place. I hope this gives people the info to shop around.
Luckily I live near a Crate and barrel outlet. The furniture is 50% off and each week it's marked down an additional 10% until it's 80% off. I was able to buy a $2000.00 couch for $400.00.
Hello, how was your experience shopping with Burke Decor? I just placed an order for a TV stand but then I saw so many negative reviews online about the company calling it scam. Now I'm worried.
PB can up-charge because of how they market their merch--the store has soft lighting, etc. Years ago I went to a PB outlet (in Ohio)--when you see that same stuff stacked up on a cement floor under harsh fluorescent lights, you realize it's really not that great.
So true. I was at a retailer last week and took a photo of the tag with the information on it for the side table that was just under $800.00. After checking this out, I found the identical one online for just under $500.00. I was disappointed that the store I was at were charging that much of an increase. Now you have given me the understanding. Also, this high end retailer a couple of years ago had a Christmas ornament for $10.00 each. The identical, and I mean identical ones I had then came across a couple of days later at the Dollar store were for $1.25 each. I bought it to compare. It's buyer beware! Thanks for your great videos! 💯
A reason for the higher price may be the lower volume they purchase from the factory or higher logistic rates they get from their freight forwarders. (IF they carry inventory themselves)
I remember the first time I learned about this by accident shopping for a couch. We went into a place that sold mid grade furniture to browse and found one we liked and then for fun went into a high end store, WAY out of our budget but just for fun, walked back to the couches and found the EXACT same couch for almost double the price. I was floored.
There's also the insane amount of drop shipping that exists online. So many website sell "cutting edge" furniture and home decor that's straight up drop shipped from aliexpress.
I recently purchased the Pottery Barn Dolores console and desk from Burke Decor for a fraction of the price. White glove delivery, perfect condition, arrived quickly and they have a nice rewards program. So not only did I save money on the furniture, I was able to turn around and get a couple hundred bucks off a new area rug for my master bedroom. I highly recommend them!
This happens in many industries too. Household consumables (like packaged food, toiletries, same stuff from same factory in different packaging), fashion, appliances, etc
World Market carries step down versions of many styles carried by Crate and Barrel not only furnishings but dinnerware too. Good to remember to carefully consider that some retailers offer “similar” pieces but they may be smaller in scale or more cheaply constructed.
I’ve seen this phenomenon on Wayfair. Actually we just got a new bed frame and went with one they had listed under two different brands, but they looked exactly the same. We went with the more expensive one because I figured the other was a knockoff/ scam 😢
Invaluable! Reminded me of an old expression (30 years ago) from Italian designers when faced with a complete fail of furniture design: Paint It black and Send it to America.
This was good to hear from you. I had figured this out a while ago with the intense price shopping that I do. The price differences can be quite substantial.
Yes! I find out about this now that I’m furnishing my first own apartment. We got our dining chairs and bar chairs from Amazon for half the price of what we were finding in local, physical retailers (here in the UK). Even on Amazon itself, the same chairs were coming in different prices. It was such an eye-opening experience.
So glad you’re talking about this! I do take pride in following the trail to the best price for the same product. Eg the Eiffel Rocker Chair that I got at a great price from Modholic. Well done (again), Nick!
Furnitures are usually not shipped from the retailer’s inventory you buy from but from OEM’s warehouse. Lighting, toilet, counter, cabinets, flooring retailers also do the same, contracting manufacturers to sell their products under retailer’s name.
A HUGE thank you for this video! I have been trying to find a way to explain this to my elderly mom who shops excessively for home decor and furniture. She always spends more than she should. Also, she likes RUclips videos and anything interior design. Now I can send her this video link. You have just made my life easier and gained a new follower because I'm sure she will love you. Thanks again!
A quick way to find these white label items from various websites and various pricepoints is to download or screencap the first or second photo of the product, then do an image search. The most affordable websites will NOT spend money taking new pictures of the product.
Loved this show! It's so useful when you're buying the big, important articles of furniture (think appliances?). One important thing to remember is to include the cost of extras - what do they charge, if anything, for shipping and set-up? What's their return policy? What do they do if the furniture cracks or tears or something like that (a warranty, really) and for how long? All of that costs and it's all local costs. And remember that there may be a reason why you want to buy from a retailers, like Restoration Hardware, who design and manufacture their own furniture. Keep up the good work.
This is one of the most useful videos you’ve made. I’m going to need to watch it a few more times to become clear with the websites, retailers, and guidelines for comparing products (white label or dupe). Thank you Nick!
I’ve not used Spoken, but I think the Pinterest shopping feature does something similar. I’ve picked up some home decor pieces for about 30-50% less than I would have if I’d gone with the option at a more well known store - same initials as “peanut butter”.😉 If in doubt about whether an item is or is not a white-label piece, most retailers will note an in-house design as “exclusive” to them. It may still be made by the same factory that does the white-label goods, but some detail will be unique to that retailer - color, fabric, leg style, etc.
I found Pinterest always giving me the expensive options so I do image search most of the time. I live in Germany so maybe it's a bit different since it seems like the US has lots of chain stores and brands.
I avoid shopping on Pinterest. The ads are already irritating and make browsing a chore and the few times I did browse the shopping tab, I ended up with a feed full of more useless ads. I’m steadily moving away from that site and only use it to access pins I’ve already saved.
This is 100% true Nick. I used to work for a large home accessory importer and would work with the buyers for these companies all the time . Also, don’t trust that the nice wood item you’re getting from some far away land isn’t coming with an infestation of termites.
@@hopefulmonsters4407 i've heard about this too. my professor gota rug in another country bought it back and found his wool rug got eaten by moths!! the bug lays eggs on them in the warehouse and they get warmed up and hatch when they arrive to you 😑
Yes!!!! My husband wonders what I do on line all day when I'm getting ready to make a purchase. My armchairs, lamps and bakers rack were wildly different prices for the same thing. I did my due diligence and combed the descriptions because sometimes I was amazed that with the price difference it could be the same product but it was. When I saw the title of the video I KNEW this was what you were going to talk about. So glad you brought it into the light. Although to someone like me for whom shopping is an art form, I caught on a while ago. Good to be affirmed!
This is my favorite video from you yet! 🙌🏼 I JUST bought a staging business and this information is going to save me SO. MUCH. MONEY. Thank you a million times!!!
This video confirmed what I had heard rumors of before. Thanks for all the info and clarity. Also, I have accent chairs from Four Hands! I love them! I actually got them at Costco about 6 years ago (on clearance for a steal) and then a couple years later I saw the exact same ones online somewhere else for over double the price. They're some of my favorite pieces in my home.
Thank you, Nick. So often I have found products that look identical to something else and assumed the less costly product was some how inferior. You have changed how I will shop!
I noticed this too with a counter stool I bought. Found at three places: Urban Barn - Emmory Counter Stool $449CAD Pottery Barn - Perkins Counter Stool $858CAD McGee & Co - Moore Stool $700USD So strange! I’m so glad I bought them at Urban Barn before the price hike at $399CAD lol My wife and I started noticing this with a lot of products, thanks for explaining a lot of this Nick!
Yes, it’s always good to keep in mind when shopping for furniture that very little of what you find online is “exclusive” to any particular retailer. It’s always worth checking to see if there is a better price elsewhere, especially it the item seems overpriced for what it is. I’ve saved a lot of money doing this.
Other industries do this too. In the beauty industry, its called "private labeling". Crown manufacturers is one of the biggest factories for it. There was a huge scandal some years back when people realized Morphe products and Crown products were all identical but Morphe cost more. At least with OTC medications, buying the store brand means you're buying one formulary older than buying name brand. This doesn't particularly matter for items that the formulary doesn't change like single ingredient medications... but for things with multiple active ingredients, it can make a difference. It also happens in the clothing industry with mass market labels. You can find the same clothing from different online retailers for radically different prices sometimes. I think Amazon is a really great place to see this in action. I recently found the same collapsible toy tote (for a baby shower gift) in the same print and dimensions and fabric and country of origin from about a dozen store fronts. Because its Amazon, they're all within the same price range or they couldn't compete with each other... but I imagine the same item could be at Target for a similar price but some bougie baby boutique for double or triple the price.
Your comment about medications reminded me of what my doctor once told me about generics. She said they are legally allowed to have a 10% difference (from the name brand med) in active ingredients. This means you could get 10% less in one pill and 10% more in the next pill, or batch of pills.
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane That's not just true of generics vs brands though. That's batch to batch. So that can be just as true with one lot of brand name versus a different lot of the brand name. They are all allowed to have some variation above or below the target amount. You will never get a perfect recipe every time. Brand name pills are not magically free from variation in ingredient quantities.
I've been shopping furniture like this for years but you have to be careful and check the shipping charges, a lot of times the ones who are cheaper charge for shipping and it ends up costing the same or even more
Thank you so much for this, I've never heard of this white labeling and I'm so glad that I can use these tools to purchase at the lowest possible price.
This makes perfect sense. We downsized so I am done with furniture shopping for a while. But the concept is similar to other items, power tools as an example. Same manufacturer, different labels, different color, different prices yet the exact same equipment. It definitely pays to do some research and shop around.
I used to work for two different furniture stores and both sold "Four Hands" pieces and I know that we sold the same pieces at both stores at different price points. Now some of that may have been that the wholesale price went up. On a different note, I have a friend who used to work for a very large necktie manufacturer and they would do similar things. Making ties that could be bought by different retailers who would put their own labels on them. So it was completely possible that the Saks 5th Ave tie that you paid $100 could also be sold at Kohls for $20. The funniest part was they cost about $2 to $5 a piece to make.
Thank you for this, as someone who buys a lot of furniture online, this is fascinating and will help me do better research first before my next purchase!
Great video! i hope people understand that of course this goes beyond just the decor market as far as reselling goes. Think about the cable tv or internet "authorized retailer" in rural towns etc., the internet has just allowed us to access more than one of these retailers at a time
Thank you so much this is so helpful! I’ve wondered if some of the items I’ve looked at were actually the same and now I know why they looked identical! Thank you again!
in Denver we used to have a warehouse furniture outlet that sold name brand modern furniture, great pieces when MCM was making it's 21st Century Return, Miller, Knoll, etc. I don't know what happened, maybe it was the factory making the 'name brand' items that went under or maybe they got busted for copyright. anyway, it was good while it lasted, my partner and I furnished a living room and main bedroom for under $1000. It's all excellent quality 22 years later we still have the pieces.
Wow, thank you so much for this video. I always had Ikea furniture, hand-me-downs, or garage sale finds, so when I started furniture shopping for the first time, finding the same furniture for different prices on the SAME WEBSITE, I thought I was going insane. Thank you for making furniture shopping less of a headache.
Great video. I noticed the same thing over the years. I know the headboard I bought was made by a main manufacturer. You’ll see the same type of headboard, but different companies will carry it with different fabrics they choose to sell as options for their customers.
I know Nick doesn't come back to past videos, but I still wanted to say this was incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for making this video. We're in the market for a side table and night stand but are on a budget.
I’m glad you verified what I’ve been suspecting for a while. I ordered some pieces of furniture from a web site but found the exact pieces on a different web site for a lower price. I returned the more expensive pieces, of course.
Thank you for providing a website to help with this. I knew about white labeling as it occurs in other industries but it can be daunting to try to go through the internet comparing products to see if they're the same.
When I find something I like, I put the name and description out on the internet and sometimes am able to find the exact same item for less money from another retailer. So now I understand why. Thanks for posting this, Nick.
I have so much respect for you in this video. Having been a former RH designer for 7 years, I can confirm that there is a lot of work by in house design teams who research and build the brand. I had the pleasure of meeting Timothy Oulton and listen to him talk about the Cloud Sofa concept that a lot of other vendors have duped. I've been working as a commercial and educational interior designer for the past 7 years so I've seen a lot of sides of the industry as a result. I think it's an interesting topic you've highlighted and it really gives the average consumer a way to navigate their purchases - especially furniture and decor where the market is just dodgy in my opinion. It pays off to do the research when you're making the investment pieces (I liked one of the comments by Stathis talking about top 3 items to invest - 100%!). We've grown so much as a global market that it's sometimes overwhelming to weed through all the brands but again, your content helps shine a light for a lot of people.
Nick this is great info! I found this out a few years ago by doing Google image searches on the pieces I wanted. When theyl retailers use the same manufacturer photos then it’s easier to find the same piece(s) for less.
I was not familiar w/ this term, and find the 'inner workings' of any industry to be very interesting. (As well as potentially $$ saving.) Thanks for taking the time to dissect this for us.
loved this video! side note that isn't the main point but I noticed your editing here and can imagine the time it took to crop all the screenshots and arrange them / zoom in/out, plus I loved the pencil scratch sound effect when you highlighted the price! It's the little editing details that make everything flow and feel professional. thanks for your time making this video!
I am not surprised that there is such a difference in furniture prices that are the same thing. I know that this is true for large appliances, small countertop appliances and even computer equipment. Return policies, after purchase upkeep and delivery prices do factor in a lot for purchasing at one site or another. But it does pay to do one's research when investing in an item of home goods as you can find a good price for something that you may be keeping and using for years.
Very interesting! It is done with prepared food as well I think: same shape of packaging, same product inside , different labels and different prices!!!!
Wayfair... definitely doesn't "take back" everything. They may refund or reship but I ended up with three huge 50lb boxes with a partial bed frame inside it because they kept just shipping out replacements and told me to donate the "partial" frame , which ended up costing me to pay someone to transport and dump
It’s been over 40 years ago but I remember my parents worked with a decorator when they had our new house built. He wound up taking them into the city to the showrooms for the living & dining room pieces. After picking out the fabric they were sent out to be made. It took forever but that stuff lasted. One of those homes that basically only used those rooms on holidays
I love this. I had no idea. I actually bought dishes at a big box store and saw the same ones at Pottery Barn with a different stamp on the bottom. I also bought kitchen chairs from Target that were the same as other stores-same wood, etc. but there was a difference. The expensive ones were leather.
So I can't guarantee that everything on Spoken .io is the same (I am not affiliated with the site) or that prices won't change. Links to the cheaper versions are in the description...
Do you know of a UK equivalent of Spoken ? thanks for the information about white labelling
Thank you so much for sharing your information. Very informative video. I subscribe to your channel just because of this video.
Is there a site that has fixtures, like for bathrooms and kitchens, and light fixtures? For example, Anthropologie.
As a guy that owns a furniture store, in a very far away country i have to say that Nick has a very strong point, modern retailers do not want to invest in a huge warehouse full of furniture, because even if they do, can not cover all the designs out there. So distributors were created and retailers buy from them plus their exclusive imports. And for Nick's Subscribers, a small advice. There are only 3 pieces of furniture thats worth spending on 1. Mattress 2. Your main sofa 3. The dining chairs that you use every day. All the rest are there just to fill the space.
4. Your desk chair, particularly if you work from home or you spend more time at your computer than you do in front of your tv. I also think bookcases are an investment item, especially if you are a collector of books because books are heavy and bookcases take a beating. A well-built bookcase can last decades and save a ton of $$ long term vs buying a new kallax or whatever every 2-3 years as they scuff/break/bow under the weight. I'd also argue in today's society a well-functioning desk is a prime investment too... again, especially if you work from home. A sleek desk with no drawers may look nice but also be wholly impractical if you need office supplies/cables/snacks at the ready.
@@Chaotic_Pixie Yes nowadays that more people work from home you need a good office equipment.
And an Eames chair. Everyone needs one
Thanks for the response from someone who works in the industry!
@@amog849 is it comfortable? How does it last long-term? Been thinking about buying the Eames Lounge Chair but it’s a bit of an investment yk
Nick, I think one of the most outrageous cases of white labeling was the Pottery Barn's "Bamboo Wall Art" incident from a few years back. Pottery Barn released this "Hand Crafted Bamboo Wall Art Plate" that they sold at retail for $299, guess what...
That "Plate" actually came from the Philippines and is what we call a "Bilao" (Bee-Lah-Oh) we literally use it to put a large amount of food meant to be shared in town fiestas. It can be any food for sharing: Noodles, fruits, rice cakes, heck even Western foods like chicken wings, roasted pork, etc. They literally sell that on the roadside here for.... $0.70 - $1.50!
It was so ridiculous it actually managed to make the papers when the incident came out😂😂😂
Speaking of Pottery Barn. I ordered two, large, $500 lamps a few weeks ago. When they were delivered, they were larger than I expected and looked too over the top in size for my room, and since I wasn't thrilled, I'm not spending that kind of money on them, so I sent them back. For some unknown reason, after I sent them back, I decided to do a reverse image search for them and found the exact ones (not dupes) for about $175 less. Same exact style, dimensions, place of origin, etc. No doubt they were the exact lamps. That's when I learned a valuable lesson. Glad Nick posted this video to give me more insight on this.
OmG, yes. 🤣
I have been a witness to a lot of these "works of art". I've also been a victim
.....and a "culprit"
I paid $35 dollars for a 5 x 4-inch grey glass tulip so called candle holder. When I got it, I could swear it was a glass lampshade taken off from one of those multi head floor lamps. And actually, it was!
Years later, at a thrift store, there they were five grey glass tulip shades stuck on a floor lamp. The lamp cost 25 bucks', it was beautiful, it worked and I bought it
Just look at it for what it is. If you see a "piece of art" and it's just a bunch of carpet remnants stuck on a framed canvas sprinkled with gold paint, ,(like one I sold for fifty dollars in 1984) that's what it is.😏
Wow!!
SMH
😲😂
This is by far the most useful video in the interior design universe that I've ever seen. THANK YOU!
You're welcome!
DITTO, DITTO,, DITTO!
Content like this is why i'm subscribed.
I jokingly refer to "inferior desecrators" - those people who dictate how your home should look, and spend far too much money giving you the same look everyone else has. There are plenty of YT channels like this, with videos like "Amazon items you ***Must*** buy" or "West Elm's Best Pieces for You".
Nick is the exact opposite. He does have style opinions, clearly stated as personal opinions. And he's willing to offer design principles for those who like styles he does not. [How to do Farmhouse.] He does not push product ... and with this video, he does the exact opposite. I bet a lot of furniture retailers are not happy right now.
I have my own style. As a web designer, I know the principles of design; Nick translates those to home interiors. And now, he's helping me find pieces that work with my style without paying extra.
Sometimes I do like to do the fun "what's new at x retailer" videos too because I genuinely enjoy them. Oh and don't you worry, I have thought about how this is going play with retailers - not great I bet. Oh well! Ultimately, I am supported by you guys and not them, so I have to be loyal to my audience. I've never been great at playing the game in the corporate world because I can't shut my big mouth, so that's why I'm on RUclips! No one can stop me here. Mwahaha
I would love for Nick (or someone similar) to come to my home and dictate how my home should look.
I'm an interior designer. I've seen many different styles in my years of helping people make their home thiers. I don't care what you love I will help you make it look cohesive. I don't follow trends just to make you hate your house- I follow trends to see what will go out of style and what does not work in the long run .
@@ah5721 I want to make clear that I don't consider ALL interior designers style dictators. I know there are talented people in the profession who work hard to turn their client's vague ideas into reality.
But I have met enough of the "well, you simply must follow the latest trends!" designers that give the profession a bad name.
And when you have a style idea as quirky as mine, I figure I'd leave a lot of designers completely baffled. I describe it as "Frank Lloyd Wright meets a steampunk zeppelin captain in a dark alley behind the Bauhaus."
@@lizcademy4809, 😂
I never knew white labeling existed. I though I was finding really good dupes. Very informative, Nick. Thanks.
Sometimes dupes, sometimes the same thing. Everyone is sneaky and you can't always tell. Sometimes they are lazy and use the same photos supplied by the distributor...
Ive seen it in Macys and Home depot, Noble house.
Lol
White labelling happens in almost every industry. I’ve worked for many companies that sell the same product to multiple brands to repackage.
The only caution I would add is to include shipping costs in comparisons. They can even out some differences. I’ve seen sellers have “specials” with free shipping, only to realize they’ve added the shipping costs to the special price! It is the same overall cost as the day before the sale! Creative accounting!
Slightly related anekdote. I used to work in a shop with home appliances and parts etc. and so often we’d get customers that came in for something but we wouldn’t have it in stock so I’d have to order it (might take a few days). When I told them the price they said they saw it cheaper online and leave. Most noteworthy was a part that costed 1,49 in my shop and 0,99 online. I told them to take into account shipping costs, but they left anyway. Next day they came back to order through me because the extra 5 bucks shipping just wasn’t worth it…
As an added tip, I’ve used reverse image search in the past to find other websites selling the same furniture! Wouldn’t work in the scenario where the retailer rephotographs the product, but maybe an extra tool to use. Thanks for the website recommendation!
This works for Wayfair. I’ve found the exact same pieces sold under many different brands using the same stock photo at different price points.
Yes Google lens can get you pretty far too.
Ah, I didn't see your comment before I posted mine saying the same thing (but in a much lengthier way- this/yours is better).
Great tip!
I did that a few weeks ago on Pottery Barn lamps and found them much cheaper.
I discovered this practice by scouring the internet for everything I order online, but I didn’t know the name. Thank you for this post! The first time I realized this was going on was when I ordered a console table from Perigold for nearly 1k and then found the exact same piece on another sight for half price, even the reviews were the same! I called Perigold to cancel my order but they ended up giving it to me for half price because the other retailer (I think it was All Modern) was part of the same company but Perigold is marketed for a higher end customer. So it pays to shop around. As Nick said, look for specs, country of origin, and I would add reviews before making a purchase. Thanks Nick, this kind of content makes you stand out above the rest.
Love this one, Nick! You are so right, we deal with this as interior designers and in my case Film design all the time. The biggest thing we deal with that I think you didn't mention (maybe I missed it) is that some sites have a lower cost but charge a high shipping rate. Others offer free or low cost shipping, and this can make the total cost very similar... not always, but still important to note. Love that you mentioned and reminded us all to buy as well based on not just cost but also return-ability/reputation for service, etc. Super important to be able to support the retailers who also meet personal ethical standards and those things can play into that. Love your channel!
EXCELLENT POINT!!!
So true!
this is good to know as I'm a new designer . Thanks for sharing .
Surmised that when I saved thousands buying my leather sofa's from a furniture store instead of the same leather sofa's from Pottery Barn. Same look, same scale, still holding up like new 6 years later. Thank you for confirming my suspicions.
Yep. I’ve found a lot of their pieces at Wayfair. Always worth doing an image search if you find something you like at PB to see if you can find a better price.
Yeah I think they do this a lot. It's sometimes hard to tell a dupe vs white labeled so I hope the video helped.
Image search really helped me when I was looking for a specific accent chair that was sold out at several online retailers. I got my accent chair!
When I took interior design classes in college, one of our assignments was to go to different stores and find exact same products and compare prices. Wow was I shocked at that time. But it makes sense. In a free market, anyone can charge whatever they want as long as they have buyers that will pay the price. We buyers just have to know that and do our due diligence. 💕
I just bought my son chairs from Amazon for 69 bucks a chair and found them on another site for 69 for set of two for a client for staging. They came in and were in the same exact box, same manufacture. They are the same exact chairs. So when I shopped for the breakfast table I did a lot of research and found the table for 250 instead of 600+ on other sites. It came in and it was the exact table! It pays to shop around if you have the time. I just did this for bathroom fixtures Delta. The same exact faucett was priced from 69-359 each and shower/tub set was 119-529. It is so crazy to me and the worst part is when you do buy and then you get ads (from cookies) telling you that you could have bought it for less.
Hello Shelley
It’s also helpful when you have been eyeing a piece at one retailer for awhile and they choose not to carry it anymore. I was looking at a specific iron side table at Crate and Barrel for awhile and wouldn’t you know it when I was finally ready to purchase it they no longer carried it. I happened to do some digging and found the exact same table at Burke Decor and wouldn’t you know it.. it was around $150 cheaper (and more with a coupon code)
Oh interesting Crate and Barrel! It's tough for me because I suggest products all the time but I can't guarantee every link or image I use is from the cheapest place. I hope this gives people the info to shop around.
Luckily I live near a Crate and barrel outlet. The furniture is 50% off and each week it's marked down an additional 10% until it's 80% off. I was able to buy a $2000.00 couch for $400.00.
Hello, how was your experience shopping with Burke Decor? I just placed an order for a TV stand but then I saw so many negative reviews online about the company calling it scam. Now I'm worried.
@@georgem.6076 I didn’t have any issues, my table eventually was delivered and as I recall it was delivered when they said it should be.
PB can up-charge because of how they market their merch--the store has soft lighting, etc. Years ago I went to a PB outlet (in Ohio)--when you see that same stuff stacked up on a cement floor under harsh fluorescent lights, you realize it's really not that great.
omg so true 🤭
My daugther and I saw a squirrel inside our local PB Outlet store. It was sadder than the local thrift shop inside.
So true. I was at a retailer last week and took a photo of the tag with the information on it for the side table that was just under $800.00. After checking this out, I found the identical one online for just under $500.00. I was disappointed that the store I was at were charging that much of an increase. Now you have given me the understanding. Also, this high end retailer a couple of years ago had a Christmas ornament for $10.00 each. The identical, and I mean identical ones I had then came across a couple of days later at the Dollar store were for $1.25 each. I bought it to compare. It's buyer beware! Thanks for your great videos! 💯
We all have to be SUPER smart these days.
A reason for the higher price may be the lower volume they purchase from the factory or higher logistic rates they get from their freight forwarders. (IF they carry inventory themselves)
I remember the first time I learned about this by accident shopping for a couch. We went into a place that sold mid grade furniture to browse and found one we liked and then for fun went into a high end store, WAY out of our budget but just for fun, walked back to the couches and found the EXACT same couch for almost double the price. I was floored.
There's also the insane amount of drop shipping that exists online. So many website sell "cutting edge" furniture and home decor that's straight up drop shipped from aliexpress.
Nick, I LOVE how fast you talk and the jampackedcontent!! No cheap fillers! Just high-quality info! THANK YOU!
I recently purchased the Pottery Barn Dolores console and desk from Burke Decor for a fraction of the price. White glove delivery, perfect condition, arrived quickly and they have a nice rewards program. So not only did I save money on the furniture, I was able to turn around and get a couple hundred bucks off a new area rug for my master bedroom. I highly recommend them!
So interesting! We’ve known about this in regards to large appliances for years. Makes sense that it would spill over into furniture.
Yes and I think people know that the fashion industry does this too. Same jeans get out into different retailers.
The only new furniture items in my home are my mattresses. I love antiques , high end furniture resale shops and estate sales.
This happens in many industries too. Household consumables (like packaged food, toiletries, same stuff from same factory in different packaging), fashion, appliances, etc
Yes people have no idea this is actually been done in all industries for many, many decades.
World Market carries step down versions of many styles carried by Crate and Barrel not only furnishings but dinnerware too. Good to remember to carefully consider that some retailers offer “similar” pieces but they may be smaller in scale or more cheaply constructed.
I’ve seen this phenomenon on Wayfair. Actually we just got a new bed frame and went with one they had listed under two different brands, but they looked exactly the same. We went with the more expensive one because I figured the other was a knockoff/ scam 😢
Invaluable! Reminded me of an old expression (30 years ago) from Italian designers when faced with a complete fail of furniture design: Paint It black and Send it to America.
This was good to hear from you. I had figured this out a while ago with the intense price shopping that I do. The price differences can be quite substantial.
Yes! I find out about this now that I’m furnishing my first own apartment. We got our dining chairs and bar chairs from Amazon for half the price of what we were finding in local, physical retailers (here in the UK). Even on Amazon itself, the same chairs were coming in different prices. It was such an eye-opening experience.
“A different value proposition.” Nicely said!
So glad you’re talking about this! I do take pride in following the trail to the best price for the same product. Eg the Eiffel Rocker Chair that I got at a great price from Modholic. Well done (again), Nick!
Me too. I had been doing it for many, many years and always snatched the best deals.
Furnitures are usually not shipped from the retailer’s inventory you buy from but from OEM’s warehouse. Lighting, toilet, counter, cabinets, flooring retailers also do the same, contracting manufacturers to sell their products under retailer’s name.
A HUGE thank you for this video! I have been trying to find a way to explain this to my elderly mom who shops excessively for home decor and furniture. She always spends more than she should. Also, she likes RUclips videos and anything interior design. Now I can send her this video link. You have just made my life easier and gained a new follower because I'm sure she will love you. Thanks again!
A quick way to find these white label items from various websites and various pricepoints is to download or screencap the first or second photo of the product, then do an image search. The most affordable websites will NOT spend money taking new pictures of the product.
Yes. Even Google Lens helps same way too.
Loved this show! It's so useful when you're buying the big, important articles of furniture (think appliances?). One important thing to remember is to include the cost of extras - what do they charge, if anything, for shipping and set-up? What's their return policy? What do they do if the furniture cracks or tears or something like that (a warranty, really) and for how long? All of that costs and it's all local costs.
And remember that there may be a reason why you want to buy from a retailers, like Restoration Hardware, who design and manufacture their own furniture.
Keep up the good work.
This is one of the most useful videos you’ve made. I’m going to need to watch it a few more times to become clear with the websites, retailers, and guidelines for comparing products (white label or dupe). Thank you Nick!
omg i cannot express how grateful i am for this video, thank you nick! plz share more inside tips
I’ve not used Spoken, but I think the Pinterest shopping feature does something similar. I’ve picked up some home decor pieces for about 30-50% less than I would have if I’d gone with the option at a more well known store - same initials as “peanut butter”.😉
If in doubt about whether an item is or is not a white-label piece, most retailers will note an in-house design as “exclusive” to them. It may still be made by the same factory that does the white-label goods, but some detail will be unique to that retailer - color, fabric, leg style, etc.
I found Pinterest always giving me the expensive options so I do image search most of the time. I live in Germany so maybe it's a bit different since it seems like the US has lots of chain stores and brands.
I avoid shopping on Pinterest. The ads are already irritating and make browsing a chore and the few times I did browse the shopping tab, I ended up with a feed full of more useless ads. I’m steadily moving away from that site and only use it to access pins I’ve already saved.
This is 100% true Nick. I used to work for a large home accessory importer and would work with the buyers for these companies all the time . Also, don’t trust that the nice wood item you’re getting from some far away land isn’t coming with an infestation of termites.
😲😲😲😲😲
WHAT?! What's the story behind that?
@@hopefulmonsters4407 i've heard about this too. my professor gota rug in another country bought it back and found his wool rug got eaten by moths!! the bug lays eggs on them in the warehouse and they get warmed up and hatch when they arrive to you 😑
@@ah5721 Gahhhh, that SUCKS! Hand-knotted wool rugs are so precious 😣
@@ah5721 That's awful!
Yes!!!! My husband wonders what I do on line all day when I'm getting ready to make a purchase. My armchairs, lamps and bakers rack were wildly different prices for the same thing. I did my due diligence and combed the descriptions because sometimes I was amazed that with the price difference it could be the same product but it was. When I saw the title of the video I KNEW this was what you were going to talk about. So glad you brought it into the light. Although to someone like me for whom shopping is an art form, I caught on a while ago. Good to be affirmed!
This is my favorite video from you yet! 🙌🏼 I JUST bought a staging business and this information is going to save me SO. MUCH. MONEY. Thank you a million times!!!
This video confirmed what I had heard rumors of before. Thanks for all the info and clarity. Also, I have accent chairs from Four Hands! I love them! I actually got them at Costco about 6 years ago (on clearance for a steal) and then a couple years later I saw the exact same ones online somewhere else for over double the price. They're some of my favorite pieces in my home.
Thanks Nick for this valuable video! I appreciate how carefully you had to approach this topic but you navigated it for the benefit of your viewers
You’ve given me a light bulb moment. Now I know why I see different prices for the same furniture. Thank you Nick!!
Thank you, Nick. So often I have found products that look identical to something else and assumed the less costly product was some how inferior. You have changed how I will shop!
Great info. I’ve been in my home three years, and I am still adding pieces of furniture. Thanks for sharing this.
I noticed this too with a counter stool I bought. Found at three places:
Urban Barn - Emmory Counter Stool $449CAD
Pottery Barn - Perkins Counter Stool $858CAD
McGee & Co - Moore Stool $700USD
So strange! I’m so glad I bought them at Urban Barn before the price hike at $399CAD lol
My wife and I started noticing this with a lot of products, thanks for explaining a lot of this Nick!
Yes, it’s always good to keep in mind when shopping for furniture that very little of what you find online is “exclusive” to any particular retailer. It’s always worth checking to see if there is a better price elsewhere, especially it the item seems overpriced for what it is. I’ve saved a lot of money doing this.
Other industries do this too. In the beauty industry, its called "private labeling". Crown manufacturers is one of the biggest factories for it. There was a huge scandal some years back when people realized Morphe products and Crown products were all identical but Morphe cost more. At least with OTC medications, buying the store brand means you're buying one formulary older than buying name brand. This doesn't particularly matter for items that the formulary doesn't change like single ingredient medications... but for things with multiple active ingredients, it can make a difference. It also happens in the clothing industry with mass market labels. You can find the same clothing from different online retailers for radically different prices sometimes. I think Amazon is a really great place to see this in action. I recently found the same collapsible toy tote (for a baby shower gift) in the same print and dimensions and fabric and country of origin from about a dozen store fronts. Because its Amazon, they're all within the same price range or they couldn't compete with each other... but I imagine the same item could be at Target for a similar price but some bougie baby boutique for double or triple the price.
For sure, of guess 80%+ of the stuff on Amazon is just one or two person companies that just distribute generically mass manufactured items.
Your comment about medications reminded me of what my doctor once told me about generics. She said they are legally allowed to have a 10% difference (from the name brand med) in active ingredients. This means you could get 10% less in one pill and 10% more in the next pill, or batch of pills.
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane That's not just true of generics vs brands though. That's batch to batch. So that can be just as true with one lot of brand name versus a different lot of the brand name. They are all allowed to have some variation above or below the target amount. You will never get a perfect recipe every time. Brand name pills are not magically free from variation in ingredient quantities.
Thanks for confirming what I've noticed -- it's great to have a professional eye on this. This is a real public service and everyone should see this!
Very helpful! Explains a lot of confusion I've had. You are the best! 🤩
I've been shopping furniture like this for years but you have to be careful and check the shipping charges, a lot of times the ones who are cheaper charge for shipping and it ends up costing the same or even more
Thank you so much for this, I've never heard of this white labeling and I'm so glad that I can use these tools to purchase at the lowest possible price.
This makes perfect sense. We downsized so I am done with furniture shopping for a while.
But the concept is similar to other items, power tools as an example. Same manufacturer, different labels, different color, different prices yet the exact same equipment.
It definitely pays to do some research and shop around.
I used to work for two different furniture stores and both sold "Four Hands" pieces and I know that we sold the same pieces at both stores at different price points. Now some of that may have been that the wholesale price went up. On a different note, I have a friend who used to work for a very large necktie manufacturer and they would do similar things. Making ties that could be bought by different retailers who would put their own labels on them. So it was completely possible that the Saks 5th Ave tie that you paid $100 could also be sold at Kohls for $20. The funniest part was they cost about $2 to $5 a piece to make.
Thank you for this, as someone who buys a lot of furniture online, this is fascinating and will help me do better research first before my next purchase!
Great video! i hope people understand that of course this goes beyond just the decor market as far as reselling goes. Think about the cable tv or internet "authorized retailer" in rural towns etc., the internet has just allowed us to access more than one of these retailers at a time
Thank you so much this is so helpful! I’ve wondered if some of the items I’ve looked at were actually the same and now I know why they looked identical! Thank you again!
Nick, I've seen a ton of your videos. This one is my favorite yet. Thank you for daring to shed light on this! ❤
in Denver we used to have a warehouse furniture outlet that sold name brand modern furniture, great pieces when MCM was making it's 21st Century Return, Miller, Knoll, etc. I don't know what happened, maybe it was the factory making the 'name brand' items that went under or maybe they got busted for copyright. anyway, it was good while it lasted, my partner and I furnished a living room and main bedroom for under $1000. It's all excellent quality 22 years later we still have the pieces.
Wow, thank you so much for this video. I always had Ikea furniture, hand-me-downs, or garage sale finds, so when I started furniture shopping for the first time, finding the same furniture for different prices on the SAME WEBSITE, I thought I was going insane. Thank you for making furniture shopping less of a headache.
WOW this is so timely! I am looking to purchase a new home that needs more furniture so its been really helpful. thanks Nick!
Great video. I noticed the same thing over the years. I know the headboard I bought was made by a main manufacturer. You’ll see the same type of headboard, but different companies will carry it with different fabrics they choose to sell as options for their customers.
Thank you for doing the leg work to inform/educate us on how retail can operate. Who knew? I did not.
I've often wondered about this very topic. Super helpful getting reliable info about it from someone who works in the design industry.
I love your videos, Nick. This one blew my mind a bit! Thanks for explaining and providing examples. I see some rabbit holes in my future.
This is super interesting! Thanks for sharing the website. Probably gonna spend hours looking through all the furniture
I know Nick doesn't come back to past videos, but I still wanted to say this was incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for making this video. We're in the market for a side table and night stand but are on a budget.
I’m glad you verified what I’ve been suspecting for a while. I ordered some pieces of furniture from a web site but found the exact pieces on a different web site for a lower price. I returned the more expensive pieces, of course.
I LOVE this content from you Nick! So informative. Reminds me of your video on things to know about contractors. Please keep helping us!!!
Thank you for providing a website to help with this. I knew about white labeling as it occurs in other industries but it can be daunting to try to go through the internet comparing products to see if they're the same.
Nick,this advice is so timely and helpful, thank you! Have a great weekend
Nick, thank you so much. This is one of my favorite videos you've done!
Wow, that was illuminating! Thanks, Nick.
When I find something I like, I put the name and description out on the internet and sometimes am able to find the exact same item for less money from another retailer. So now I understand why. Thanks for posting this, Nick.
Wow, insider info! Thank you so much! I would love more of these especially if it means saving money.
Very useful information -thanks! I won’t be needing new furniture for a while but when I do, I’ll definitely look around more to compare prices.
I have been doing something similar on my own for things like lights. I didn't know about this website that helps! Thank you!!!
I have so much respect for you in this video. Having been a former RH designer for 7 years, I can confirm that there is a lot of work by in house design teams who research and build the brand. I had the pleasure of meeting Timothy Oulton and listen to him talk about the Cloud Sofa concept that a lot of other vendors have duped. I've been working as a commercial and educational interior designer for the past 7 years so I've seen a lot of sides of the industry as a result. I think it's an interesting topic you've highlighted and it really gives the average consumer a way to navigate their purchases - especially furniture and decor where the market is just dodgy in my opinion. It pays off to do the research when you're making the investment pieces (I liked one of the comments by Stathis talking about top 3 items to invest - 100%!). We've grown so much as a global market that it's sometimes overwhelming to weed through all the brands but again, your content helps shine a light for a lot of people.
Thanks so much! I love hearing from the industry insiders!
Nick this is great info! I found this out a few years ago by doing Google image searches on the pieces I wanted. When theyl retailers use the same manufacturer photos then it’s easier to find the same piece(s) for less.
One of your best video! Thank you for educating me on how to shop smart!
This one is one of your best, as well as very enlightening! Thank you!!
I was not familiar w/ this term, and find the 'inner workings' of any industry to be very interesting. (As well as potentially $$ saving.) Thanks for taking the time to dissect this for us.
Thanks for the information! I am currently looking for a sideboard - this video probably will help me save hundreds!
loved this video! side note that isn't the main point but I noticed your editing here and can imagine the time it took to crop all the screenshots and arrange them / zoom in/out, plus I loved the pencil scratch sound effect when you highlighted the price! It's the little editing details that make everything flow and feel professional. thanks for your time making this video!
Great video…you answered so many questions I have had. Thank you!
I am not surprised that there is such a difference in furniture prices that are the same thing. I know that this is true for large appliances, small countertop appliances and even computer equipment. Return policies, after purchase upkeep and delivery prices do factor in a lot for purchasing at one site or another. But it does pay to do one's research when investing in an item of home goods as you can find a good price for something that you may be keeping and using for years.
I’ve noticed this before! But I didn’t know what it was. Thank you for explaining it so thoroughly!
Extremely enlightening! Thanks, Nick!
Thanks Nick, I didn’t know what this was called, it’s great that you ve alerted a lot of people
Very interesting! It is done with prepared food as well I think: same shape of packaging, same product inside , different labels and different prices!!!!
Boy, I always learn something from this channel. Thanks Nick!
Wayfair... definitely doesn't "take back" everything. They may refund or reship but I ended up with three huge 50lb boxes with a partial bed frame inside it because they kept just shipping out replacements and told me to donate the "partial" frame , which ended up costing me to pay someone to transport and dump
Super interesting. Thanks for sharing, Nick! Great video!
The natural stone industry renames stone colors also to help protect the specification and to keep installers and fabricators from shopping around.
It’s been over 40 years ago but I remember my parents worked with a decorator when they had our new house built. He wound up taking them into the city to the showrooms for the living & dining room pieces. After picking out the fabric they were sent out to be made. It took forever but that stuff lasted. One of those homes that basically only used those rooms on holidays
Thanks so much, Nick. This was eye opening!!
This was truly an eye opener! Thank you and more please😁
Great share Nick - I had no idea and now I am so aware thanks to you!
Nick, I cannot put into words - how much I love you and your channel!! :)
I love this. I had no idea. I actually bought dishes at a big box store and saw the same ones at Pottery Barn with a different stamp on the bottom. I also bought kitchen chairs from Target that were the same as other stores-same wood, etc. but there was a difference. The expensive ones were leather.