Buying Furniture From the Back of a Truck (San Antonio, Charlotte: mortgage, home)

[TowBar]

I was sitting at home yesterday when someone rang our doorbell, and I didn't answer as usual for anyone I don't know. I then looked out the window and saw a semi that had something on the side about furniture delivery. We are waiting for a piece of furniture being delivered from out of state so I thought it may be that, but the guy (and another) were going door-to-door. So I got in my car and drove down the road to where they were. I rolled down a window and asked if they were looking for someone, and the guy told me they are selling home furniture. I did some internet research and found out about a scam where guys sell furniture from trucks that say Thomasville North Carolina on the side of it. If you go to the Thomasville Furniture web page it cautions against buying furniture from guys selling it out of trucks. I found it strange that these guys would drive around in a big semi trying to sell furniture. Do people really buy this stuff out of a truck? Someone in my neighborhood said it is common in San Antonio.

[LindaGrace]

I've lived here nearly 15 years and I have seen some weird stuff...but I have never heard that.

[pfil]

sounds like the same scam that is/was the home stereo speaker vans . ''companies'' would move from city to city to set up shop selling what they claimed were acoustic research (but named boston acoustics) speakers . what they were were cheap knock offs . the scam went like this :
1. set up fake ad in penny pincher type magazine advertising ''hardly used boston acoustics speakers for $900.00 '' the ad would also claim they were bought for around 1500.00 . a copy of the penny pincher was always kept in the van on the dashboard so when :
2. you were approached by one of these scam vans (always white so they blend in) to the tune of ''HEY HEY GUY HEY GUY YOU LOOKING FOR STEREO SPEAKERS ?!!!'', one of their ''pitches'' was HEY JOE (the second guy in the van) YOU STILL GOT THAT PENNY PINCHER WITH THE SPEAKER AD IN IT ?!! SEE HERE IT IS, I WAS LOOKING FOR A (some item) AND SAW THIS AD FOR THESE EXACT SAME SPEAKERS...SEE SAYS BOSTON ACOUSTIC (model number) AND SEE (points to speaker box) SAYS BOSTON ACOUSTIC (model number)
3. and of course the initial pitch was SAY GUY LOOKS LIKE THE NEW KIDS ON THE LOADING DOCK SCREWED UP !! THE KID'S A FREAKING MORON WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE 12 SETS (to which you'll be shown invoices for 12 drop off sites*) BUT LOOK 1,2,3,4,.....14 SETS OF SPEAKERS !! DUDE THIS HAPPENED TO MY BUDDY ONCE AND HE SOLD THEM FOR 700 ! LOOK I'M NOT A THIEF OR NOTHING, I'M JUST A POOR COLLEGE GUY LIKE YOU BUT LISTEN, YOU CAN HELP ME OUT AND I CAN GET YOU THESE SPEAKERS AT A STEAL
4. as long as the speakers sell for $125, the seller was in the clear . anything over $125/set was his 'commission' . the $125 went to the storefront manager who bumped up half of that to his boss and so on
5. speakers always worked but the box they came in was worth more than all the electronics in them


*each time a set of speakers are sold, the seller trashes one invoice so the number of speakers always exceeds the invoiced amount by at least 2

[TowBar]

That's exactly what I was thinking when the guy told me they were selling furniture; speaker scam. I was surprised when someone said it is common in San Antonio, as if it was no big deal. I mean who buys anything out of the back of a truck (or even a van). I figure they must sell some, as it can't be cheap to drive the big truck around.

[elnina]

From Thomasville FAQ:
Someone in my area claims they are selling Thomasville furniture off of a truck. Are they legitimate?
No, we have heard of situations like this and would like to caution you about this furniture. While the truck may say that it is from Thomasville (the city in North Carolina), the furniture is not made by Thomasville Furniture Industries. Thomasville furniture is sold exclusively in retail stores - from Thomasville Home Furnishings stores to authorized galleries and dealers. To find the store nearest you, please visit our online Store Finder. ( last question)
Thomasville Furniture Frequently Asked Questions
//www.city-data.com/forum/ralei...ruck-sale.html

[pfil]

Originally Posted by TowBar

I mean who buys anything out of the back of a truck (or even a van).

it's human nature to think you're getting a deal even when there are all kinds of red flags .

look at the recent mortgage crisis .

[BstYet2Be]

.
I knew I'd read about this ?somewhere? in the forums before... turns out it was in Charlotte, NC in 2010, happy customers with Central Carolina Connection trucks, but the same deal with the Thomasville Furniture Logo trucks not being affiliated with Thomasville.

See: //www.city-data.com/forum/charl...rniture-3.html

[elnina]

^^^ Wow!! Great memory!!

[badhornet]

I had a guy ring my doorbell asking if I wanted to buy steaks out of his cooler a few years ago. Last month had a guy ring my doorbell selling womans jewelery, so no nothing surprises me

[TowBar]

Originally Posted by BstYet2Be

.
I knew I'd read about this ?somewhere? in the forums before... turns out it was in Charlotte, NC in 2010, happy customers with Central Carolina Connection trucks, but the same deal with the Thomasville Furniture Logo trucks not being affiliated with Thomasville.

See: //www.city-data.com/forum/charl...rniture-3.html

Hmm, most of the posts there are positive. I am shocked, Maybe I should have seen what they had to offer.