In this article, we will look at Southern Motion Furniture and discuss parameters related to its quality to answer- Is Southern Motion Furniture Good Quality?
Table of Contents
The Southern Motion furniture brand was founded in 1996 and had its headquarters in Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States. In addition, it has a subsidiary called Fusion Furniture, Inc. Southern Motion celebrated its 25th anniversary just recently. Read on as we examine various parameters for evaluating Southern Motion Furniture’s quality.
What Is Southern Motion?
Southern Motion furniture is a made-in-USA brand. The company employs as many as 1500 workers in its five Mississippi-based facilities. Over the decades, the brand has successfully established itself as one of the largest furniture manufacturers in Mississippi and beyond.
In June 2017, New York-based Gainline Capital Partners LP bought over Southern Motion. However, Southern Motion’s founders and their team continue to maintain a significant stake in the business.
Product Categories
Southern Motion offers various sofas, sectionals, recliners, accent chairs, and collections. Elevate, Next Level, Smart Solutions, SoCozi, Zero Gravity are some of its famous collections.
Features and Options
Cupholders, glider, hi leg recliner, massage & heat, wireless charging console, zero gravity- with Southern Motion, it will spoil you for choice.
Power Reclining Furniture
The Power Reclining Feature of the Southern Motion sofa is renowned. The power feature permits one to electronically recline into various positions by adjusting their comfy throne to multiple angles at the press of a button.
Quality
Let us look at a few parameters and individually analyze each one to determine the overall product quality.
Build Quality
Southern Motion Furniture has been in business for many years. Southern Motion’s recliners and sofas are market leaders.
However, the internet has reviews that mention that the cushions get worn out within two years, the seam busted open, and the padding starts to sag and fall out. In addition, there are multiple complaints about the leather quality deteriorating after one year.
While some mention that the headrests deteriorated, some talk about the fabric at the armrests peeling off and the product losing shape.
Power Reclining Furniture
The motor assemblies in the power reclining furniture collection are very reliable and rarely malfunction. In addition, customer reviews on Better Business Bureau mention that the lumbar support in the chair would not stay inflated. Not only this, one study says that after two years of usage, the sofa now doesn’t recline at all. Additionally, some reviews have mentioned that the remote broke and took the company two months to replace it.
Fabric
Southern Motion comes in various fabric finishes such as leather, leather-look, and intelligent solutions. Intelligent Solutions is stain resistant and allows you to remove stains without any hassle and stain marks easily. So whether you have small children or you love to sip wine on the couch, Intelligent Solutions fabric will take care of all your stain concerns effectively.
Comfort
Southern Motion’s recliners offer ultimate comfort for those who suffer from back pain or enjoy relaxing in peace at the end of a long tiring day.
Their Zero Gravity recliner mimics the natural body position that astronauts experience in space, which is the most comfortable position your body can be in. When you imitate the astronaut position on the recliner, it achieves the ideal weight distribution thus, de-stressing you. This recliner can even reduce back pain, swelling in the joints.
Pricing
Since Southern Motion does not sell its merchandise to consumers directly, it does not list any retail prices for any of its products. Instead, their authorized retailers and dealers determine their fees. Hence, it is imperative to do good research and comparison among various stores to get a fair price.
Brand Presence
The brand has a strong presence, both offline and online.
Offline Presence
Numerous independent retailers and dealers sell Southern Motion Furniture in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. You can find their stores by visiting their website and accessing their store locator. You should note, however, that Southern Motion does not retail directly to consumers. Instead, you can find the brand’s furniture at Big Sandy Superstore, Wayfair, Comfort centers furniture, and Blackmon furniture.
Online Presence
Southern Motion’s website is entirely up to date. Products are constantly removed and added from the same to keep it updated. Search for Southern Motion online, and you can see what all retailers offer Southern Motion Furniture near you. You can also buy the brand’s merchandise online at certain websites.
Clean and Care Instructions
Let us look at some of the clean and care instructions listed by the brand. You can find more details about the same from the brand website and your authorized retailer.
Leather Furniture
Southern Motion does not supply or approve any “leather touch-up kits.” However, you can consult with your retailer or professional cleaner to enquire about which product would be suitable for your upholstery fabric.
Fabric Pilling
Fabric Pilling is a relatively common scenario and is likely to occur. Excess fiber coming off the fabric surface causes pilling. This extra fiber leads to the formation of small balls called pills. You can remove pills with a furniture shaver.
However, as mentioned earlier, the brand pre-specified that they do not consider this a defect.
Customer Support
Defects
In case of any malfunctioning or defect, Southern Motion recommends reaching out to the retailer from whom you made the purchase.
In case of minor problems which you feel you can deal with on your own, you can visit their website and read through the Frequently Asked Questions.
Return Policy
Always double-check with your retailer to have a fair idea of their return policy. A standard return policy will not govern your purchase since you are not purchasing from Southern motion directly. The return policy will likely differ from seller to seller. If you end up buying something that might not match your home décor, be smart enough to consult a designer or interior expert beforehand to remove room for the slightest doubt.
Warranty
Black Metal Lifetime Warranty
As long as the original owner of the product is alive, Southern Motion takes a lifetime warranty for the black metal patented parts of the reclining mechanism.
Fabric/Leather
Leather and all upholstery fabrics are warranted against material defects and quality of one year from the date of purchase.
What all is included in this warranty?
If your furniture experiences any of these- fabric separation, nap loss, seam failure, it is covered under warranty.
What is all excluded in this warranty?
Fading, stretching, dye lots, cover pilling are not included in this warranty. Also, scars, grain variations, wrinkles, etc., will be considered typical characteristics.
Wooden frame, Cushions
The hardwood frame components, springs, and cushions are warranted to be free of defects in materials and artistry for five years.
Residential Use Only
The products are designed for residential use only unless specified otherwise. Placement in commercial property, rental institutions, or any other excessive application nullifies any product warranty.
All in all, the brand’s warranty and terms are very emphatically mentioned on their website. However, one must carefully read through the same to have a fair idea of what they can expect from the brand post-purchase.
Wireless Power Recall
The Wireless Power Recall has come out as a relatively recent occurrence. Lithium-ion batteries power the power reclining furniture, which can overheat and pose a fire hazard. However, considering possible mishaps and specific events, the brand issued a recall announcement in 2020.
Contact us
If you cannot find a replacement for a part or necessary service from the retailer you purchased, you can reach out to the brand’s customer care portal by clicking on Contact Us on their website.
There are multiple threads on the internet that the website’s customer support is relatively unresponsive and instructs the customer to contact the retailer from whom they made the purchase, which the customer has already attempted to do. So in that respect, the price point is way too high for the inferior product quality and customer service.
Despite this, I would like to point out that users sometimes do not follow the care instructions and precautions listed by brands. Moreover, with random reviews flooding the internet, we have no idea what the conditions of product usage were since the brand mentions that the products are designed for residential use and not heavy use. However, you cannot ignore the reviews altogether, especially many similar complaints from many different sources, be it Google reviews or Better Business Bureau.
However, many customers have also praised the service for being prompt and responsive to damage covered by the warranty. And, those with five-year contracts have even received replacement parts from the company, free of cost.
Conclusion
Summing up, the overall verdict on Southern Motion furniture is mixed. Some love and worship the brand, and others say that it is not value for money.
We hope you found answers to your Southern Motion furniture-related questions here. Let us know what you think about what you just read by posting a comment below. Don’t forget to share the same with your friends and family as well.