Ordering Advice from Allan Knight

We understand the time between ordering furniture and delivery can make people antsy. This uneasiness may stem from misconceptions about shipping within the interior design industry. That’s why we’re transparent with our ordering process, from start to finish. In this article, we will explore the facts and fiction behind ordering furniture with Allan Knight.

Standard Orders

Whether you're a big or small customer, your order starts when the manufacturer receives the deposit. As long as all Cutting for Approvals (CFA)s and custom finishes are approved before production, your order is in the process when you pay your deposit. 

After your deposit is received at our Dallas headquarters, we have two weeks to turn around the funds through bookkeeping and send them to the manufacturer (for which we do billing). Then the order will need to clear their bookkeeping department.

Fact: The order does not start when the designer delivers an order to the showroom or approves a quote. Instead, the deposit must change hands and be received by the manufacturer for the order to be in process.

Custom Furniture Orders & Finishes

While initiating a standard order is straightforward, custom furniture orders have one to two extra steps. To start, when submitting your deposit for an order, be sure to include your signed CAD or specific quote (what makes it a custom furniture order).

Keep in mind, if CAD drawings need to be produced, those drawings must be approved with a signature before your order can be processed. Then, when the CAD drawing is approved, that version of the product supersedes all other product specs for that piece. 

Custom finishes reflect the same rules. The finish must be returned, signed, and approved with a deposit before the custom furniture order will begin to move through the proper channels. 

Even if it takes three tries (strike-offs) to get the preferred and final finish, the order will not start until the finish is decided upon and the deposit and all requirements have been satisfied.

All finishes must be approved before the pieces go into production. This is an Allan Knight rule that covers all our represented lines and, of course, our own wholly-owned categories. 

Fiction: “Custom furniture orders are very expensive.” At Allan Knight, if a change is easy to make, we may waive any upcharges, which is a wonderful advantage when ordering from Allan Knight & Associates. 

Shipping 

Unique products with delicate finishes often require extra care when shipped. Although some retailers may offer free shipping as an added incentive to order, Allan Knight pieces must be handled with kid gloves, literally!

The cost of this shipping is typically absorbed by the end client, but the salesperson at Allan Knight is always very happy to help with the freight, from quoting and logistics, to crating. 

Allan Knight insists that each shipped order must be crated or shipped by a white glove delivery service. Perfect reception of each piece of all AKA furniture is our goal. 

Fact: Allan Knight has a relationship with Craters and Freighters for shipping services FOB AKA Dallas dock. For other blanket wrap services, we may refer to a couple of other shipping companies. This is another perk for our loyal clientele. 

We hope this behind-the-scenes look into Allan Knights ordering and shipping gives a clearer picture of our process. We take great care in everything that goes into sending you the perfect piece for your next design project.

Park Lane Sofa

Kyoto Cabinet