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10192010 A Disgrace in High Point Auction of Oriental Rugs

By Lissa Wyman
10/31/2010

THIS IS A DISGRACE

 Sandwich-boards advertising a "no reserve sell of of 100's of Oriental Carpets" popped up in downtown High Point, NC in the middle of the Fall International Home Furnishings Market.


By Lissa Wyman

HIGH POINT, NC -- I am a big believer in free trade and a company's right to do business. But even my tolerance has limits. Sandwich boards advertising an "Oriental Carpet" Auction appeared on Monday of the High Point market on the busy pedestrian street between Market Square.

The "Absolute No Reserve Sell Off" auction was held near the center of town at the AFD building, a sloppy-looking warehouse that combined the auction with a night of  entertainment by a new incarnation of The Coasters

This was a disgrace and an outrage to honest rug vendors AND retailers.

First, the shoddiness of the advertising and the shabby building housing the auction perpetuates the notion -- held by many retailers as well as consumers -- that rugs are something to be auctioned for and bargained for in a back-alley.

Second, how many potential retail customers got sucked into the idea of "getting a bargain" on "Oriental Carpets"? Perhaps those retailers even bought some rugs and brought them back to their own stores to sell. Haha. They by-passed the rug exhibitors completely. What a deal!

Too bad the REAL rug vendors of the world had fresh, beautiful products waiting in their showrooms for those bargain-hungry retailers.

The rugs that the REAL High Point rug exhibitors showed offered real value, too. They were fairly priced and offer the ultimate consumer terrific value. The sales representatives for the  real rug vendors can tell retailers where their rugs come from, how they are made, what they are made of and suggest a realistic retail price they should be sold for.

I didn't bother going to the auction because I've been to enough similar events to know it would make my skin crawl. But I can almost bet that the no one there had any idea about the provenance of any of the rugs at that auction. I can also bet that the colors were drab and muddy and the patterns had gone out of style somewhere back in the 80's.

I don't know who is in charge of licensing street advertising during High Point Market, but if I were a High Point rug exhibitor paying a LOT of money for the privilege of showing my product here, I would be darn mad. Nope I'd be damn mad.

And what do YOU think?
 

10.19.10


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