4 ms·

The stuff from Manufactum is not comparable to cheap stuff from somewhere else. It's a lot better quality. It's not just "organic cotton"; there's a lot more t

The stuff from Manufactum is not comparable to cheap stuff from somewhere else. It's a lot better quality. It's not just "organic cotton"; there's a lot more that differentiates products from Manufactum than just the type of cotton it is made from. You can see from the extremely elaborate description that they write about every manufacturer (it's a German store, so the English texts aren't as detailed) that they don't just resell random stuff from far away factories. They put a lot of thought into the products they offer. Usually Manufactum isn't the cheapest option, but their markup is not as bad as you think. If you can find the item at other stores, it'll cost about the same (+/- 10%). For example, this Herder knife costs 94€ plus shipping at Manufactum [1] and 109€ with free shipping at Amazon [2]. [1]: https://www.manufactum.at/herder-kuechenmesser-kesselscher-walkschliff-p1461766/?a=41246 https://www.manufactum.at/herder-kuechenmesser-kesselscher-w... [2]: https://www.amazon.de/Windmühle-Messer-Windmühlenmesser-Universalmesser-Hechtsäbels/dp/B002LJ102U/ref=pd_sbs_201_1/262-4962699-1636758?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B002LJ102U&pd_rd_r=a3d307aa-8125-11e9-8290-1f7ef5cdf6ea&pd_rd_w=hlAcQ&pd_rd_wg=3N2UU&pf_rd_p=74d946ea-18de-4443-bed6-d8837f922070&pf_rd_r=EGTY4ZS2ZXHV5SRZY1AR&psc=1&refRID=EGTY4ZS2ZXHV5SRZY1AR https://www.amazon.de/Windmühle-Messer-Windmühlenmesser-Univ...

TeMPOraL 7y ago
I share GP's worry. Long descriptions are only proof they spend more on content. Given the sleaziness of on-line retailers in general, how can I tell this is a genuine signal and not faked one?
- jakobegger 7y ago
  You'll have to take my word! Manufactum is not a random online retailer. They have been around for some time, and have a certain reputation around here. They have been selling things from a paper catalog before the internet got popular. They actually still have paper catalogs, and reading them is a wonderful pastime. (I don't really use the website much, unless I am looking for something specific) But even if you don't trust me, at least they have very detailed descriptions and high resolution photographs of the products on their site. And if you order something, and you end up not liking it, you can always return it (eg. for a leather bag it's hard to judge from a photograph if you like it or not).
  - TeMPOraL 7y ago
    Fair, your word is enough for me to go and look at them closer. My problem is that there's just so many fly-by-night stores selling the same chinesium with varying degree of markup - from "we just import this stuff" to "we put nice photos and descriptions, and pretend we're a premium brand" - that I just gave up and don't try to discover new stores myself. I only check them out based on word of mouth now. Beyond that, I either buy a particular item of known quality, preferably from manufacturer or a bigger chain (so I have legal recourse if they screw me over), or accept that what I'm going to get is going to be garbage.
- nextos 7y ago
  I came here to recommend Manufactum too. Often, I've noted they offer the same products I have arrived to after extensive research elsewhere. E.g. SNS Herning jumpers. What is more, after talking to SNS Herning owner, I discovered Manufactum sells a unique version of their jumpers with organic wool. Because they explicitly requested this. On the other hand, I have also noted a few, but not all, items have big markups vs buying directly from the producer. Aside, what drives me totally insane about current online and offline shopping is complete dishonesty about refurbished items. Many many sellers and Amazon warehouses have absolutely no ethics and they repackage and reseal used and returned items to sell them as new. It sucks big time. The scam is so widespread that, for example, Leopold mechanical keyboards are sent to EU and US retailers without any seals. So that returned items never have damaged boxes. Whereas if you buy them straight from the manufacturer, you get some nice tamper proof seals.
Terretta 7y ago
Elaborate writing in a catalog to signal value is not new. In fact, it’s featured in Seinfeld: https://www.jpeterman.com/category/104235/owners-manual-no-170 https://www.jpeterman.com/category/104235/owners-manual-no-1...
bosie 7y ago
I think what grandparent meant was the "markup" (wrong word) between different products: random knife vs herder. Manufactum does not have an insane markup on the identical product, they just exclusively stock high(er)-end products. Hilariously, the catalogue is a problem even within Amazon. Moving from Austria to the UK, I noticed that amazon.co.uk isn't showing me the same products as amazon.de. Looking for vacuums the latter (in the top 10) shows me Miele, Siemens and Philips (all over EUR 100). amazon.co.uk shows me random brands I have never heard of for < 50 quid, despite me never having bought that type of product (within a category).
Kluny 7y ago
I can't believe how fast that website is. I actually wrote to their contact address to ask how the heck they managed that.

TeMPOraL 7y ago

I share GP's worry. Long descriptions are only proof they spend more on content. Given the sleaziness of on-line retailers in general, how can I tell this is a genuine signal and not faked one?

jakobegger 7y ago
You'll have to take my word! Manufactum is not a random online retailer. They have been around for some time, and have a certain reputation around here. They have been selling things from a paper catalog before the internet got popular. They actually still have paper catalogs, and reading them is a wonderful pastime. (I don't really use the website much, unless I am looking for something specific) But even if you don't trust me, at least they have very detailed descriptions and high resolution photographs of the products on their site. And if you order something, and you end up not liking it, you can always return it (eg. for a leather bag it's hard to judge from a photograph if you like it or not).
- TeMPOraL 7y ago
  Fair, your word is enough for me to go and look at them closer. My problem is that there's just so many fly-by-night stores selling the same chinesium with varying degree of markup - from "we just import this stuff" to "we put nice photos and descriptions, and pretend we're a premium brand" - that I just gave up and don't try to discover new stores myself. I only check them out based on word of mouth now. Beyond that, I either buy a particular item of known quality, preferably from manufacturer or a bigger chain (so I have legal recourse if they screw me over), or accept that what I'm going to get is going to be garbage.
nextos 7y ago
I came here to recommend Manufactum too. Often, I've noted they offer the same products I have arrived to after extensive research elsewhere. E.g. SNS Herning jumpers. What is more, after talking to SNS Herning owner, I discovered Manufactum sells a unique version of their jumpers with organic wool. Because they explicitly requested this. On the other hand, I have also noted a few, but not all, items have big markups vs buying directly from the producer. Aside, what drives me totally insane about current online and offline shopping is complete dishonesty about refurbished items. Many many sellers and Amazon warehouses have absolutely no ethics and they repackage and reseal used and returned items to sell them as new. It sucks big time. The scam is so widespread that, for example, Leopold mechanical keyboards are sent to EU and US retailers without any seals. So that returned items never have damaged boxes. Whereas if you buy them straight from the manufacturer, you get some nice tamper proof seals.

Terretta 7y ago

Elaborate writing in a catalog to signal value is not new. In fact, it’s featured in Seinfeld: https://www.jpeterman.com/category/104235/owners-manual-no-170 https://www.jpeterman.com/category/104235/owners-manual-no-1...

bosie 7y ago

I think what grandparent meant was the "markup" (wrong word) between different products: random knife vs herder. Manufactum does not have an insane markup on the identical product, they just exclusively stock high(er)-end products. Hilariously, the catalogue is a problem even within Amazon. Moving from Austria to the UK, I noticed that amazon.co.uk isn't showing me the same products as amazon.de. Looking for vacuums the latter (in the top 10) shows me Miele, Siemens and Philips (all over EUR 100). amazon.co.uk shows me random brands I have never heard of for < 50 quid, despite me never having bought that type of product (within a category).

Kluny 7y ago

I can't believe how fast that website is. I actually wrote to their contact address to ask how the heck they managed that.