Complaint Review: Natuzzi - High Point North Carolina

Case Description: We have had repeated severe product quality issues with our sectional and have gotten no support from Nutuzzi in resolving our problems. We have had a Natuzzi regular grade leather sectional for 25 years and it looks brand new. It is such an impressive piece we gave it to our daughter who proudly displays it in her new home. Based upon our wonderful experience and assumption that Natuzzi is synonymous with high quality we decided to purchase a new sectional. We selected the 10' x 10' Odyssey sectional with three electric recliners and the top grain leather. We paid around $8,000 and were happy to make the investment. It sat in a living room that wasn't visited much for 1 1/2 years. I think it was used maybe eight times. We decided to downside our home and moved with professional movers to a smaller villa. Now that we are enjoying the sectional more frequently the footrest on one of the recliners broke in half. I took it apart and noticed the footrest was constructed out of either particle board or a very cheap plywood. I had to purchase two 6" x 2" support metal bars and metal screws in order to secure the footrest. It is very sturdy now. That was my first negative experience with the new "high-end" sectional. A few months later, we noticed the seats started sagging where we always sat on two of the recliners. Also, one of the motors ceased to operate. We called Natuzzi and wanted them to stand behind their product and repair the sectional. They refused to do so. This was through their corporate post-consumer purchase department at 336-887-8300. I believe it's their version of customer service, although I fail to see the connection. We were forced to spend spent $125 for a furniture repairman to come and see what was wrong. Upon examination our repairman discovered the following: 1. The foam being used in the Natuzzi sectional is rated a 2 using a 1 to 10 industry rating system for foam and the ability for it to sustain its shape. That means Natuzzi is knowingly using a low-level inferior foam but are charging top dollar. 2. The foam's only means of support for each sectional is a strap. Yes that is right, one flimsy strap is the only apparatus that supports each seat in this high-end sectional. The straps, in our case, have broken off. I was amazed to see these flimsy pieces of cloth, they call support, on the floor beneath the two electric recliners. They are designed to remain attached to the wooden supports with four small metal hooks that obviously failed. I do not think our older sectional had the same cheap design. I believe those seats have a box support system of quality wood. 3. The wood structure of the whole sectional consists of the same inferior product as the broken footrest. Really now? Do you expect me to accept that after paying so much for the whole set? 4. The seat sagged so much on one of the recliners that it disconnected the wires attached to the motor. That solved the problem of the inoperative motor. Is this what we are to expect when purchasing furniture from a "high-end" company such as Natuzzi? The repairman concluded that we needed to add more foam to each sectional and install additional support straps to obtain the foundation we needed. This repair work was estimated to cost us $150 per sectional. The two problem sectionals plus the other 3 that have yet to sag were going to cost us $750 total. I immediately called the agent Brittany at their support number and she failed to return my calls. It appears I have become an annoyance to her and her superior. For a mother composite of complaints about Natuzzi go to: ********************************