Lulu and Georgia vs West Elm: Who Has Better Couches?
Lulu and Georgia and West Elm both exude a sense of class and sophistication. But which of these chic sofa retailers should you choose?
Alex Back | Couch.com CEO & Founder
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Lulu and Georgia and West Elm are two classy and sophisticated furniture companies. Their elevated styles are both head-turning and eye-catching. But style can only get you so far. So which of these chic sofa retailers should you choose?
Side By Side
Features
Lulu and Georgia
West Elm
Made to Order Lead Times
6-10 weeks
8+ weeks
Free Shipping Option
White Glove Delivery Option
$369
$279-$429
Return Option
Warranty Included
Financing Option
Affirm
Affirm
Assembly Required
Large Fabric Selection
Free Swatches Available
Manufacturing Origin
USA + Import
Import
Avg. 3-Seat Couch Price
$$$-$$$$
$$-$$$
Lulu and Georgia and West Elm both occupy an incredibly similar market space. This is very clear when you look at the chart above. Aside from a few minor differences in white glove delivery costs and lead times, the main areas where they differ are in fabric options and overall prices.
But before you decide, let’s take a closer look at certain features. On the surface the return options look similar. But importantly, neither company allows you to return made to order couches. “Made to order” in this case means choosing any fabric that’s not specifically labeled as “In-Stock” or “Quick Ship.” In other words, 98% of these companies’ couches can’t be returned. Of the couches that can be returned, Lulu and Georgia has a 60 day return window, whereas West Elm only has a 7 day return window. And even then, your couch may not qualify.
Lulu and Georgia averages about 6-8 fabric choices for their couches while West Elm has 50+ options in most cases. West Elm also offers a few more customization options on some of their couches like deeper frames or down filling.
Still can’t decide? Let’s break it down even further.
BRAND #1: Lulu and Georgia
Lulu and Georgia is an online-only retailer that launched in 2012. The founder, Sara Sugarman Brenner, named the company after her grandfather, Lou, and her father, George.
Lulu and Georgia | Brand Summary
Lulu and Georgia has a wonderful presentation for its couch products, you can tell by reading Lulu and Georgia reviews. Lulu and Georgia often have sales, particularly around holiday weekends and special occasions, which can include significant discounts. Everything about their website makes me want to shop with them. But when the average price point for a standard 3-seater exceeds $3,000 I’m forced to be more critical about the quality, customer focus, and the overall brand presentation. In this case, Lulu and Georgia furniture falls short in some of the most important aspects.
Lulu and Georgia furniture partners with designers to offer exclusive sofa styles, which are absolutely gorgeous. However, they also supply couches from third-party manufacturers. This results in some couches being made in the USA while others are imported from overseas. However, the quality of construction is good regardless of their origins. On top of that, we love the fact that they’re a female-founded company. Lulu and Georgia also puts an emphasis on sustainability, especially as part of their future plans. It's always a plus!
We do wish that Lulu and Georgia’s customer focus were stronger. You can’t return their made-to-order couches, but they do have a 60-day return window for their In-Stock or Ready-to-Ship couches (if you can stomach the 25% fee). But their lack of couch warranties is a real killer. On top of that, their limited fabric options and limited customizations are also disappointing. These shortcomings could be overlooked, but Lulu and Georgia’s prices are also quite high compared to competitors. When standard, 3-seater sofas are $3,000 to $4,000 you’d hope for more peace of mind with your purchase.
West Elm launched in 2002 and opened its first storefront in 2003. They're owned and operated by Williams-Sonoma who also owns Pottery Barn. Despite their corporate nature, West Elm actually has a great emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives.
West Elm | Brand Summary
West Elm has stylish, modern furniture with the quality and backing of the Williams-Sonoma brand. They have surprisingly competitive prices considering their selection and their quality. They also get some points for focusing on sustainability and supporting a worldwide community of artisans.
But operating under the umbrella of Williams-Sonoma does have downsides. Most of West Elm's couches are imported from overseas, they don't have any meaningful warranty program, and the lead times could be better than they are. West Elm's prices are more affordable than other brands with similar styles, but there's also not a strong reason why you should choose West Elm over another brand that has better lead times and a stronger customer focus.
Competitive pricing, especially on their leather options
3rd party warranty option
Strong sustainability initiatives
Has brick-and-mortar locations
Cons
Couches are all imported
No standard warranty
Can't return made to order couches
7 day return window may not apply even to In-Stock options
Shockingly low 1.1 star rating on TrustPilot
Is West Elm good quality? The brand has become a go-to brand for stylish sofas at surprisingly affordable prices. But those lower prices come at a cost. There’s no standard warranty on their couches, made-to-order couches can’t be returned, and their 7-day return window may not apply to their In-Stock or Quick Ship couches. That could make them an expensive gamble. Additionally, West Elm has a very low 1.1-star rating on Trustpilot, which could give you pause. But one saving grace is that you can purchase a 3-year Allstate Protection warranty for your sofa. This covers accidents, stains, material damage, and more.
On the positive side, West Elm has a huge number of glamorous couches to choose from. They’re also generally available in a wide range of luxury fabrics. So you can really design a couch that you love. The pricing is wonderfully competitive for their quality and the number of sofa styles available. West Elm also has plenty of brick-and-mortar locations where you can test out their couches in person. And if sustainability is important to you, West Elm has some impressive initiatives on that front. However, they are part of a big corporate umbrella, which might negatively affect some shoppers.
Both of these couch companies have drop dead gorgeous sofas to choose from. If supporting independent businesses is important to you, Lulu and Georgia is a good option. If you want elevated styles at lower prices, West Elm is the better bet. But if warranties and return options are must-haves, then you’ll want to steer clear of both of these companies.
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Alex Back is the founder and CEO of Couch.com. Previously, he was the co-founder and COO of the popular furniture brand, Apt2B, which was acquired by a large US retail furniture chain in 2018. He worked to integrate Apt2B, one of the very first online furniture retailers on the Shopify platform, into the operations of the 100 year old larger business entity and was deeply immersed in the business operations of both online and brick and mortar retail for 4 years before leaving in 2023 to start Couch.com. Working in various parts of the furniture industry since 2004, he has 20 years experience in retail sales, e-commerce, marketing, operations, logistics and wholesale manufacturing and distribution. He has worked extensively with partners such as Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond and Amazon and his work has been highlighted in many publications such as Forbes, CNN and HGTV, among others. Alex is delighted to bring his experience and authority on couches and the furniture industry to this platform, along with many of his industry colleagues who are helping him keep the Couch.com audience informed and engaged on a daily basis.
