Test the piece where it’s weakest, not where it’s strong
Showrooms display furniture in the position that flatters it. So do the opposite of what the display invites. Sit on the corner of the sofa, not the middle. Lean on the end of the shelf, not the centre. Open the drawer all the way out, not halfway.
Almost every quality problem shows up at an edge, an end or a joint. Almost none of them show up in the middle of a piece.
The fingernail test on edge banding
Run a fingernail along the edge banding of any board product, especially at a corner. If it catches or lifts under a fingernail in a climate controlled showroom, it will lift in a hallway in a wet country.
It takes three seconds and it’s one of the best predictors of whether the whole piece was built carefully.
Look inside, underneath and behind
Turn a chair over. Pull a drawer right out and look at the back of the drawer box and the joint at the front. Look at the back panel of a cabinet, because the back panel is where cost gets cut and where nobody checks.
A factory that finishes the parts nobody sees tends to be just as careful with the parts you do.
Ask questions that have a number in the answer
Asking whether something is good quality invites a yes. Ask what the foam density is. Ask what the board grade is. Ask what the wire gauge is. Ask what the frame timber is and whether it’s kiln dried.
A supplier who answers with numbers knows their product. A supplier who answers with adjectives is selling somebody else's product and may not know what is inside it.
Smell the room
This sounds strange and it’s genuinely useful. A showroom or a warehouse with a strong chemical smell is telling you about the finishes and the boards in it. If your market cares about emissions, and many do, that smell is an early warning that you should be asking for documentation.