Especially during this time of year, with Black Friday having just passed, and Cyber Monday rapidly approaching, many customers have grandfather clocks discounts and bargains at the top of their mind.  They only want to shop when they see Grandfather Clocks Sale.

One grandfather clocks website the author of this blog post recently visited proudly proclaimed “… grandfather clocks can never be too cheap and will always give your home a classy, nostalgic and dependable look.”  While we agree with the bigger picture sentiment that a grandfather clock can certainly enhance the appearance of any home, there are many cheap grandfather clocks out there that if one purchases, one is essentially purchasing a pricey headache and not at all a good grandfather clock.

Let us revisit the dictionary definition of cheap, and look at whether it might mean inexpensive grandfather clocks, or cheap grandfather clocks:

–adjective

Definition 4, from Dictionary.com is particularly apropos of what needs to be kept in mind

We had a post recently about the finest grandfather clocks and grandfather clock brands and makers, and what to look out for when considering the purchase of a high quality grandfather clock.  While we will not say there is no place for inexpensive grandfather clocks, most all grandfather clock shoppers are going in with eyes wide closed.  They will pay hundreds of dollars for a grandfather clock that looks nice, but they likely have no idea what trade-offs they have just made by being an ignorant consumer.

The chimes will almost always be of an inferior quality to any of the grandfather clocks brands we sell, which include Howard Miller grandfather clocks, Hermle grandfather clocks, and Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, among others.  The cases will likely have plastic and particle board wood, when there is even wood.  Many require major assemble.  We also get all too many calls from individuals who have purchased grandfather clocks from leading retailers and mass merchandisers, only to find out that their new grandfather clock does not even have an instruction booklet, and there is no way to figure out or contact the manufacturer.  Many of  names of these bargain grandfather clocks have been quite cleverly names so they appear to be models made by the most respected manufacturers.  And these companies are clever enough to name a grandfather clock after, say, a high-end mechanical chiming wall clock so that they can claim they have not even caused customer confusion.  Having said that, we have seen some of our clock dealer competitors who carry these really cheap brands alongside the better brands, with similar model names, and this must create confusion for their own customers.

The bottom line for grandfather clocks shoppers is that while you may get a cheap grandfather clock, choose wisely or else you may get one that does not work from the get go, or one that is poorly made and will likely break down beyond repair, plastic parts and all, in a short period of time.

Save a few bucks today, and live with a grandfather clocks or grandmother clock or floor clock until it falls apart or breaks down.

We highly recommend asking questions of grandfather clocks experts, and make certain you know what you are getting, whatever that is.  Choosing a quartz grandfather clock, or a cable driven chiming mechanical grandfather clock, for example, is a choice that should be made by an informed grandfather clocks shopper.

Buying junk at a great price, when you are looking for more than junk, is akin to simply throwing your money away.