Citizen Yu Li was recently upset after purchasing a set of "Xianghe bedroom furniture" for 7,000 yuan. At first, she thought it was a great deal, but after consulting with a woodworker, she discovered that the furniture was actually made of rubber wood—not oak as the seller claimed. This revelation left her feeling deceived and frustrated.
The incident took place at a building materials and furniture market in Ganjingzi District, where Yu Li bought what was advertised as "cheap oak furniture." The seller assured her that the set was made of high-quality oak, priced at just 7,000 yuan. With her limited knowledge of furniture materials, she believed it was a good deal. Although she requested to see the product manual and material certificate, the store refused. Despite this, she decided to proceed with the purchase due to the low price.
However, the furniture soon raised doubts among experts. A carpenter who visited her home pointed out that the craftsmanship was poor and the texture didn’t match that of real oak. He suggested it might be rubber wood instead. Yu Li then invited several other carpenters to inspect the furniture, and they all agreed—real oak would cost at least 15,000 yuan, not 7,000. She tried to return the item, but the seller denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the furniture was indeed made of oak.
Recently, the reporter visited the same furniture stall and found that the same set of furniture was still being sold. When asked if it was oak, the staff confirmed it was. However, when the reporter questioned whether it looked more like rubber wood, the salesperson insisted that "rubber wood and oak are essentially the same, just different names." They claimed that both were part of the "oak series," even though there was a significant price difference between them.
But according to Manager Sun from a large home plaza in Xigang District, oak and rubber wood are entirely different. "Oak is typically from cold regions like North America and Russia, while rubber wood comes from tropical areas such as Thailand," he explained. "Their textures and prices are very different. Rubber wood costs around 4,000 yuan per cubic meter, while oak can go up to 8,000 to 10,000 yuan."
Despite the clear differences, many sellers in local markets have been using misleading labels. For example, at a building materials market near Wuyi Road, a seller labeled their products as "Thai Oak," claiming they were from Thailand. When the reporter pointed out that Thailand doesn’t produce oak, the staff admitted it was actually rubber wood—but still insisted that "oak and rubber wood are the same."
After the story was reported, the industry and commerce department intervened, and the merchant returned the goods and compensated Yu Li with 1,000 yuan. According to the city's quality supervision department, there are no official standards yet for distinguishing between oak and rubber wood.
Manager Sun also reminded consumers that the best way to tell the difference is by price. "If it’s too cheap, you should be cautious," he said. He added that the common belief that "oak is hard and rubber wood is soft" is a misunderstanding. While the density of oak is slightly higher than that of rubber wood (0.78 vs. 0.72), the difference isn’t significant enough to be a reliable indicator.
This case highlights the importance of consumer awareness and the need for clearer labeling in the furniture industry. Buyers must be vigilant and do their research before making a purchase, especially when dealing with expensive items like bedroom furniture.
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