Ergohuman Chair Blog

I wanted to make a post about why certain comments have been made in regards to the leather seat vs. the mesh seat. Many customers have been concerned with going for the mesh seat because of the last post about the leather seat providing a little better support than the mesh for the long haul. I need to clear the air on this issue. If you have owned a mesh chair or are familiar with sitting in mesh, then much of this may not apply to you.

When the Ergohuman first came out, we had 2 mesh chairs shipped to our office so that we could get good, first-hand knowledge about the chair. We used them for about 8-12 hours per day for about 4-5 months before we decided to make the switch to the leather version. The switch was made for 2 reasons: 1) because one of us wanted to sit in the leather model to get more familiar with that style of sit for an extended period. 2) One of us started to experience some discomfort in the tailbone area. The discomfort occurred because the user was not consistent with their sitting posture to benefit fully from the mesh seat. This particular user liked to lean forward in the chair and often times on the armrests. Slouching, awkward leaning and incorrect adjustments can lead to problems. The reason being is that mesh upholstery will flex and cause tension to whatever area is pushed into it. The greater the weight placed on the mesh, the more tension is caused by the rebound effect of the mesh. A mesh seat gets the user’s entire body weight and therefore much more tension is placed on that mesh than mesh on a backrest.

If the chair is adjusted correctly and an ergonomic sitting position is maintained, then the discomfort will not occur. But, the problem comes when users deviate from the upright, correctly aligned position that the Ergohuman chair promotes. When the user slouches, leans drastically to one side or has the chair adjusted incorrectly, then the Ergohuman can’t do its job. Because most users are not conscientious of maintaining a correct posture, we usually recommend the mesh seat for 5 hours or less. If you feel that you sit correctly and can maintain that correct sitting position for the duration of your work day, then the mesh seat would pose no problems. If you’ve had a mesh chair in the past and are familiar with the great qualities of mesh then we definitely recommend the mesh for you as well. But, for users who like to change positions often or lean heavily on the armrests AND will be in the chair for more than 5 hours, then we recommend the leather seat because the stiff leather seat allows more wiggle room when it comes to sitting in a more comfortable position.

The Ergohuman mesh chairs are still the most popular upholstery chosen by our customers and the fact that very few are returned is a true testament to the success and comfort that mesh offers.

Earlier in the year we introduced a new Ergohuman chair that featured a mesh backrest with leather seat. As expected, the Ergohuman Leather/Mesh Combo was a big hit. We have had a number of new customers that love the idea of having 2 great upholstery options on one chair. Some customers just simply love leather and they have a hard time justifying any other upholstery selection. Now leather loyal customers can stick to what they like best AND get the awesome modern mesh compliment. We have also had a lot of repeat customers that have decided to order some of the Ergohuman LEM4ERG Combos because not everyone in their office wanted the all mesh or the all leather chair like they had already seen or sat in. The new combo chair has allowed office managers and executives to give their employees a wider selection of seating options while maintaining a uniform office chair environment. Managers have said that their employees feel better about the furniture they use if they can have a say in what it is and the Ergohuman provides the employee with options.

Overall, we feel that the Ergohuman combo chairs capture the advantages from both upholstery options and thus far, our customer have agreed.

In 2006, Eurotech introduced the Ergohuman and the mesh model exploded with popularity. The soft, form fitting, Aeron-like mesh, coupled with premium ergonomic functions made this chair an instant eye catcher. Mesh is very comfortable because of its ability to breathe and contour to ones body. The problem that some chair users have with mesh is that it will often cause stress to the tailbone and upper thighs if used for an extended period of time. For these customers, the Leather Ergohuman LE9ERG would be the recommended choice.

The leather provides a much stiffer sit and therefore better support for longer periods of time. The initial comfort level on the leather chair may not be up to the level of the Mesh Ergohuman ME7ERG but for extended periods of time the leather Ergohuman will usually provide better support.

Until January of 2008, customers had to choose whether to go with the unmatched mesh comfort that may not be great for longer periods or to go with a stiffer leather chair that will be better for the long run. Eurotech solved this dilemma by offering an Ergohuman chair that features a mesh backrest and a leather seat. This combination allows the user to experience cool, mesh comfort while still receiving the support needed for long hours. The Ergohuman LEM6ERGLO is available without the ergonomic headrest and the Ergohuman LEM4ERG is the right choice for executives and those that can take a second to kick back and relax.

The feedback and comments on this model are very slim since this Ergohuman chair is brand new. We will post again in the near future with some testimonials and chair opinions. Feel free to let us know what you think of the new models!

Recently the Mid Back Leather Ergohuman LE10ERGLO went on back order while none of the other models were. My first thought was, “They don’t stock nearly as many of that model because it is the least popular of the 4 models, so I am not surprised. Or, a very large order came through.” But after looking into our past transactions and our history of Ergohuman sales, I began to notice a trend. I saw that more and more leather Ergohuman chairs are being sold compared to the mesh models.

The mesh models have always been more popular than the leather. I think part of this can be attributed to the demand for a new aged, up-to-date, ergonomic chair that can catch the eye of any passerby. Mesh usually captures this type of consumers’ eye and they instantly become one of the many switching to a mesh office chair. Another thing that has been critical to the success of mesh office chairs has been the long-term success of the Aeron Chair by Herman Miller. This chair was the first in the line of many mesh office chairs and its success has paved the way for many new great designs by many different manufacturers.

So, why is the leather Ergohuman going on back order and the mesh models aren’t? The biggest reason is obviously that they stock less of the leather mid-back model. But, I think that the leather Ergohuman offers a quality that other leather chairs don’t. Most leather chairs have big, thick padding with a few standard functions (swivel, tilt, seat height adjustment). This type of chair is not ideal for tasking and computing occupations because it lacks the adjustability to allow multi-tasking. Another thing is that most executive leather chairs aren’t ergonomic, which can cause pain and injuries if utilized for a long period. In a computing environment, the user needs to be attentive, correctly positioned and comfortable all at the same time. The Ergohuman leather offers all of these things. The chair has every adjustment needed to make it ergonomic, while at the same time, correcting your posture. It also has the executive appeal of top grain leather. It was only a matter of time before people started telling their friends, co-workers and bosses that the Ergohuman leather is the real deal. The Ergohuman LE10ERGLO will be removed from back order status the second week of November and they should be available to ship in the 3rd week of November.

New customers often ask, “What is with MAP pricing?” Repeat customers ask, “Did Eurotech raise their prices?” The answer is yes! On September 1st, 2007 Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP) was implemented by Eurotech / Raynor. This is a policy that must be followed by all authorized dealers selling the Ergohuman chairs online. This MAP pricing applies only to dealers that sell online and only affects the Ergohuman chairs, not the entire Eurotech line. The required prices are: Leather High Back - $599, Mesh High Back - $579, Leather Mid Back - $569, Mesh Mid Back - $549. If a dealer is advertising any of these models for a lower price, Eurotech has the right to pull their line and refuse shipping. The policy DOES NOT say that the dealer must sell the chairs for these prices. It just means these are the prices that must be advertised online or not shown at all. Phone orders, on-site coupons and best offers are allowed and widely accepted methods that reduce the unit price.

My belief is that Raynor implemented this policy in an attempt to eliminate the price wars going on between online dealers. The internet is a great fact-finding resource and researching the Ergohuman is no different. Many online dealers were drastically slashing their prices in order to stay competitive and generate sales. This type of price drop on a regular basis hurt the traditional “brick and mortar” stores which are the backbone of the office furniture industry. The new pricing policy helps keep “brick and mortar” stores competitive with the internet companies. It also makes it very easy for buyers to distinguish between authorized dealers and non-dealers. If the prices are not advertised as mentioned above, simply put, the seller isn’t an authorized dealer and/or your order is in jeopardy of ever being shipped.

In order to find a good price, do a simple Google search for the term “Raynor Ergohuman”. You will find numerous pages with authorized dealers ranging from traditional websites to shopping sites like Bizrate.com, Shopping.com, Shopzilla.com and even eBay.com! Look for websites that say something like “see price in cart” or “call for current prices” or “MAP pricing, call for discount.” Call them. Ask for current pricing. You will often be able to receive a savings of $25 to $100 when you place the order over the phone. Another option is to make an eBay authorized ergohuman dealer a best offer (not all sellers accept this method). Typically, buyers are given up to three offers per auction, allowing everyone the opportunity to submit legitimate offers.

Hello everyone and welcome to the blog dedicated to the Ergohuman chair! We hope to use this blog to spread information, news and opinions about the Raynor Ergohuman by Eurotech Seating. We will make occassional posts with product updates and eurotech policy changes. Feel free to make comments, ask questions or give your opinion on the Ergohuman and the company you made your purchase through. Spread the Ergohuman word!