I'm Mark, a facilities manager handling office furniture orders for the last 5 years. I've personally made (and documented) about a dozen significant mistakes, totaling roughly $15,000 in wasted budget. I now maintain our team's procurement checklist. This article is about the most common—and expensive—errors I've seen with the Steelcase Think chair, specifically the Steelcase Think review ergonomic chair configuration.

Here are the top 5 pitfalls.

1. The "One Size Fits All" Trap

The Mistake: Ordering 50 Think chairs in a standard configuration, assuming everyone is average height. I did this in my first year (2018).

The Result: 6 people couldn't fit. The seat depth was too short for the taller folks. We had to do a rush exchange on 24 chairs. That mistake cost about $1,200 in freight and caused a 2-week discomfort for half the team.

The Fix: Always order a fit test kit first. Steelcase offers one. Let 5-10 people of different sizes test it. The chair has adjustable seat depth, lumbar support, and armrests—but only if you actually order the right sizes. Don't assume 'adjustable' means 'universal.'

2. Forgetting the Seat Depth Adjustment

The Mistake: I was so focused on the lumbar support and armrests that I completely overlooked the seat depth. In 2019, I ordered 30 chairs for a team with a wide height range.

The Result: The chair felt great for people with longer legs. But for shorter users, the seat pan dug into the back of their knees. This is a classic issue. We had to order new seat pans and swap them out. That was roughly $900 in parts and labor.

The Fix: On the Steelcase Think, the seat depth is manually adjustable (about 3 inches). When you're writing the order, make sure it's included in the spec. It's often a separate line item in the configuration. Don't just check the box for 'ergonomic chair.'

"Switching to a proper seat depth check cut our returns by 60%."

3. Ignoring the Upholstery Spec

The Mistake: In September 2021, I ordered 15 chairs with a standard polyester mesh. I thought, 'Mesh is breathable, everyone likes mesh.' I chose a light grey.

The Result: Within 3 months, the mesh on the chair used by our graphics team started to look dirty. Not structural, but cosmetic. The light grey showed every spec of dust. We had to replace the seat cushions for 5 chairs. That was about $600.

The Fix: If you're in a high-traffic, dusty, or creative environment (like printing or labs), choose a darker mesh color or a solid fabric. The Think chair offers a 3D Knit back and a variety of upholstery. Don't just pick the first one on the list.

4. The "Cheapest" Cylinder Mistake

The Mistake: To hit a budget target, I spec’d the standard gas lift cylinder on the chairs for a lab where people stand up and sit down dozens of times a day. I approved the quote.

The Result: After 8 months, four chairs had cylinders that were failing—they dropped slowly or wouldn't hold height. Why? The standard cylinder is rated for a normal office environment, not high-cycle settings. The fix required buying upgraded cylinders and sending chairs back for repair. That cost about $400 in parts and a lot of downtime.

The Fix: Check the duty cycle of the chair's components. In high-cycle settings, upgrade to the heavy-duty gas lift. It's a minor upcharge—maybe $25 per chair—that saves you from a major headache later. I learned this the hard way.

5. Skipping the 30-Day Trial

The Mistake: I ordered 50 chairs for a new building, approved the invoice, and just didn't test them thoroughly. The new staff started moving in, and within a week, the complaints started.

The Result: The armrests were too wide for 3 people with narrower desk setups. The chairs themselves were fine, but we had to order a different arm configuration for 12 units and store the original ones as spares. That was $450 in wasted armrests plus the new order. If I'd ordered a single unit first and let a cross-section of the team test it for a week, I'd have caught this.

The Fix: Always specify a trial period in your purchase order, or buy one unit first. The Steelcase Think is a fantastic chair—it's the Steelcase Think review ergonomic chair that's been on Wirecutter lists for years—but it's not 'one chair fits all body types.'

So, to sum up: Don't skip the fit test. Don't ignore the seat depth. Watch the upholstery. Upgrade the cylinder if needed. And always, always trial a unit first.

These 5 pitfalls have cost me time, money, and credibility. I share them so you can avoid the same mistakes. Your team deserves a chair that works—not one that needs fixing.