Online Furniture Shopping
Should You Buy Furniture on the Web or at a Local Store?
Getting the best price for the highest quality furniture is most important. Tips on how to get a great deal online or at a brick and mortar shop.
Wouldn’t it be more practical to go to a local furniture store to buy a couch or chair? Sure, but what if your tastes gravitate toward the African safari look? Or a French Mediterranean décor is more your style. The Internet fills that niche market. And sometimes web prices are better than at your local shop.
Follow these tips for successful online furniture shopping:
- Consider shipping costs. Sometimes the cost to ship is almost as much as the item is worth. In that case, you would be better off scouring your local furniture and specialty stores. Check your local paper for sales and close-outs. If you have your eye on a particular piece, ask the sales person to contact you if it goes on sale. Buy off-season for things like lawn furniture and holiday theme items. Shop warehouse stores.
- How long will it take for the furniture to arrive? Make sure you get an estimated delivery time before you place the order. It could take as long as 30 days to arrive, if not longer. And get the phone number or e-mail address for the transport company. Stay on top of them and make sure they alert you to any delays.
- Does it come fully assembled? If you don’t know the difference between a wrench and a screw driver, leave the assembly to someone else. If you don’t know someone who is handy, consider the cost of hiring a professional. And what might seem like simple instructions which should only take an hour, could turn into an all-day job.
- What are the return policies? Sometimes if you’re not happy with the furniture, you can return it at a local store. Target has a bigger selection of furniture online than at many of their stores. And if you are not satisfied once the item arrives, just take it back to the closest retail location. Be wary of non-refundable sales, no matter how good the deal is. Don’t ever pay by check. Credit card companies will often back you up if there is a dispute.
- Price furniture at local stores first. Then if you find a piece you are interested in, write down the model number. Do a web search and see if you can get a better deal online. If shipping is expensive, the web site may have a brick and mortar store that is within a day’s drive. Figure the price of gas compared to the shipping costs. Also, if you try out a couch or bed in a store, you’ll find out how comfortable it is. The worst thing would be to have a piece of furniture arrive that you won’t ever use.
- Check for online coupons. Coupon Craze offers discounts for everything from teak wood chairs, to cribs and mini blinds. Flamingo World offers coupon codes for up to 20 percent off entire dining room sets and home office furnishings.
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The copyright of the article Online Furniture Shopping in Buying Online is owned by L. Marie Dubuque. Permission to republish Online Furniture Shopping must be granted by the author in writing.
