Online furniture can be expensive, especially when furnishing a whole home at once. Fortunately, there are ways to save.
Plan to maximize your savings. Signing up for email newsletters or following retailers on social media can offer exclusive sale alerts, coupons, and sneak peeks at upcoming promotions. Also, weekday shopping will give you access to less crowded showrooms and better attention from sales associates.
Know What You Want
You should always identify the furniture you want before you head to a store. Whether buying a dining table for entertaining or an accent chair for your living room, knowing what you want can help you narrow your options and make the best choices.
A little planning can save you money and stress in the long run. If you know what you’re looking for, you can shop when dealers are most likely to have sales on your desired pieces. Also, you can score additional discounts if you can plan your shopping around holidays (such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday).
When you find the piece you’re seeking, take note of its details—especially its fabric grade or number (for upholstered furniture) and manufacturer name. Then, you can visit the manufacturer’s website to see if they list online furniture stores in your area that carry their products. This will help you avoid wasting time at stores that don’t have the style you’re seeking or may even sell it for more than you’d like to pay.
It would help if you were also prepared to negotiate prices, particularly during clearance and floor-sample sales. If you can get the store to come down off its original price, you can save hundreds of dollars on a piece you’d otherwise be willing to splurge on.
Know When to Shop
When finding the best deals on online furniture, timing can make all the difference. Savvy shoppers know the best time to find furniture sales is around specific holidays, such as Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and President’s Day. This is because retailers want to clear out their old inventory and make way for the new furniture that will arrive later in the season.
In addition to holiday weekends, January and April are good times to find furniture sales. This is because stores will try to shift last year’s furniture before bringing in the new season’s styles, and they will offer discounts on the old items to do so.
If you’re a fan of shopping at online furniture stores, then sign up for their newsletters and email promotions to stay informed of when they have upcoming sales. Websites like RetailMeNot offer significant discounts for many shoppers. Many stores also offer loyalty programs to help you save even more on purchases.
Another trick to remember is that you can score even better deals on furniture by not looking at the displays in front of the store. Instead, walk to the store’s back to see what pieces are being marked down or discounted. This could save you a ton of money, especially on big-ticket furniture purchases like sofas and beds.
Be Flexible With Your Budget
Buying new furniture is often an investment that requires careful consideration. However, you can avoid impulse buys by prioritizing quality, measuring your space, and test-driving pieces before making a purchase and bringing home pieces that fit your budget and style preferences.
Several retailers offer finance options and payment plans that allow you to pay for furniture over time. This will enable you to get the best deals on high-quality furniture without bearing the brunt of its cost upfront.
Additionally, some retailers offer bundled offers that combine complementary pieces for a discounted price. This is a great way to snag a new sectional or bedroom set on a budget.
Lastly, many stores offer clearance sections that feature last season’s styles for discounted prices. If you are okay with purchasing slightly older furniture, this can be an excellent opportunity to score significant savings without compromising style or quality.
If you’re patient, you can find some fantastic holiday deals. According to experts, the best times to buy a mattress are in September and Black Friday, while the best time to buy outdoor furniture is in October.
Know Your Rights
It’s no secret that buying furniture is costly. The average person might spend over $100 billion annually on furniture and home decor items. But you sometimes get what you pay for.
Whether shopping for a new bed, sofa, or dining table, you’ll often find better prices at independent furniture store sales that aren’t part of large chains. That’s because retailers tend to overprice their products to lure shoppers into their stores with promotions like free shipping or zero percent financing and then tack on extra fees such as restocking and delivery charges.
In addition, if you’re shopping for furniture in person, create clear, descriptive signs to attract passersby’s attention. This will also help you avoid scams. For example, in any advertisement, you should disclose if a piece of furniture is used, antique, floor model, demonstrator, or rebuilt.
If you plan to purchase a piece of online furniture, review the retailer’s return policy and check its complaint history with DCWP. It would be best to consider whether it’s best to have your merchandise delivered in-store or shipped to your door. Each store’s delivery and pickup services are unique, so contact the retailer to learn what your options are in your area.
