At a Glance:
Considerations for Buying Furniture
Pros and Cons of Buying Furniture In-Store
Pros and Cons of Buying Furniture Online
Furnishing your home with comfortable, unique pieces is one of the best ways to create a welcoming environment that anyone would feel comfortable in, but getting to the point of picking furniture can be overwhelming simply because there are so many options and choices on the market. On top of that, there are hundreds of stores and online retailers that sell furniture, and it can be confusing to know where to buy furniture, whether in-store or online. Today we will take a deep dive into the world of buying furniture, things to consider before choosing in-store or online retailers, the pros and cons of both avenues, and different ways to save money on these vital purchases for your home.
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See FurnitureConsiderations for Buying Furniture
If you are looking at buying new furniture, you have two different options for purchasing. You can choose to find a local furniture retailer and purchase your furniture in-store or look online and find furniture retailers that way.
Let’s take a look at some of the considerations you should keep in mind before deciding on how to buy furniture.
Comfortability
The way you choose to shop for furniture should depend on the nature of your needs. If you are shopping for something that needs to be comfortable, say a sofa or mattress, then finding a trusted brick-and-mortar furniture store is the best way to ensure you are happy with your purchase.
Assembly
You also need to consider different aspects of buying online or in-store, such as the product assembly and the clarity of what you are receiving. When buying online, most of the time you will need to assemble the pieces yourself once they arrive, and you also may not know 100% what kind of product you are receiving simply due to digital renderings from the manufacturer. Buying furniture in-store, most of the time, means that you will receive the product already assembled, and exactly how you saw it at the store.
→ Learn more: How to Furnish an Awkward Living Room Layout with Fireplace
Returns
Unfortunately, things happen and once you get a piece of furniture home, you realize it doesn’t fit your style or may not fit the space you had prepared for it. When looking at how to buy furniture, you need to consider the potential risk of needing to return the furniture if changes occur. Returning furniture, especially large furniture like tables or couches, that is bought in-store is much easier and hassle-free than returning furniture bought online.
Quality
When asking yourself, "How to buy furniture?" Consider the quality of the item you are hoping to receive, as well as the amount of money you are planning on spending. The quality of your furniture could be vastly different when buying in-store vs. buying online. When buying online you pose the risk of receiving something less than the quality you wish to receive, while buying in-store, you know what you are going to get when you pick it out. Having quality furniture saves you money and hassle down the road from having to replace and repair your favorite pieces, so be sure that when you invest in furniture, it’s of the quality that fits your desires.
Budget
The last thing you should consider is the budget which you have set for furniture shopping. Buying online can often bring steals and deals that you may not find in-store, but you also have to consider the cost of shipping and possible return shipping. Generally, you don’t receive warranties on online furniture either, so if anything goes wrong with the piece after purchase, you’re on your own.
→ Learn more: How Much Does it Cost to Furnish a House?
Pros and Cons of Buying Furniture In-Store
Many people wonder “Is it better to buy furniture online rather than in-store?”, and while online shopping can be a major convenience, you lose out on several perks and benefits that you would get at shopping brick-and-mortar furniture stores like BlvdHome.
Pros:
✓ See, Touch, Feel: When you are looking for an answer to “Why buy furniture in store”, let this be one of the biggest perks you get compared to buying online. When you visit a furniture store, you get a firsthand look at the furniture itself, seeing the quality of the material and construction, as well as the true fabric color. This also helps you with measurements to ensure the piece will fit perfectly into your desired space.
✓ Assistance: Another benefit of purchasing furniture in-store, is the personalized assistance you get from the staff. This is a great opportunity for you as a customer to ask any questions or seek advice on which piece of furniture might be right for you. You can also ask your sales associate if there is available customization for the piece, as well as suggestions for complimentary items.
✓ Get the Items That Day: Generally, when you buy a piece of furniture in-store, you get the furniture that same day. If you are someone who doesn’t like to wait for long shipping times or needs furniture immediately, then this benefit is worth taking into consideration.
✓ Returns: We briefly covered this in the section above, but one of the biggest benefits of purchasing in-store is the ease of returns. If you get the furniture home and don’t like it, or encounter any issues with the piece, you can simply bring it back to the store and discuss with the staff how to return the items.
Cons:
✗ Limited Selection: Unfortunately, furniture stores can only be so big, therefore, they only carry so many models. You may be limited to the amount of pieces you can shop at one time.
✗ Risk of Higher Prices: If you choose to shop for furniture in-store, you might pose the risk of paying more than you would shopping online. Furniture stores typically do not run discounts that online stores do.
Pros and Cons of Buying Furniture Online
Buying furniture online has become an increasingly popular and convenient option for many homeowners. While there are some benefits to buying online, as with any good thing, there are some equal cons as well.
Pros:
✓ Large Selection: One of the biggest reasons people gravitate towards buying furniture online is the large variety of furniture you can choose from. Online stores can feature hundreds of pieces on their websites, giving users an unlimited selection.
✓ Price: With online stores, you will find a lot of discounts and deals that you won’t find in-store. This allows you to shop many different sites finding the best deal you can to get the most bang for your buck. However, you do lose out on store promotions and rebates when shopping online.
Cons:
✗ Questionable Quality: When you buy online rather than in-store, you’re posing the risk of receiving an item that is less than ideal quality. You may experience pieces that are not the type of material or quality you were expecting when you purchased them.
✗ Shipping Costs: Another downside to buying furniture online is the shipping cost. Depending on the size and weight of the item you are buying, the shipping cost can cut into your furniture budget tremendously.
✗ Difficult Returns: When you buy furniture in-store, the return process is pretty cut and dry, but when you buy furniture online, the return process can be a tumultuous experience. First, you have to deal with contacting the retailer's customer service, printing a return label, packing your return item, and then lugging it to the post office, though you might be able to schedule a pick-up with some mail carriers. Imagine having to repack and ship back an unwanted sofa!
✗ Assembly Required: Most of the time, depending on the item, you have to assemble furniture yourself that is purchased online. This may not be a large con to some, but to others, the convenience of online shopping goes out the window when they consider the time and effort it will take to assemble the furniture once it arrives.
✗ Comfort: When you shop for furniture online, you never quite know what the comfort level of that item is.
✗ Warranties: When you shop online, you lose the added protection of a warranty that you get when you shop in-store for furniture. Warranties can save you time and money if something goes wrong with your furniture months after you purchase.
How to Find Furniture Sales
If you’re like anyone, you want a good deal anytime you can get it. Whether that be grocery shopping, furniture shopping, house hunting, or even car shopping. If you’re wondering “Where to buy cheap furniture”, then consider local furniture stores like BlvdHome that have many different avenues of savings for their customers.
Sales
Check out your local furniture stores for their current ads. Furniture stores like BlvdHome, often run special for different times of the year, like long weekends or holidays. This is a great time to snag some key pieces for your home at a discounted price.
Clearance
BlvdHome offers many different clearance selections, on everything from sofas, recliners, and sectionals, to dressers, headboards, and dining chairs. When you see the clearance section at a furniture store, consider shopping in this area to grab some great deals on your furniture.
→ Learn more: What is Clearance Furniture?
Financing
Another way to save is by opting for special financing through BlvdHome. Customers can purchase your furniture with no money down, and no interest for extended periods based on purchase price, as well as utilizing their No-Credit-Check Financing, and Everyday Mattress Financing. Choosing this route unlocks savings potentials for cash back on your purchases, exclusive offers and services, special events, and much more.
Rebates and Promotions
Browsing furniture stores' rebates and promotions are another way to save big on furniture shopping. With stores like BlvdHome, you can save large amounts of money on top-name brands through their various promotions and rebates.
→ Learn more: Top Furniture Picks from La-Z-Boy
FAQs
What is the best way to buy furniture?
The best way to shop for furniture is in-store. You get to physically inspect the piece, see its quality, compare materials and fabrics, as well as get advice from sales associates.
What to keep in mind when buying furniture?
- You need to know your style to help you pick pieces you’ll be happy with.
- Consider how you will use your furniture, taking into consideration any family pets, frequent guests, and more.
- Take into consideration how long you plan to keep your purchase. Is this a temporary solution, or a permanent piece in your home?
- Know what fabric or material would work best with your household.
- Establish a budget for your furniture shopping.
How to buy used furniture?
Here are some tips for buying secondhand furniture:
- Never buy old or used mattresses.
- Purchase your items from a trusted source.
- Never pay for the item until you see it in person.
- Try negotiating the price.
- Check that the description matches the quality of the furniture.
Why Trust BlvdHome?
The roots of this family business began as early as the pioneer settlement of Southern Utah. One descendant of those 1861 pioneers was Lester Wittwer. In 1928, he started a trucking business with other family members, delivering homegrown fruits and vegetables to many outlying areas. The story of BlvdHome began in 1974, when Lester’s son Tony decided to venture off into the furniture world - with two full-time employees and a small showroom of only 8,000 square feet. Today, BlvdHome has 5 retail locations with over 160,000 sq. ft. of showroom space, located in St. George, Utah, Hurricane, Utah, Cedar City, Utah, Mesquite, Nevada, and a new Las Vegas location. With over 230 amazing team members, BlvdHome continues to deliver on a commitment to customer service that started over 90 years ago.
Shop Furniture at BlvdHome
At BlvdHome, we provide quality name-brand appliances, furniture, and mattresses for great prices. Shop furniture online or visit us today at one of our locations in Utah or Nevada. In the meantime, browse our website to shop BlvdHome Bargain Barn and check out our flooring selections to increase your home value. More available than ever, our experts at BlvdHome are always happy to help you find furniture, whether you call us or use our online chat feature. Contact us today!
→ Learn more: BlvdHome Reviews: Utah Home and Appliance Shopping