Can You Really Buy Furniture Online?

by Nick, Digital Specialist | March 21, 2020

These days more than ever, you can buy almost anything online. This includes furniture and accents, but is it really that easy? Check out our guide to see if online furniture shopping is right for you.

The amount of items that are available for purchase on the internet is staggering, and is growing each day. Think about all the items in your living room- how many of them could you have purchased online? We’ve come a really long way from the days when Amazon used to sell books online. This is affecting every single retail industry in the world, and furniture is no exception. You’ve probably already thought of a few different websites where you can buy furniture online.

It’s pretty easy to buy a lot of things off a website- books, clothing, even groceries are easy to purchase and get delivered to your front door. But does it make sense to buy new furniture for your home off a website? There may be certain cases where buying online makes a lot of sense, but there are some questions you should be asking yourself first.

Do I Need to See It?
This is the most common objection we get to buying online- it’s close to impossible to know what a piece really looks like or feels like without seeing it in person, so how do I know what I’m getting? There are some ways to handle this if you’re looking to minimize the in-store experience. If you see something online that interests you, you could always call a local store to see if they have it on display, then stop in just to look at it. Even if they don’t, there’s a good chance that they may have something similar that you can try. Also, the store can sometimes order you a sample of the fabric or finish of a piece you’re interested in. This will give you a great idea of the color if you’re trying to coordinate with other pieces.

How Do I Know I’m Not Getting Shafted?
You’ve probably heard some kind of horror story about someone getting something different than what they ordered off a website, or being charged something different than what was advertised. This all comes down to trust. Online reviews offer some great insight into how dependable and trustworthy a retailer might be. Don’t just look for a high rating; look for a high quantity of reviews as well, as this may indicate a longer track record of success. Stores that have a brick-and-mortar location may be better equipped to handle issues with service.

What’s the Story with Shipping, Delivery, and Returns?
These tend to go hand-in-hand; make sure you clearly understand the policies with all three. Reputable companies will have their shipping charges clearly identified, while others may disguise their shipping charges by raising the cost of the furniture. The anticipated time it will take for your furniture to arrive should be identified as well. The same goes for returns; different policies can vary wildly, so make sure you understand what happens if you need to return an item. How long do you have to return the piece? Will they come pick it up? Do you need to ship it back? And if so, who pays for the shipping? Will they even accept returns, or will they only take items back if they’re damaged? Finally, make sure what the delivery entails. "White glove” delivery usually means that the delivery team will bring the piece into your house, but it may or may not include setup and the removal of the packaging materials. Some deliveries, however, might be called “curbside” or “front-door,” meaning that they won’t bring it inside for you, and you’ll likely have to do the setup yourself. Depending on where their warehouse is, you might even have the option to pick up the piece yourself.

In short, online furniture shopping isn’t for everyone. If you’re the kind of person who needs to see and feel a piece of furniture before purchasing, then the in-store shopping experience might be for you. But if you prefer the convenience of shopping wherever or whenever it’s convenient for you, take a look at the myriad of options that are available.