Buying gadgets and gizmos online has become the new normal, and groceries are a no-brainer. On the other hand, furnishing is a big deal, since we’d be willing to spend a good amount of money on a good sofa. They say that virtual shopping for it can be frightening, almost like a blind date: you’re able to see it, but not to touch it.
If you are used to going to the store and seeing everything before you buy it, maybe it’s time to leave the comfort zone and try to go with the flow. Today we’ll be guiding you through the whole online furniture shopping procedure and sharing some handy tips and tricks on what you should consider in such cases. You better take notes!
1. Place
You must know where you’d be shopping your commodes, sofas, and coffee tables from. Ideally, it would be great if you’ve visited the store before browsing their online shop, in case they have a physical store too. That way you would ensure you’re familiar with the quality of the living room pieces they are selling, which is a huge thing. Trust us, a lot of the stores can make the pieces look glorious and well-designed on the photos when in reality that simply couldn’t be further to the case. If you haven’t had the time to pay them a visit, do your research: ask your friends, see reviews on their website, or check out good old Facebook posts where people would gladly share their opinion on the shop itself.
2. Measure, measure, measure
You would have to measure the entire room to know what you’d search for and what would be the best option for you. Make sure you check the floorings, walls, and see the position of the windows.
You don’t want your dream sofa to arrive at your place only for you to find out that it can’t really fit in. Return procedures may be super daunting and you may end up on the verge of a nervous breakdown in the meantime.
Try imagining the entire space with all pieces together, and go on a hunt based on that. If you aren’t much of a visualist, simply make a list – that’ll do the work.
If your space is oddly-shaped, you may want to consider getting a custom furniture from professionals such as https://desace.com/bespoke-
3. Budget
One of the key things here would be determining a budget and seeing what you’re working with. You should always be comfortable while buying things, but should always take an encounter with any additional bills, such as shipping, assembly charges, or even taxes.
4. Compare prices
While searching for the perfect furniture pieces, our most important advice is not to rush.
It’s quite rare to find a one-of-a-kind item. Even if that’s the case, we can assure you that in most cases it’s handmade and that the price is pretty up there.
Of course, we are all in for a good handmade piece – you should encourage yourself to buy a unique piece that would make your environment even more magical. However, when it comes to the ”ordinary” stuff, we are 100% sure every other website offers something similar. With that being said, do a little comparison before you decide to buy something. Check out the tax charges, shipping costs – a little bit of careful internet search will save you a good amount of cash.
Also, pay attention to sales. Think wisely and, if possible, wait for the holiday season. During that time of the year a lot of retailers make countless amazing offers, hoping customers would splurge on what they have to offer. Finally, if you’ve set your eye on something you want so badly, then we encourage you to go for it!
5. Find your style
This is the fun part of an entire process. You’re searching for something that would make your living space more comfortable, personal and home-like. If you haven’t envisioned what your living room should look like, or are having difficulties doing that, we always suggest checking out pictures and items on various outlet store websites. nyfurnitureoutlets.com offers a wide range of countless extraordinary pieces in all the colors you can imagine – super helpful if you’re struggling with finding the perfect match that would go well with your walls, curtains or ceilings.
6. Finishings
Once you’ve found your style, you should get down to finishings. You’d have to determine what is that you like and what is that you don’t. Would you love a leather center-piece, or velvety sofa, if rich wood would add that magical touch to the room or not… Many questions, but it’s totally necessary and quite worth it.
7. Narrow your search down
With tons of options on the market, choosing the right website can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, since a good old list would be of great help here as well. You should get informed as much as possible, so do your homework and know your parameters – that way you save some time while hunting through pages and pages.
8. Find a specialist
Once the research is done, and you settled for the website you like, feel free to find a specialist. Sites should have teams of specialists who know the brand pretty well. Do not hesitate to ask them as many questions as possible. From sizes, finishes, materials, anything you can imagine – that’s why they are there for. It’s quite recommendable to go with this option, as that would save you plenty of time as well.
9. Samples
This is a huge step that you shouldn’t miss. No matter how good the website, resolution, brightness, and contrast are, nothing displays the color better than having a sample in your own hands. That way you’ll experience that part of the live purchase – by ordering one.
This is another reason why you’ll need a specialist, as you’ll be able to make an agreement with them of sending a piece to you. You’ll be able to test it in your environment, to see how it fits, and trust us, color is relative. Not only you’d be able to see the nuances, but you’d be able to touch the fabrics and check whether the feel of the material is up to your standards as well.
10. Check the return policy
Finally, as we said before – the return policy can be a really burdensome thing to think about, but sometimes it’s quite necessary. Wherever you choose to purchase from, every website should have this aspect made loud and clear. You should always avoid those who have a very complicated return procedure, charge a restocking fee, or don’t even allow returns.
Always search for those who offer flexible return policies – plenty of stores give 30 days, but some offer 60 days, or in some cases, even a year. The best option would be the one that offers free return shipping or to return products to their warehouse. Don’t be surprised if the store asks that you cover the cost of the return shipping, but you should know that it could be quite costly if you’re returning heavy and large pieces.
We hope these ten points have shown you how fun, yet responsible online shopping can be. There are a lot of things you should be looking into before being ready to splurge on a good furniture piece. This entire process can be nerve-wracking for sure, but with a little bit of patience, diligently doing your homework and search, you could find a piece that will steal your heart for a lifetime!