Smart tips to buying furniture online
Gone are the days where purchasing furniture needs to be done in-store. Now you can buy your dream lounge suite from the comfort of your own home. Plus, many ecommerce sites tend to offer great sales and promotional discounts when you sign up, so why not surf the internet for the latest deals.
With home decoration and furniture, it’s much harder to make your dream purchase when there are so many variations to consider before hitting the “buy” button and adding in your card details.
Here are a few tips to consider when buying online.
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Make a mission to view it in person
Most online stores have physical stores too, so if you are browsing one, try to visit their store in person to test out the item you’ve been eyeing out. If the online store doesn’t have a physical store, try and keep things as local as possible (just in case you don’t like the item after delivery). Often companies are also willing to send you material swatches to show you how an item will look in real life. Try to make the most of these.
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Size up your space before any commitment
The biggest disappointment with online shopping is that when you receive an item, it’s a lot smaller than what you had anticipated. So, with bigger items, be sure to measure things out and make sure that the dimensions are clear before purchasing. Measure up your space at home to see if you can place that piece of furniture into your current space, and ensure that it’s as big (or small) as you’d hoped it would be.
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Ensure you’re familiar with assembling goods
Especially with appliances, you might need to assemble the pieces in order to put it together. Before you know what you’re getting yourself into, try understanding all the detail that goes along with purchasing a product. Most stores include assembly instructions on their sites, but if not, you may need some assistance. Another tip would also be to find out more about the delivery process: will it be brought and placed in your home? Or just dropped at your front door? Some shops charge a fee to bring it inside.
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Find the deal that is suited to your budget
The point of visiting most online stores is to look for the best deals on a specific product. Something that can fit your budget, but is also good quality. When purchasing online, take a look at all the different sites that offer similar trends to compare prices so that you’re not being ripped off. It may sound time-consuming, but really, the difference will either leave you coming back for more or never returning to the site again. Also, try signing up to a newsletter to keep up with the latest products.
A quick tip when it comes to bargain hunting: as much as the online space has so many thrilling deals to choose from, the catch is that some of them are too good to be true. Don’t enter your details and purchase any item from an industry that rarely operates on large margins (unknown stores are very unlikely to operate under these standards). While seasonal sales are somewhat common, be careful of massive discounts on designer pieces. The internet can sometimes be flooded with luxury knockoffs.
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Research the return policy
Even after doing all your research and making sure that your purchase is done properly, you might need to return something anyway. Online shopping is never a guarantee, but when you do it through a well-known site, it should be an exciting experience. Read the site's policy carefully as some may offer free shipping or delivery, but others tend to charge. Items damaged in transit are usually returned for free.
The one thing about online shopping is that whenever people get stuck, they tend to refrain from using that site completely. They actually just exit and never consider it again, which is silly. Although it is “online”, it doesn’t mean that they can’t assist their customers. The ecommerce world is professional, and if it’s a good site, they will have specialist teams available for help. These product experts deal with all kinds of brands and clients, meaning they are very well-trained when it comes to any questions.
Let them help you and guide you through your process.
Read the reviews carefully
Apart from the return policy, before making any decision, do as much research as possible on customer reviews. (For example, at ehome online store they offer a testimonial section with client comments.) Once you have decided what to buy, read the description carefully. Don’t forget about this important step because, when you’re looking for things online, you can only rely on images and not actual product experiences. These reviews are there to encourage you to trust their site and, while it can be nerve-wracking, with the correct information, you may find that dream piece of furniture on the internet.
