Keep These Tips in Mind for Successful Online Furniture Shopping

How great is online shopping? With thousands of options at your fingertips, great exclusive deals, easy comparisons, and quick and convenient ordering, there are a ton of benefits to buying the things you need virtually.

But what about bigger purchases—like your furniture? You might be wary of making such an important and costly investment without seeing the item in person first. If you’re smart about it though, you can save a lot of time, stress, and even money buying furniture this way. Just be sure to keep these tips in mind for the best online furniture shopping experience and results!

Make a List of Your Furniture Needs Before You Start Browsing

It’s easy to get overwhelmed or caught up in the sheer volume and variety of furniture available online. Writing down the details about the type and style of furniture you need for your space will help you stay focused and navigate your options.

Make a list of measurement specifications, colours/finishes, interior design style, and price budget for the pieces you’re looking to buy. If you’re struggling to visualize what you need, Conway’s room planner can help you determine what will and won’t work in your space!

Make Sure You’re Shopping With a Reputable Company

Unfortunately, there are many people on the Internet who will try to take advantage of online furniture shoppers. They might hike up the price on poor-quality furniture or outright scam you and ghost you after your payment goes through. Prevent yourself from ending up in this situation by researching the companies you’re browsing.

Read online reviews about the company and the individual products themselves to see how others have felt about their experiences with them. Take a good look around a company’s website before you order anything, too. A high-quality website with a wide selection of furniture is a good indication the company is reputable. You should also double-check that the site is secure (the URL should start with “https” instead of “http”). Don’t be afraid to reach out via email or give them a call if you have questions or doubts.

Read Product Descriptions and Reviews

When you’re considering purchasing a piece of furniture online, the best way to get a true feel for the real-life product is to thoroughly read the description and look at some reviews. It can be hard to see things like colour, material, and size in marketing photos alone. Reading a description of these details that accompany the photos can help determine if a piece truly fits your needs.

Product reviews are also helpful, as customers who have ordered and used an item can provide a more realistic description of things like quality, function, and appearance. Sometimes, reviewers include photos of the item in their space that can help you better visualize how it might work in yours.

Check the Return Policy

When you buy something you’ve never seen in person, there’s always a chance it won’t work as well as you imagined. It’s like buying an outfit without trying it on first. Just because it looks good on the mannequin doesn’t mean you’re going to like it on yourself. Also, with furniture that’s being shipped, there’s always the possibility that something will arrive broken or with components missing. You need to make sure you’re covered if that happens.

Before you hit the order button, take a good look at the return policy. Do they accept online returns? Is there a timeframe limit? Will you have to pay return shipping costs? Can you return a piece you’ve customized? These are all important details to note before making a purchase.

Don’t Forget About Shipping and Assembly

Have you ever spent an hour happily filling your online cart, only to abandon it when you see that shipping charge you forgot about? Avoid wasting your time while shopping for furniture online, and remember to factor in the costs of shipping and assembly when deciding if something is in your budget or worth the price.

Depending on the size and weight of the item and the delivery distance, shipping can sometimes run you $100 or more for bigger furniture pieces. Look for deals like free shipping over a certain amount or when you buy a specific number of pieces. Then, consider whether you’ll pay for professional assembly or go the DIY route. If you plan to do it yourself, think about whether you have the tools you need or if you’ll have to buy them.

At Conway Furniture, we’ve made the online furniture shopping experience as easy as possible for our customers. Our high-quality furniture is available for you to order online, priced to include HST, and collections are constantly being updated. If you live in southwestern Ontario, we’ll even deliver and set up your new furniture for free!

Start shopping our selection online or stop by in-store, and feel free to contact our team with any questions.