No one can argue with the fact that internet shopping has made our lives easier. What used to be a long trek through a variety of stores is now a few simple mouse clicks. There’s no need to battle crowds, give yourself blisters from walking or worry about keeping your receipt in case you need a refund.
With this innovation that has quite literally changed the way we shop, there are the inevitable downfalls. This is especially true when buying furniture online. Pictures can be deceptive, and it can feel like a huge shot in the dark to purchase something without actually seeing it. Luckily, there’s a few things you can do to avoid disappointment.
- Always check the shipping date.
Items such as sofas tend to not be kept in stock. They are made fresh with every order, thus there is usually a long wait time. You may see attractive “delivery available from” dates of only a few days, but the small print may contradict this. It is especially important to be careful of this if you are going to be removing existing furniture to ensure you have space for the new item.
- Check and double-check the specifications.
You may think you know the dimensions of a product and can estimate reliably how it will fit into its intended room. However, we’re all fallible, so it pays to make sure. Then double check it. It can even help to use something like gardening canes to measure out the intended space. This reduces the chances of unexpected size issues further down the road.
It’s always worth checking all of the specs to make sure you’re getting a good deal. People may think that price guarantees quality, but the facts may not bear that out.
- Be aware of your monitor settings.
If you are very strict about colour schemes, you may be setting yourself up for a disappointment. There can be some variance between what a product looks like on two different devices. You may end up with something that looks different from your expectations. Many furniture vendors will send a colour swatch if you request it. Do so if this is particularly important to you.
- Check reviews.
Before using an online store you are not familiar with, do a search for their name and look at the reviews they have garnered in the past. If they are not a legitimate company or provide poor-quality items, their feedback will reflect this. You can make sure you don’t make the same mistakes by learning from the difficulties of others.
Furniture is an important purchase. You and your family are going to spend large portions of your lives using this. So make sure you’re happy with what you’re getting right from the start!