If you’re planning to buy furniture on the Internet, you may have heard different opinions and suggestions from friends and even from the reviews you’ve read online. Some will encourage you to shop online, while others will remind you to be careful about which online shopping sites in Canada to trust.
The Advantages of Shopping Online
One of the key advantages of buying furniture online is that there’s a great variety of products to choose from. When you shop at a brick and mortar store, your options are limited and you may need to drive to several stores to find the one item you want. With online shopping, this is never a problem. With a few clicks, you can have access to thousands of different furniture designs, colors and styles.
Moreover, you can easily compare various product features including color combinations, sizes and prices. It’ll be easier and quicker for you to figure out which one can give you more value for your money.
Secondly, it’s very convenient. You can shop from home, in your pyjamas at 2 am. Once you’ve found the furniture that you like, just pay for it and your order will be delivered to your doorstep in a matter of days. Some websites even offer free shipping!
On the Internet, you can also take advantage of cheaper prices and bigger discounts. That’s because stores that operate online have lower overhead and will often pass on their savings to the customers.
It’s also worth noting that many online shops have a return policy, which allows you to replace or return a product if you’re not happy with it.
Drawbacks of Shopping Online
Perhaps the biggest problem with buying furniture on the Internet is that you can’t really thoroughly inspect the product until it arrives at your doorstep. You can’t touch the product or inspect the drawers. You can’t get a feel of what it’s like sitting on the couch until after you buy it. This is why it’s very important to read product descriptions before making a decision.
Additionally, some stores charge a delivery fee so if you’re buying from a website whose physical location is hundreds of miles away then you could end up paying a lot of money to have a couch shipped to your home.
Tips for Buying Furniture Online
To ensure your shopping experience is a positive one, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Pick a reputable online store that has a wide range of products and a solid reputation. Read their “About” page to know how long they’ve been in business. Check out customer reviews to find out what other customers have to say about them. And take a look at their product pages to find out if they have a wide range of choices available.
- Always read the store’s return policy. If they don’t offer one, you’re better off looking elsewhere. Buying from a store that does not have a return policy can be risky – if the product is too big for your home or if its color and design doesn’t match your home’s interior, then you’re out of luck.
- Finally, look closely at the product images. Typically, furniture stores offer links to a product’s features and close-up images such as the side angles and fabric. Inspect and scrutinize each image so that you can have an idea of what it’ll look like in your home.
Conrad Armer 
Raymond Bilger 
Clare Louise