Browse Forums Interior Decorating Lounge 1 Aug 02, 2010 2:20 am Hi everyone, This is my first post, so be gentle please. I was wondering what everyone thinks about buying furniture online? I know we all have the internet and like to think of ourselves as technology-savvy, but so many of my friends are mortified at the idea of buying furniture online - some of them just can't get past the idea that you can't see what you're buying in the flesh, and others are still wary of internet shopping in general. But apart from these two (BIG!) hurdles, what else is holding you back? Personally, I love it because you don't have to spend all weekend trudging around stores and dealing with pushy salespeople, and the prices are usually a lot better than stores in the 'real world'. There also tends to be more range. But then again, the idea of buying something that you only see the first time when it shows up on your doorstep is a little scary. If you do buy furniture online, what are some good stores? I've only been looking at furniture online for a little while (about to move into a brand new home that is in desperate need of some beautiful furniture!), so I'm not familiar with all the popular sites. That's all from me! Let me know if I've managed to do anything wrong with my first post, and I look forward to hearing from you all! Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 2Aug 02, 2010 8:08 am Hi! We have bought a few things online without seeing them and mostly they have been fine. We use ebay a lot which I find a lot cheaper although my mum did buy a couch from a wholesaler which was ok but now a year down the track is pretty worn out so quality wasnt there. I also find that I will look online and research what I want so I can go to the shops see if they match and just buy them. RHI - BALDIVIS PERTH 2005 Bought/Finished WA Housing Centre Home 2010 Building the Benchmark with REDINK Homes in The Avalon 2013 Building the Michigan with Cont3nt Living In Highbury Estate! Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 3Aug 02, 2010 8:22 am I'd be a little wary of paying a lot of money for furniture online. I've bought stuff from online auctions before that has looked nothing like the photo when I've picked it up. Also things can look really big and end up being quite small and vice versa. With sofas and chairs, isn't the most important thing for them to be comfortable? You can't tell that by looking at a photo. Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 4Aug 02, 2010 8:54 am Well, I guess you can get the measurements to check the size - but I still wouldnt be buying furniture on-line, I think some things you have to see the real thing first - yes, do your research on line and then go to shop knowing what you want but thats as far as I'd go. Same reason I dont buy clothes or shoes online or from catalogues - you cant tell for sure until you see/try them. The only things I buy online are books and DH buys electronic parts and gizmos Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 5Aug 02, 2010 5:31 pm Those are all good points, especially the bit about comfort - although I have seen some online stores that let you choose how soft or firm you want your couch or sofa to be, which I haven't really been offered in most real stores. I'm also a little worried that most of the online retailers get their stuff from factories in China. I think quality-wise they should be ok, but I'm not sure what kind of labour they're using in those factories. Are there any online furniture stores that people have used before, and what your experiences with them were like? I've had a look at KingFurniture.com.au and some other similar ones but nothing really caught my eye. Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 6Aug 02, 2010 6:52 pm I've purchased about $10k worth of furniture in the last 12 months (for my home), all of which was sourced online - sight unseen. So far I would have to say the quality has been better than what I've seen in many stores. My dining table for example is 2m x 1m slab of marble atop a stainless steel frame, I saw something very similar in Domayne but it was $500 more expensive, slightly smaller, and I didn't think the finish was that great. When it comes to buying online, I've only purchased furniture from online retails, all of which has been brand new (nothing from eBay or other auction sites). It's always good to check the stores returns policy, shipping rates, and do a google search for feedback from previous customers before making what is often a BIG purchase. Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 7Aug 02, 2010 8:27 pm @IkonInteriors I too was only considering from online retailers rather than second-hand sites like EBay. Glad to hear that the quality is good online - which online stores did you purchase from (if you can remember)? Thanks Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 8Aug 02, 2010 8:42 pm I've done the rounds Rug - http://www.cowhiderugs.com.au Dining Chairs - http://www.milandirect.com.au Dining Table, TV Bench - http://completepad.com.au/ Chest of Draws - http://completepad.com.au/ (I actually saw them online here, but bought direct from the wholesaler) Coffee table, picture frames - https://www.mattblatt.com.au/ Lounge - http://www.glicksfurniture.com.au/ (not a proper online retailer - but you can order over the phone) Linen - https://www.vavoom.com.au/ Bathroom vanity - http://www.homedesignplus.com.au/ There a few that I can think of Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 9Aug 03, 2010 3:42 pm Here are some tips for buying furniture online: 1. Buy from a reputable furniture store that has been around "in the brick and mortar" world for some time. 2. Phone the store and talk to the staff 3. Make the best use of the online facilities and research the furniture product catalogs in your own time and ensure the dimensions fit you room. 4. Make sure shipping is insured by the merchant and that your furniture is delivered to your door. Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 10Aug 03, 2010 5:11 pm Thanks for the list of sites IkonInteriors, I'll check them out. @Spa Matz - I thought one of the advantages of buying online was to avoid the bricks and mortar retailers as they have huge overheads that they pass on to you? Re: Buying furniture online - my first post! 12Aug 04, 2010 5:41 pm xquisite IkonInteriors I've done the rounds Thankfully for the rest of us. I just spent 20 minutes on that vavoom site! (uh-oh....) It's great isn't it!! Yeah I don't know why I came to a forum. Place is full of wierdos/pedos thought internet may help but I suppose I'll try my luck with someone in person. Cheers. 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