Online Furniture Stores vs Offline Furniture Stores
In today’s world, it is just as easy to buy furniture online as it is to buy it in a store. Which is best? The answer depends on your budget, goals, location, lifestyle, and more. Below are some of the pros and cons of both types of furniture shopping and some general considerations to help guide your furniture purchasing journey.
Pros and Cons of Buying from Online Furniture Stores
Pros
- Wide Variety of Options. Online furniture stores do not need to display all of their product in a physical location, so they can show a broader range of products to their customers. If you want an unusual or unique piece, you are more likely to find it online than offline.
- Price and Ease of Comparison. Items you buy online are often cheaper than equivalent items you might find in stores. It is also easy to compare the price of similar items to be sure you are getting a good deal.
- Greater Convenience. Shopping online allows you to eliminate many of the most stressful aspects of shopping, including travelling to the location and dealing with large crowds. You can browse fine furniture listings anytime you like from the comfort of your home and control every aspect of your shopping experience.
Cons
- Uncertain Quality. Any high-end furniture that is purchased online is something of a gamble unless you shop at a known and reputable store. While pictures can help you get a better look at the item, it is difficult to be sure if the piece you will receive is as high-quality as you expect it to be.
- Potential for Low Purchase Security. While online transaction portals have gotten much more secure in recent years, there is still a chance that any online payment could lead to a hacked bank account or stolen credit card number. Many people are not comfortable taking this risk and choose to shop online as little as possible.
- Delayed Ability to Enjoy the Product. Furniture that is bought online can rarely be placed in your home right away. It often needs to be shipped from warehouses and may take weeks to arrive at your door.
Pros and Cons of Buying from Offline Furniture Stores
Pros
- No Waiting for Shipping. Buying from an offline store is immediate. You can take the piece home with you right away, and if you need delivery services to help you move the item to your home, they will typically get your purchase to you within just a few business days.
- Ability to Inspect the Product Before Purchasing. When you purchase a piece of furniture from a brick-and-mortar location, you will have access to that piece. You can examine, touch, and even try it out in the store to see if it meets your needs. The store’s staff will also be on hand to answer your questions and recommend similar products that might be even closer to your vision.
- Simpler Returns. It is much easier to return a piece of furniture that you bought in person instead of online. You may need to cover the cost of return shipping and arrange that shipment yourself. Someone who purchased furniture offline can simply bring the item back to the store.
Cons
- Costs More Time and Money. Buying offline requires a drive to at least one furniture store, costing you time and fuel to get there. Additionally, you may need to rent a larger vehicle to be able to fit your items, adding to the overall cost.
- Limited Browsing. Most furniture stores only stock a limited set of pieces at one time. They are also only open at specific times of day, making it impossible for you to browse their selection if you cannot get to their location during regular business hours.
- More Difficult to Access. While you can browse an online store any time, you are limited by the location and hours of a brick-and-mortar shop. What is available to you is limited to how far you are willing to travel and the shop’s hours.
What to Know Before You Buy
Whether you decide to buy in person or online, there are a few things you should always keep in mind when shopping for fine furniture in Toronto.
Figure Out What You Can Spend. Your budget is the most important factor in any furniture shopping endeavour. You can break up your budget per room or per item, depending on what makes sense for you. Keep in mind that budgeting per room gives you more flexibility to splurge on truly must-have pieces if you are willing to make sacrifices elsewhere.
Prioritize Which Items You Will Buy. Think about which pieces of furniture are most important to you and purchase those first. This allows you to space out your purchases without sacrificing the ability to get the items you really want.
Time Your Purchase Well. Indoor furniture often goes on sale around the end of winter and the early weeks of summer. Outdoor furniture sales are more likely to fall on holidays like Canada Day or Labour Day.
Visit Our Fine Furniture Store Online or Offline
Whether you decide to shop for your furniture online or in person, Carrocel can help you find what you are looking for. Browse our massive collection of premium fine furniture on our online store or visit the showroom in Toronto to get a closer look. Our expert staff will be happy to assist you in any way we can. Contact us today for more information or to commission a piece of custom furniture from our team of experienced artisans.
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