Online shopping has already spread to the purchase offurniture. Especially for you, we learned all the pros and cons of online shopping for furniture and home accessories. Bonus: opinions of furniture industry experts and reviews of online store buyers For some, online shopping is a way to save time and money, for others, it is a risk of buying a “pig in a poke”. Some consider purchasing goods via the Internet an ordinary part of everyday life, others doubt and prefer to see the goods in person. Be that as it may, it is obvious that online shopping is the future. We have collected information for you about all the advantages and risks of purchasing furniture and interior items via the Internet, learned the opinions of designers and experts in the furniture industry, and also asked the most ordinary online buyers to share their experience of such purchase of furniture and home accessories. Maria Levina, founder and CEO of the online store of designer furniture TheFurnish.ru: - So far, the share of e-commerce in furniture sales in our country does not exceed two percent. But this situation is changing rapidly. For example, in 2012, the segment of sales of goods for the home and furniture via the Internet demonstrated the largest growth, at 52%. In addition, TheFurnish’s experience shows that our compatriots are ready to buy designer furniture online, including premium furniture.
The benefits of online shopping for furniture and home decor
Maria Levina, Founder and CEOonline store of designer furniture TheFurnish.ru: - Almost no offline store of designer furniture can offer such a range as online stores. For example, a buyer of TheFurnish has the opportunity to choose from 15,000 products, comparing items by style, price, material, size... The selection options are limitless. In fact, you can furnish an entire apartment, spending only a few hours on choosing furniture.
Risks of buying furniture and interior items online
Despite the fact that online shopping is much easierfaster, more convenient, more profitable, there are still many people who are wary of buying furniture online. Indeed, there are several risks that contribute to this:
Maria Levina, Founder and CEOonline store of designer furniture TheFurnish.ru: - The main risk of buying online is, of course, related to providing your payment details. Therefore, it is always worth paying attention to the payment system used by the online store and giving preference to systems with a high level of trust. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the terms of delivery and return of goods. They should be detailed and clearly formulated. Choose sites where the price and availability of goods are indicated - this will help save time. If you have any doubts about the reliability of the seller, it is always better to call - in large stores that value their reputation, you will always be answered your questions and given all the necessary information.
Opinions of real buyers of online furniture and interior design stores
Often before making a purchase, an online user triesstudy information about the work of the selected store, look for reviews of goods and related services. And here he is immediately faced with two moments that prevent him from making the right conclusions about the quality of products and services:
To get the information you are interested in, it is worthlook for reviews on third-party sites and social networks - where the online store does not have the ability to filter out negativity. The second point is much more difficult to deal with, but objective information can be isolated by paying attention to what kind of problems occurred during the ordering process from other people, as well as deliberately looking for positive reviews about the store. Positive reviews from users of the social network "VKontakte" and the Yandex.Market service about the work of online stores of Russian furniture factories:
Unfortunately, it also happens that the client is notcompletely satisfied (or completely dissatisfied) with the quality of products and related services. This usually happens when furniture and interior items are ordered on not widely known sites. Not the most flattering reviews from users of the social network "VKontakte" about the work of online stores of Russian furniture factories:
We interviewed two buyers who had made one or the other.other purchases for the home in large online stores, and asked to share their experience: Olga Kobyakina, a customer of a dinnerware set: - I ordered a dinnerware set. I don't really like buying online, I prefer to see everything with my own eyes, touch it and then make a decision. But I decided to go with the dinnerware. The photo gallery on the website allowed me to look at the set and make a decision quite quickly. One of the obvious advantages is inexpensive delivery. In addition, I physically would not have been able to carry 8 kg of dinnerware from an offline store.
Olga Demyanova, kitchen buyer:— I hesitated for a long time to make such a complicated purchase online, but the prices in the online store of the furniture factory were more attractive, and I could get advice on the kitchen configuration by phone without standing in line with consultants. Plus, I was given a countertop with my purchase and was awarded bonus points for future purchases, so overall, the savings were good. In the end, I am happy with everything, especially the price and delivery speed — in a regular store, the wait is up to 40 days according to the contract, and in the online store, everything was delivered and installed in a week. One of the downsides is the big difference in the photo on the website and in reality. I saw my kitchen in person, so I ordered it, knowing that it would not look like the picture, but for someone this may be a disappointment.
How to Save Money When Buying Furniture Online
As a rule, buying from an online store isalready a benefit, because due to savings on rent and many other things, the seller has the opportunity to set more attractive prices for the goods than offline stores. But if desired, the buyer can save even more. Some tips on how to do this:
Maria Levina, Founder and CEOonline store of designer furniture TheFurnish.ru: - If we are talking about such a large purchase as designer furniture, then you should not wait for seasonal sales, which, as a rule, include only a limited assortment. For example, we have promotions for new customers and special discounts for regular customers, which allow you to save significantly on your purchase. Even if you do not have a valid promo code, before placing an order, you should look in the "Promotions and Offers" section on the website or check with the manager confirming the order what offers are valid today. In addition, it is always worth registering: special conditions and discounts apply to subscribers. vk.com, cnnturk.com, garcialu.com, kidsarelovely.com, market.yandex.ru
