Selective guide

How to profitably buy furniture and interior items on the Internet: 25 tips and 25 real customer reviews

1

Online shopping has already spread to purchasefurniture. Especially for you, we learned all the pros and cons of online buying furniture and home accessories. Bonus: the opinions of experts in the furniture industry and customer reviews of online stores For some, online shopping is a way to save time and money, for others - the risk of buying a "pig in a poke". Some consider the purchase of goods via the Internet a common part of everyday life, while others hesitate and prefer to see the goods live. Be that as it may, it is clear that online shopping is the future. We have collected information for you about all the advantages and risks of buying furniture and interior items through the Internet, learned the opinion of designers and experts in the furniture industry, and also asked the most ordinary online buyers to share their experience of such purchasing furniture and gizmos for the home. 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 household goods and furniture via the Internet showed the largest growth, at 52%. In addition, TheFurnish experience shows that our compatriots are ready to buy designer furniture online, including the premium segment.

Pros of online purchase of furniture and interior items

  • Saves time. "Walking" online on several online stores - it's much faster than moving, say, from one shopping center to another.
  • Saving forces. View the assortment on the site, filtering it by the necessary parameters, you can not stress at all. In order to review all the goods presented in furniture hypermarkets, it can take more than one day.
  • Different forms of payment. Almost all sites that offer furniture and furnishings to customers accept payment in different versions: cash, bank card, electronic money and payment systems.
  • Absence of crush and queues. In an online store, you can actually feel like a VIP client.
  • Shopping at a convenient time. Online stores are open 24/7, you do not have to wait for the opening or be afraid of closing.
  • The opportunity to buy pieces of gizmos. Many young designers, furniture masters, needlewomen can not open a real store or get into large retail chains, but they can do an online showcase.
  • Purchase of furniture not sold in Russia. Many online stores offer products of foreign brands not represented in offline stores of our country. Some of these stores do not have warehouses and work on prepayment, performing, in essence, the services of the intermediary: furniture or accessories for which an order is received, purchased from the manufacturer and delivered to the customer. The scheme is quite simple and beneficial to all its participants.
  • Maria Levina, founder and CEO of an online storedesigner furniture TheFurnish.ru: - Almost no offline store of designer furniture will be able to offer such an assortment as online stores. For example, TheFurnish customer has the opportunity to choose from 15,000 products, comparing positions by style, price, material, size ... The possibilities for selection are endless. In fact, you can furnish an entire apartment in just a few hours on the selection of furniture.

    Risks in the purchase of furniture and interior items on the Internet

    Despite the fact that online shopping is muchfaster, more convenient, more profitable, there are still many people who are wary of purchasing furniture via the Internet. Indeed, there are several risks that contribute to this:

  • The risk of being deceived. When buying a well-known, proven, reliable online store, this danger is excluded. If the purchase is made on a little-known site, it is better to stop paying on receipt of the order and carefully check it.
  • Risk of receiving substandard related services. Internet shops with a small turnover often do not keep collectors, movers, and do not have trucks for transportation, outsourcing these services to inexpensive companies or even private individuals. However, in the event of the buyer's claims, the liability is very blurred. It is worth noting that there are no such problems with large online stores of furniture and interior items: they either provide all related services on their own or cooperate with solid and high-quality companies - providers of related services.
  • The risk that colors andinvoices. Unfortunately, not all online shops post on the site professional photos in good resolution. However, for those who respect their customers, the presence of several high-quality photo furniture from different angles is a must.
  • The risk is not to guess with the size. Typically, in each furniture online store the dimensions of the goods are indicated, but there is always a chance that the user interprets them in their own way: for example, kitchen sets differ in the depth of the countertop and the depth of the shelves along the outer and inner walls, and if the parameter "depth ", A misunderstanding is inevitable.
  • Risk of complexity of choice. In offline stores, in case of difficulties, you can consult a consultant, and many buyers can not always decide without their advice. In serious furniture online shops also there is an opportunity to receive the necessary consultation - by phone or from an online assistant on the site. Some stores also offer a call-back service at a customer-friendly time.
  • The risk that furniture or accessories do not fit into theexisting situation. It is much easier for many to imagine, say, a new sofa in your interior, when it is in front of your eyes, and not in a photo from the screen. Internet shops are aware of this problem, and in order to minimize this risk for the buyer, in addition to the perspectives of the product on its page often place several photos in different interiors.
  • Risk of problems with return. A huge number of small online stores deliberately do not post information on exchanges and returns (or formulate conditions very blurry). Meanwhile, given the peculiarities of Russian legislation, the return of furniture of proper quality to such stores will most often be complicated. The same sites that take care of the comfort and peace of the client, usually without any problems change or take back the bought furniture and accessories, even if they just did not fit or dislike.
  • Maria Levina, founder and CEO of an online storedesigner furniture TheFurnish.ru: - The main risk of buying over the Internet is, of course, connected with the provision of your payment data. Therefore, you should always pay attention to the payment system used by the online store and give 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, clearly articulated. Choose sites that show the price and availability of the goods - 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, they will always answer your questions and give you all the necessary information.

    Opinions of real buyers of online furniture stores and interior items

    Often before buying an online user triesto study information about the work of the selected store, looking for reviews about products and related services. And here it is at once confronted with two things that prevent us from making correct conclusions about the quality of products and services:

  • Some online stores create a department for reviews on their own website, where they deliberately do not publish negative feedback about their work.
  • As a rule, satisfied customers leave feedbacks rarely, more often emotions are posted on the Web just about problem orders and conflicting moments.
  • To get the information of interest, you shouldlook for reviews on third-party sites and in social networks - where the online store does not have the ability to filter the negative. The second point is much more difficult to cope with, but objective information can be isolated by paying attention to what kind of problems occurred in the process of ordering from other people, as well as deliberately looking for positive reviews about the store. Positive feedback from users of the social network VKontakte and the Yandex.Market service about the work of online stores of Russian furniture factories: Alas, it also happens that the client is notcompletely satisfied (or not at all satisfied) with the quality of products and related services. This usually happens when furniture and interior items are ordered from not widely known sites. Not the most flattering reviews from users of the VKontakte social network about the work of online stores of Russian furniture factories: We interviewed two buyers who made certainother purchases for the house in large online stores, and asked to share their experience: Olga Kobyakina, customer of the service: - I ordered a set of tableware. I don't really like to buy online, I prefer to see everything with my own eyes, touch and then make a decision. But I decided with the dishes. The photo gallery on the site allowed us to consider the set and make a decision quite quickly. Of the obvious advantages is inexpensive delivery. In addition, I physically would not be able to bring 8 kg of dishes from an offline store. Olga Demyanova, a customer of the kitchen: - I did not dare to make such a complicated online purchase for a long time, but the prices in the online store of the furniture factory were more attractive, and consultations on the configuration of the kitchen could be obtained by phone without waiting for the consultants. Plus, I was given a buy-in for the countertop and credited bonus points for further purchases, so overall the savings turned out good. In the end, everyone is happy, especially the price and speed of delivery - in an ordinary store waiting is up to 40 days under the contract, and in the online store, I was brought back in a week and installed. Of the minuses - a strong difference in the photo on the site and in reality. I saw my kitchen live, so I ordered, knowing that it would not look like a picture, but for some it could be a disappointment.

    How to save money by buying furniture online

    As a rule, buying from an online store isalready a benefit, because due to savings on rent and many other points, 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. Here are some tips on how to do this:

  • Watch for promotions and sales.
  • Subscribe to the pages of the store in social networks (there are often held specials, competitions and jokes).
  • Do not refuse to receive mailings by e-mail andsms: many shops after the first order send promotional codes with a discount for subsequent purchase, and some sales start for loyal customers a few days earlier.
  • Participate in various bonus programs: many online stores charge points for purchases, which can be used later when paying for goods.
  • Specify the date of birth in the profile on the site. Some online stores give discounts and gifts to customers on their birthday.
  • Maria Levina, founder and CEO of the online storedesigner 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 can significantly save on purchases. Even if you do not have a valid promo code, it is worthwhile before placing an order to look at the section "Promotions and offers" on the website or check with the manager confirming the order which offers are valid today. In addition, it is always worth registering: there are special conditions and special discounts for subscribers. vk.com, cnnturk.com, garcialu.com, kidsarelovely.com, market.yandex.ru

    Comments

    Comments