Buying furniture online

[Matthew Springer]

Does anybosdy have any experience buying furniture online?

Specifically, I'm looking to buy some medium nice leather sofas for the new pad.

A quick Google turns up the usuall suspects. but i'm wondering if anybody's dealt withany of them.

-Matthew

[Jim Becker]

I don't see any issue with it other than the fact that you can't know for certain if they will be comfortable -- to you -- if you haven't sat in them. That's one advantage that you have with places like Pottery Barn, Ethan Allen, etc...they have stores that you can at least take a test drive, even if you order online. Seating comfort is a very personal thing!

You also have to take into account actual shipping cost...we're talking trucks /carriers here unless the place has a local outlet.

[Bob Johnson2]

I bought a pair of glider rockers via the net and had them shipped to the house. Worked out very well. I had them in a hotel room in Me. last year and liked them so much we wrote down the companies name and looked them up. Our only problem was seeing the covering material, the swatches you see on the monitor don't do justice to what it will really look like. Found a more or less local vendor for the line and checked them out that way. It was kind of cheating but it was the only way we could see the materials. At the furniture store they were about 850, I got them on line for under 600 ea. Shipping was free, I had to unload them from the truck and carry them to the house etc.

Of course we knew exactly what we wanted.

[Ian Barley]

I agree with Jim about the comfort issue being completey personal. I offer a money back guarantee with the chairs I sell which says if they aren't what you want when you get them I will arrange for pick up and refund your payment in full. If I was ever buying furniture online I would want the same guarantee from my vendor.

[Earl Kelly]

Matthew, buying upholstered goods online can be problematic. I firmly believe you need to sit on a sofa before purchasing. Now if you find one you like and find an online source you might save some money. But if it's shipped wrong or you incur freight damage, you may just lose any cost savings. I would purchase from a local store that will deliver and set up for free or at a minimal cost.