Why Shop at a Furniture Store?

An inside look at the many benefits of buying furniture in-store versus online.

by Trisha Kemerly

We’re all strapped for time, so it’s no wonder that internet shopping and purchasing has increased dramatically in recent years. Shopping online allows us to easily research and view a huge selection of products, compare prices, benefits and features, and there’s no pressure to buy. HomeFurnishings.com is a great place to conduct this kind of research and collect your ideas for your home inspiration. But when it comes to making your purchase,  shopping in-store offers options you just can’t get online.

Here are a few tangible benefits of shopping in a bricks-and-mortar store, and how your local HomeFurnishings.com Certified Retailer can help you feel confident in your purchases.

See It to Believe It

Color is a key design element, and choosing colors without seeing them personally is taking a gamble. Just because a chair’s fabric color looks like a pale blue on your monitor doesn’t mean that it will look that way when you get it home. Depending on your screen settings, colors can look lighter, darker, warmer or cooler than they do in person. If you are trying to coordinate a piece of furniture with items you already have, you’re likely to be disappointed when the colors don’t work together like you thought they would.

Comfort Is King

Comfort should be one of your top criteria in buying upholstery items such as chairs and sofas; yet comfort is different for everyone. For example, if you’re looking for a sofa, only you can judge whether you prefer a sofa that helps you sit up straight, one that lets you sink deeply into the cushions, or one that is somewhere in between. Only by actually trying out the furniture can you decide if it is comfortable to you.

“In a traditional brick-and-mortar showroom the biggest advantage is that you can see and feel the product with your own eyes and tactile senses before purchasing,” says Jim Navarra, director of marketing for Jerome’s Furniture in San Diego, Calif.

“Wood and upholstery colors can shift subtly under different types of lighting, so I think it’s always better to see something in person. Furniture is as much about feel as it is about appearance. At a showroom, you can interact with the product and make sure it feels right before getting it home.”

Operation Coordination

While online shopping can work when you’re looking for one item at a time, shopping in your local furniture store will give you the opportunity to see items that work together for a complete “look.” Unlike many websites where it’s easiest to see pieces from the same collection or manufacturer, home furnishings stores often display furniture from different sources that complement each other. Trained store designers create stunning displays that utilize colors, textures and materials in ways that make furniture vignettes appealing and inviting. Don’t deprive yourself of the unique experience of finding furnishings that speak to you and your personal design aesthetic.

Tap Designer Wisdom

If you’re even slightly unsure of how to combine your existing furnishings with new ones, an in-store interior designer can assist you. Relying on their expertise will help you create the look you want. Furniture stores offer a variety of services ranging from hourly design consultations to complementary whole-home design services.

Save Money

Online purchases typically require you to pay the entire amount using a credit card. While you have that option in-store as well, most home furnishings retailers have credit options that require little or no down payment, including deferred interest options that allow you to pay same-as-cash over several months. Plus, shopping in-store will let you take advantage of any sales or promotions that are happening at the time. And shopping in-store will help you avoid oversized shipping costs.

Enjoy True Customer service

Home furnishings purchases are not an every-day occurrence for most of us, so when you have questions or concerns it’s nice to know you can reach a real person to help you. Most websites lack this personal interaction, and make it difficult to get your questions answered or resolve issues with delivery, returns or other problems when they occur.

Brooke Allen of Gulfport, Miss., says she just can’t get the same service and security online as she does in a bricks-and-mortar store. “I want to be able to feel what I'm buying and know how comfy that mattress is before I get it home,” she says. “Besides, I like to actually talk to my salesperson. I want to be able to ask questions and actually have them answered instead of dealing with an FAQ page. I feel a little more ‘special’ in the store. Plus, I’m not a fan of putting my credit card info on the Internet. I realize it is much safer these days, but I'm paranoid.”

Research Online, Shop In-Store

For the best of both worlds, use HomeFurnishings.com to shop and collect ideas for your home, and then save them to “My Ideas.” Then, you can use yoliur local HomeFurnishings.com Certified Retailer’s computer to bring up your ideas at the store—or print your ideas at home and bring them in with you. Retailers will welcome the opportunity to help you put together the home of your dreams.