| |
|
|
| FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS &
TIPS WHILE SHOPPING FURNITURES |
Top 10 Furniture on shopping mistakes.
Before you buy a cell phone, a dishwasher or a new computer you talk to
friends, read reports, comparison shop. But do you invest the same amount of
time and preparation in furniture shopping? After all, a good sofa or dining
table will cost more than those items and will usually last longer. Here are
most common mistakes furniture shoppers make based upon survey.
LACK OF PREPARATION
People often go furniture shopping without any sense of what they like, their long-term goals,
or even something so basic as the dimensions of the room. Before you visit your
first store, draw up a floor plan of the space you're shopping for including all
measurements. Take some photographs of the room, and go through design magazines
and tear out photos of homes or furniture pieces that appeal to you. Bring paint
samples from the room, along with swatches of carpet and fabric from the other
furnishings. If you don't have a fabric swatch, remove the cover from a cushion
and bring it with you. Pack these clippings in a file folder or portfolio and
bring it with you when you shop.
Think about your long term plans for the room: Do you loke it the way it is, or do you
want to change it? If it's the latter, what kind of look or feeling do you want
the space to have? Buy for the way you want the room to be, not necessarily the
way it is; that way, you're not tossing out your furniture in three years when
you finally get around to decorating it the way you want it.
IGNORING SCALE
Stores can play tricks with your sense of proportion. A piece that looks perfect in a store
that's half the size of a football field and has 20-foot ceilings may appear
humongous in an apartment with 8-foot ceilings. Carry a compact tape measure in
your purse or car and measure everything before you buy. If you're still in
doubt, go home and map out the piece in newspaper on you floor, or make a
mock-up with cardboard boxes.
NOT BRINGING HOME A FABRIC SAMPLE
Fabric looks different under different lighting conditions. Before you buy a piece of
upholstered furniture, ask for a fabric swatch and take it home. Then look at
the material in the room where the piece will sit preferably in the day time &
at night. Check how the colour looks with other piece of furniture in the room,
and with the wall colour.
BUYING ON IMPULSE
It can be hard to resist a piece of furniture that's marked 50 percent off. But think things
through before you pull out that billfold. If the item doesn't work with your
room's scale, style or colours, you've just spent 50 percent more than you had
to. If it's cheap but doesn't work in your home, it's not a good deal. Buying
furniture takes time, so don't rush it; give yourself plenty of chance to look
around and comparison shop. And if you absolutely can't pass up that sale item,
make sure it's returnable.
SHOPPING BY COMMITTEE
The more opinions you seek, the harder it is to choose. Don't take a squardon of friends and
relatives with you when you shop; limit the input to your significant other or
one friend with exquisite taste.
REFUSING HELP
Unless you've studied interior design or apprenticed with an upholsterer, it's safe bet the
salesperson will know more about the merchandise than you. Take advantage of
that. '"Most sales personnel desperately want to be helpful," says Leonard Bruce
Lewin, author of shopping for Furniture: A Consumer's Guide. "Give them a chance
and the odds of getting the right product at the right price will dramatically
increased."
SHOPPING ON THE WEEKEND
If you're going to need a lot of help and want the salesperson to give you his or her undivided
attention, don't go shopping on the weekend. That's when furniture stores are
busiest and staff is most distracted. Pick a weekday and you might be able to
monopolize the salesperson's time for hours.
FORGETTING TO MEASURE DOORS & ELEVATORS
Everyone who sells furniture has heard stories about people who bought a sofa and then couldn't
get it through front door, up the staris or into the elevator. Don't become
another statistic! Measure the size of every opening leading upto the room where
the piece will sit. (Don't overlook windows as an alternate entry point.) If you
live in an apartment or condo, measure the elevator door and compartment, or the
service elevator, if there is one.
PAYING TOO MUCH
"In today's world, any consumer should expect to be seeing at least a 35 percent discount
off of the MRP" says author Lewin, refferring to the manufacturer's suggested
retail price ( not the store's normal selling price). If the piece isn't
discounted already, wait for a sale: many retailers mark down everything in the
store during three-day holiday weekends or monthly sales events. If you don't
want to wait to save your money on your furniture, you might ask your
salesperson if he or she could knock 3-5 percent off the price, especially if
you're buying several items. (Profit margins are slim on furniture, so don't get
greedy.) If the salesperson say's no, don't be offended: Some manufactures and
stores do not permit their merchandise to be sold at a discount.
Many stores offer enticing financing plans that postpone payments for a year or more.
Don't take advantage of them unless you're certain you'll be able to pay off the
balance in full by that date. The majority of customers don't, and end up paying
sky-high interest charges retroactive of the day they took the furniture home.
Don't be another vicitim, pay for it now but start putting moey aside every
month untill the balance is due.
Seven Tips Saving Money on Office Furniture
1. CREATE A PLAN: Don't rush out and buy the first desk, chair, or workstation
that you see on sale at the local office supply store. Instead, spend some time
carefully creating plan. Evaluate your office furniture needs and ask your
employees for their requirements. Keep in mind how much space you have for the
office furniture, factoring in plans for hiring additional employees.
2. START SHOPPING AROUND: Begin your search for budget office furniture by
carefully examining the ads published in newspapers / magazines visit them with
a copy of your office plan discussed with them & value their advices by local
office furniture dealers.
3. KEEP COMFORT IN MIND: In your planning stage, you surveyed the employees who
will be using the new office furniture, so keep their comfort in mind as you
shop. For example, make sure any workstation you are considering has enough leg
room for the people who will be sitting there all day.
4. ASK COLLEAGUES FOR REFFERRALS: Ask your prospective supplier for a site
visit. That means he will show you his past working. On inspecting site you may
come across with the quality issues. Discuss with employees working on that
furniture. The more information you have, the easier it will be to make an
informed decision about where to buy your budget office furniture.
5. IF YOU BUY ONLINE, CONSIDER SHIPPING COSTS: Be careful of who you do business
with. Many business owners don' t read the fine print carefully before signing
on the dotted line.
6. LOOK FOR MODULAR OFFICE FURNITURE: In addition to being cost effective, you
can get branded office furniture with long term warranty. You can find plenty of
option manufacturers.
7. LOOK FOR PRE-LAMINATED BOARDS: These are easy to maintain and give long term
life cycle cost benefit.
FAQ's - Frequently asked Questions
What kind of wood is the furniture made of?
Much of the furniture we carry is made of environmentally friendly
engineered wood, which is a combination of bonded high-quality hardwood and soft
wood materials that are applied to high heat and pressure. The result is dense,
strong boards. Some furniture is made of solid wood. This is stated on the item
page.
What do I use to clean the wood furniture?
Some pieces may be wiped occasionally with a damp cloth. As with any good piece
of furniture, harsh detergents or abrasive cleaners should not be used, and
spills should be wiped up immediately. For the specifics of a piece of
furniture, be sure to consult the manufacturer's information that comes with it.
Does any of the wood furniture come unfinished?
No, our wood furniture does not come unfinished. Each piece has a beautiful
finish that is specified on the item page. What finishes does the wood furniture
come in? It comes in a variety of wood-grain tones. Also, some pieces have a
laminate or other protective finish. The finish for a particular item is
specified on the item page.
What is a laminate finish?
Lamination is a process that firmly bonds layers of materials by an adhesive or
other means. In some of the furniture, the laminate finish is a paper laminate
that is applied to the boards. It provides beauty (wood grain and color) and
protection (a clear coating).
Does the furniture arrive assembled?
Most of the furniture does not arrive assembled. Most of the furniture requires
assembly. The item page specifies whether a piece requires assembly.
How long does it take to assemble a piece of furniture?
The time varies and can depend on the size of the piece, the number of pieces in
the item and your experience with assembling furniture. The process is simple,
but some pieces can be assembled in an hour or two and others may take a few
hours. And the more experience you have with assembling furniture, the faster it
will go. Working with someone can also cut the assembly time considerably. All
furniture comes with clear assembly instructions.
What tools do I need to assemble a piece of furniture?
Generally, assembly requires common household tools, such as a hammer, Phillips
screwdriver, flat-head screwdriver, tape measure or adjustable wrench. For some
pieces, a power screwdriver may be helpful as long as you don't over-tighten the
screws. Please refer to assembly instructions for specific tools.
Can I add casters to an item of furniture?
If the item of furniture does not come with casters, it is not safe to add
casters to it. In some cases, you can also void the warranty by adding casters
to a piece that was not designed for casters.
Can I leave the back off?
No. The back adds stability to the unit and makes it square. The unit is not
safe without the back properly assembled.
How is the furniture delivered?
All furniture is delivered by Standard shipping unless otherwise stated on the
item page. Oversize items are delivered by Freight shipping. An oversize item
and the delivery details are noted on the item page.
What is the shipping cost of furniture?
It varies according to the piece. You can see the estimated shipping cost when
you click "See estimated arrival date & shipping cost" on the item page. You can
see your actual shipping cost during checkout.
How long does furniture take to arrive?
It varies according to the piece. You can see the estimated arrival date when
you click "See estimated arrival date & shipping cost" on the item page. You can
see the actual arrival date during checkout. |
|
|
|