When you go to shop for discount furniture or even for high end furniture, you will likely have to deal with a furniture salesperson. Though many people dread working with a commissioned furniture salesperson, it doesn’t have to be a bad experience at all. In fact, if you handle it the right way, your furniture salesperson can be a real asset in your search for furniture value and a good overall furniture experience.
Be Prepared
The fear or dread in most people about furniture salespeople is that they will somehow try to rip them off. While I would argue that for most furniture sales people this is not something on their agenda, there are ways to ensure that doesn’t have to be a worry for you.
For one, make sure you are prepared. The more you know about furniture basics, the less you have to worry about misinformation. So continue reading The Furniture Guy, educating yourself, and being as much of an expert as you can.
Secondly, and this seems most important to me, make sure you know what you want from your salesperson going in. Do you want he or she to simply write an order? If that is the case, let the salesperson know up front that you don’t want advice or any information. You are going to shop on your own and then call them when you are ready to place an order. If he or she cannot accept and respect that, then it is time to find a new salesperson or new store.
Be Comfortable
Finally, make sure you have a level of comfort. If you are not comfortable with your salesperson, then the experience will never be a good one. It is fine to ask for someone else or simply to leave and return another time.
For Me…
When I was working both in sales and as a manager for a discount furniture retailer, I know that I was never trying to “take” someone. In fact, a negative experience by a customer was way to costly to me in time, money, and energy to want that. Additionally, the commission was never high enough that I cared whether someone spent $300 or $500. I simply wanted happy customers who would send their friends to me.
So don’t be afraid for your furniture salesperson. Instead, look at him or her as an asset in your search for quality furniture. He or she should know about the pieces, their origin, and what is going to give you the best bang for your buck. A good one will at least be able to get answers to questions you have the he or she can’t answer on the spot. Use your salesperson to enjoy your furniture shopping experience, not to dread it.
