Finding Discount Furniture Locally

Now that thanks to yesterday’s post, hopefully you know what questions to ask once you find discount furniture that you want to make sure is of good quality. However, there is still that little problem of FINDING the discount furniture in the first place. Today, we can start with just what you can do locally. Online discount furniture is a whole other market, and you may want to look where you can touch and see the furniture in person anyway. Here are a few tips, then, that can help you find not only discount furniture, but also hopefully quality discount furniture.

Check Local Discount Furniture Retailers:

The first place to look is on your TV, in your local paper, and on local websites. Most every major metropolitan market has a variety of discount furniture retailers selling new discount furniture. How, though, do you know who is really a discount retailer? Start off shopping by price, then use your questions and intuition…as well as the Furniture Guy…to determine whether or not they are a quality discount retailer.

Watch your paper, especially during holidays and big weekends, for doorbuster items at local retailers. Doorbusters are a discount furniture retailer staple. They are usually limited availability items that are sold at very low prices. They are often small pieces (hope chests, RTA furniture pieces, and maybe even the occasional small dinette set. The whole point is to put them near the front, advertise them well, price them very low, and get you, the customer, into the store. Where I worked, we usually actually took a loss in profit on doorbusters. That alone is a reason to keep an eye out for them when you need small discount furniture pieces.

Additionally, to make sure you are seeing the right dealers, watch the papers and TV ads to see that the prices really are as low as the screaming guy on the tv says. Compare like items (you don’t always have to compare “apples to apples” if you are going to be looking at the furniture in person since local stores rarely carry the same manufacturers. It is easier to advertise “price matching” that way).

If you are unsure, you can ask around about the experiences people you know have had with local discount furniture stores (in fact, you can use such word of mouth inquiry for all discount furniture hunting you do). Additionally, make a quick call to your local BBB or check their website to make sure there are no glaring problems with the retailer.

Watch Your Local Classifieds for Discount and Used Furniture

Your local paper undoubtedly is loaded with classified ads. Just make it part of your daily routine to check out “for sale” items. You know: sip your coffee, eat your toast, read the sports, and then check out the classifieds. From time to time you will may stumble on a wonderful used piece at a great price.

Used furniture is the ultimate in discount furniture. Used furniture that is local is easy to visit and check out. You can feel it, see it, and check the condition so that you know it is quality discount furniture.

Check the REAL Message Boards

Many supermarkets and big chain retail non-furniture stores have local posting bulletin boards. Watch them for yard sales featuring furniture and individual pieces people are looking to unload. You can get some deeply discounted furniture that way as well!

Check LOCAL Websites

Before we venture into how to find quality discount furniture online, we are talking local. There is, though, always the hybrid of the local website. Do a quick search or keep your “ears open” for local message boards or sites that may offer used items, such as furniture, for sale.

Check out this discount furniture shopping advice from an earlier post!

Start Your Search for Discount Furniture, and Bring at least 3 Little Questions

I know that when I was being advised about job interviews back in college, I was told to always ask questions. Strangely enough, I think that the quality discount furniture shopping process is not all that different from a job interview in that you should come with questions. Finding discount furniture is easy, but finding quality discount furniture takes some work. In the end, though, the work is worth it; you will end up saving money and still have quality pieces to decorate your living room, bedroom, or dining room.

Going back to what I said before, though, one thing you need as you start your quest for quality discount furniture is a list of questions – a list of the right questions. Once you have found a piece or two that have the aesthetic you are looking for and a price you like, it is time to ask yourself, the salesperson, your BBB, or anyone you can get a reliable answer from the questions on your list (you can even ask The Furniture Guy with his new contact form on the upper right hand part of the blog and I will give you a reliable answer if I have access to the information). Having trouble coming up with your list of quality discount furniture questions? Why it just so happens I have 3 recommendations for you below:

1. What is the construction of this piece like?

If you find a piece that looks the way you want (color and style) and is the right price, you have definitely found your discount furniture, but the next step is to decide if it is quality discount furniture. Find out what types of woods are used,what types of foam are used in the cushions, etc etc. If you aren’t sure what answers you should be looking for, The Furniture Guy has a few posts in the history that can help:

-8 Way Hand Tied vs. Pirelli Webbing in a sofa

-What to look for in wood furniture: solids and veneers

-Selecting a sofa (some duplicate info from the 8 way hand tied and Pirelli webbing post)

2. Why is this piece so much less expensive than others I have seen that are similar?

So you found a piece that you suspect may just be quality discount furniture. Again, if it is the price you like and the look you like, then you may just be right. However, like in question 1, the part that is often most difficult is determining if the piece is well made, determining if it is a quality piece. If the piece is used, the answer is often obvious, and that is certainly a good way to come up with a piece of quality discount furniture. The answer you are looking for is basically one that does not include anything that implies the piece might be made of less than quality materials. However, good answers might include that the store takes lower margins on their furniture (many furniture retailers use a formula of (cost + shipping) X 2 = retail price), it might be that the store buys for themselves in bulk and thus get lower prices themselves, or it could even be that the store cuts costs somewhere else (delivery, commissions, floor space, etc.).

3. Does this piece of furniture come with a warranty or any sort of guarantee?

When you buy discount furniture, you are likely going to be told that it is quality discount furniture. When in doubt, though, make sure the seller is putting up to prove it. Ask about warranties, repairs, guarantees from the store, the manufacturer, or anyone else. While you may not always be able to get a straight answer on what is inside the furniture, you should make sure that you have recourse for taking care of problems. Warranties and guarantees are good since they are in print and often legally binding.

While there are plenty of other questions you will likely have and that you could ask that would help you feel better about your quality discount furniture purchase, these three should give you a pretty good idea about what you are getting. So with that said, I will be adding posts in the near future about finding quality discount furniture in the first place and then, of course, I will make sure I review how to care for your discount furniture.

I know this was a long one, but I still hope it helps,

The Furniture Guy