How to Buy Furniture Online for a New Apartment

Save on Shipping Costs and Find Easy to Assemble Furniture

Nov 10, 2009

Trying to assemble furniture for a new apartment can be a daunting task, but it's now easy to find cheap furniture stores online, as well as cheap furniture delivery.

When moving into an apartment on a budget, the first step is to decide how much furniture to buy. Are there existing counters and surfaces in the apartment that eliminate the need for extra tables? How many guests would likely be in the apartment at a time? Once the buyer has a list of the absolutely necessary furniture for the apartment, the next step is to go online and find the best deals.

How to Compare Shipping Costs and Furniture Delivery Costs

When purchasing furniture online, shipping or delivery is a big part of the cost. Thus, it is a good idea to do a price comparison that includes the cost of the furniture itself as well as shipping and delivery charges. Target furniture, for example, can be very high quality for the price, but the shipping charges often outweigh the benefits. A $30 folding table can cost $20 to ship, which may defeat the point.

Overstock.com is one option for very cheap shipping, usually $2 and sometimes $1 for the entire order. Overstock’s selection varies greatly, and there is no quality guarantee, as the website stocks furniture from different companies, but the product reviews can help the buyer find some great furniture at a low cost.

Many first-time buyers head immediately to IKEA online to get a great deal. IKEA does have some good furniture, but it is not all available online. The prices can be greater online, and it can cost a lot to ship. If buying a lot from the IKEA furniture store, it can be a better option to go in person, select the furniture, and pay the one-time delivery fee of $99. Furniture can usually be delivered the next day.

How to Choose the Easiest to Assemble Furniture

Though it’s tempting to find cheap furniture and go with it, the time it takes to assemble poorly-designed furniture can negate the price differential. The best bets are furniture that requires no assembly. Target’s popular Dolce Dark Walnut bookcase, for example, comes in one piece and simply folds open. Other pieces may require only a few screws—for example, a cheap wire microwave cart is often far easier to assemble than a fancier wooden version.

If the furniture needs to last a while, it may be worth it to get a piece that requires some elbow grease for assembly. Furniture stores online usually have customer reviews of the product available, and these can provide important information—how difficult the product is to assemble, how easy the instructions are, and whether the furniture is likely to last. These can be a very helpful guide in choosing the best furniture for a particular living situation.

Furniture shopping needn’t be a hassle. As long as the buyer pays attention to shipping or delivery charges and keeps in mind assembly time in determining the effective cost of the piece, she can save time and money.

The copyright of the article How to Buy Furniture Online for a New Apartment in Home Furnishing is owned by Judith Faucette. Permission to republish How to Buy Furniture Online for a New Apartment in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.