Buying Furniture: Are You Really Getting the Best Deal?

Here are two questions to ponder, “Have you ever noticed that most furniture stores have a sale of the century every month, and do people really believe that”?

Recently a local furniture store commercial asked this extremely important question, and that got me thinking. Now a couple of questions that may help answer the first.

• Do you pay sticker price for a new car?
• Has anyone ever walked away from buying a brand new car and not returned home boasting about the thousands of dollars they were able to negotiate off the sticker price?

I must acknowledge that I have. I also have second-guessed myself wondering if I really saved the money the dealer claimed I did or if they simply pacified me to make me feel good about my purchase?

Lets face it we all like to save money and a lot of it, especially when it comes to buying an expensive luxury mattress or solid wood bedroom furniture set. We take one look at the price tag and say to ourselves there is no way I’m am going to pay that. Beds and bedrooms can sometimes cost thousands of dollars, and people seem to feel there is ample wiggle room in the asking price. After all it only seems logical since we are able to negotiate the price down on other costly items, such as a house or car, why shouldn’t we be able to do the same for furniture. It has been stated whether it be bedroom furniture, living room or a really good quality mattress, the fact is furniture is one of the biggest purchases we will make in our lifetime.

Furniture retailers seem to be wiling and ready to give us consumers exactly what they want, money off, but is it real savings? Furniture stores frequently offer hundreds of dollars in cash savings, huge discount saving like 50%, 60%, and even 75% off and free financing for years at a time for the dresser of your dreams with approved credit.

That’s exactly the idea; to get you excited, show you how much you can save, and that you really can afford it, before the offer gets taken way. This is advertising. Stores claim the sale of the century and more importantly it ends on Saturday. Then months, weeks, or even days later they extend it or have another sale and we accept it as true.

So what can be done about such outlandish practices in the retail mattress and furniture business? The government could investigate some of these claims of ridiculous savings and endless sales and really penalize the perpetrators. Sure this might end such practices. I say personal responsibly is the key, take a deep breathe, take a step back, and just stop believing their ridiculous offers.

Take the shopping experience seriously and compare apples to apples and shop competing stores for similar or like items. This will save you more money than any sale ever will. No furniture store wants to have their price beaten for the exact same item or on similar products. If you are ready to buy put your money where your mouth is. Many retailers are not only willing but also able to beat a competitor’s price, which is what you really want, right? If the dealer achieves the cheapest price buy it or stop wasting their time, it is time to reward them and yourself and to make the commitment to buy it then and there. It’s not about how much you saved; it’s always about what you have purchased and that you got the very best price for it.