In the summer, the business in some of the city’s furniture districts has started to slow down. This coincides with the launch of a major online mall promotion in June, which has drawn many consumers toward purchasing furniture online. The rise of the "online shopping wave" for large items has begun to challenge traditional furniture stores.
Over the past few days, several large-scale promotions have been taking place, especially for furniture and home textiles, including big items like mattresses, solid wood beds, and wardrobes. Mr. Zhang, who is planning to buy a bed and mattress, visited several furniture stores in the city. He found a stylish leather-back bed priced over 2,000 yuan, and a brown mattress was around 1,400 yuan.
Later, he checked prices online and discovered that online deals were just as competitive as in-store options. For example, a discounted mattress could be purchased for around 700 to 800 yuan, while a bed might cost about 1,500 yuan or less. However, there were additional fees for delivery and installation, ranging from 340 to 420 yuan. When buying both items together, it still ended up being cheaper than buying them at a physical store.
According to a merchant from a major furniture store, this is currently the off-season for furniture sales, and malls are offering strong promotions. While physical stores allow customers to see and test products firsthand, online shopping comes with complicated return processes and high logistics costs.
Some consumers mentioned that if they purchase multiple pieces of furniture from the same online store, they only pay one delivery and installation fee, which can save a lot of money. For items like mattresses and bedding, installation is simple and can even be done by the customer, saving hundreds of dollars.
When buying furniture online, it's important to measure the space beforehand to avoid any waste. A few days ago, Mr. Liu bought a fabric living room sofa online and then ordered a matching footrest from the same seller. Unfortunately, when he received the item, the footrest was too large and looked awkward in his living room. He said, “The seller told me it was custom-made according to my sofa’s size, so I didn’t ask for the exact measurements.â€
Miss Fang, a decoration designer, advises that when buying large furniture online, you should first measure your space, draw a basic floor plan, mark where you want the furniture to go, and compare it with your design style. She also recommends determining the style and size of the furniture you need before searching online. After shortlisting some matching pieces, check the seller’s reputation, customer reviews, and product details. Communicate with the seller to assess their professionalism.
When viewing product images, make sure they are real photos and not heavily edited. Pay attention to material texture and craftsmanship. Compare different options before making a decision. For fabric sofas, ask the seller for a sample fabric before confirming the purchase to ensure there’s no color difference.
Finally, when the furniture arrives, carefully inspect it. Since furniture is typically shipped via logistics, check the outer packaging first. If it’s intact, proceed to check the furniture itself for damage or missing parts. Contact the seller immediately if there are any issues to process a return or claim.
CEPAI Group Co., Ltd. , https://www.jscepai.com