furniture buying?

[cheezytwang]

I'm looking to get myself a nice, comfy recliner (ala laz-e-boy), and I have heard that furniture is one of the most marked up consumer goods out there.
What strategies should I use to get the best chair for the best price?
I figure online would be out, due to the shipping costs, and I don't want a used chair (ick!). Does that leave me haggling at some furniture store?
also, if you have any actual brand or model or whatever recommendations, lemme know!

[lucille]

Use the internet to get an idea of the MSRP price for a few chair styles & brands your after. If they have rooms staged it is usually a good indicator your going to pay more. Look for overstock, outlet and scratch & dent furniture stores in your area. Some stores keep a scratch & dent and mismatch section in the back. You can also find design outlet stores in some towns. One we went to was called that but it was really a scratch & dent warehouse. There is also a big sale at the design market in downtown Minneapolis where they sell off all of the samples, you might find similar in other cities.

A piece out of a matched set, with a minor flaw in an outlet warehouse is probably going to get you your best deal for a new one. I have noticed that some brands are marked up quite a bit higher than others. You really have to look at the inner construction and warranty vs. the price.

[hermione]

Check out Overstock.com for deals on chairs. They have some lazy-boy-types in various colors, http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden.../product.html?,

and they have flat $2.95 shipping on all orders. We've purchased quite a bit from them in the past and have been pretty happy overall (but mostly just fairly small stuff; we haven't purchased any furniture). They've always shipped our orders faster than expected.

Good luck.

[Julie Rains]

Originally Posted by lucille

There is also a big sale at the design market in downtown Minneapolis where they sell off all of the samples, you might find similar in other cities.
I have noticed that some brands are marked up quite a bit higher than others. You really have to look at the inner construction and warranty vs. the price.

I bought a couple of Baker Furniture chairs at a big after-market sale last year; still expensive but they are made to last forever. I've thought about ordering chairs online but wasn't sure about the quality -- having to deal with a so-so chair (getting rid of it) can be time-consuming so I'd rather buy something as nice as possible upfront.

[cheezytwang]

thanks guys, i will keep y'all posted as to what deal I end up biting on.

[lucille]

Originally Posted by Julie Rains

I bought a couple of Baker Furniture chairs at a big after-market sale last year; still expensive but they are made to last forever. I've thought about ordering chairs online but wasn't sure about the quality -- having to deal with a so-so chair (getting rid of it) can be time-consuming so I'd rather buy something as nice as possible upfront.

Are you still in North Carolina?
I have heard of lots of people who would drive out to NC or SC to buy furniture at the factories and would save quite a bit of money that way.