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.

[trustno1]

Yep, furniture is about 300% mark-up. (unless you live in the Carolina's...lol.

If you are searching for the "typical" lazy-boyish recliner deal...here is a suggestion... make a list of all the furniture stores, discount furn stores etc...post it on a wall, stand 6ft away from wall, (back towards wall)...take dart in throwing hand...toss it over head at list...check "winner"... grab about $400...go buy one at that store. lol They are all about the same price.

If you like to ruminate and drive yourself nuts first...try these...

good luck!

All they do here is list the "best deals" on any product
http://dealnews.com/

Pick the category, item, etc. Shop the price, compare
http://www.pricescan.com/

These guys always have a good price for the "lazy boy" type recliner. (but no "search"
http://www.biglots.com/

Select a state for all of the discount malls
http://www.mallseeker.com/default.aspx

Shopping guide…Select a city/state, then pick the category (furniture)= All stores in city
http://www.shopinusa.com/

Don't forget to stop and buy beer on the way home. Most states do not allow you to sit in those chairs unless you are holding one.'
lol...

[lucille]

This thread is a bit old but some updated info if your buying a recliner. See if you can tip it on the side or upside down and get a peek at the inside. I think all are made from plywood these days but some are so cheap the plywood is stapled together rather than screwed together. Also look closely at the metal recliner mechanism. You can see much of that by lifting the footrest or from underneath. Is it flimsy, how are the rivets that hold it together and what is the factory warranty on the recliner frame. The metal frame is what will probably fail first and be the hardest to fix.

We bought a used recliner and took it apart to recover it so I had a chance to really see how they are put together. The one we bought was a high end one and even that had some questionable construction.

[Ryan6]

They usually cost around the £1000 mark brand new. ($1580)!