Have you ever wondered how in the world you could possibly decorate your home or buy new furniture with items you find through online retailers ? IT IS POSSIBLE!
Online shopping saves us travel time and we can multitask while doing it. With easy and free returns for many sites, the question becomes, “Why wouldn’t we?”
Personally, I have furnished 70% of my home via Online Shopping. This included the sofa, bedrooms, wardrobes, washroom, to the smaller details.
Nowadays we are surrounded by so much choice, both locally and abroad - Here are 5 guidelines that I use to shop online with confidence for my home:
The key starting point for any Home Furnishing purchase is Measurements. Take measurements of the room or area you are planning to furnish and carefully check the furniture measurements. Don’t just assume that the piece can fit where you want it to go. In addition, make sure that doorways and hallways won’t cause any problems. Also, think about how the furniture will get into the room and if necessary, ask for a second opinion about bringing the furniture into your home.
Measurements are also important for smaller items such as decorations and accessories. This would also allow you to gauge whether the item fits well on a piece of furniture or hanging on a wall.
When buying furniture online, look past the monitor and visualise the piece in your space. A few tricks I used are:
If you find it hard to assess whether the piece goes well with your interior, try exploring the below options to help you decide:
Product descriptions are there for a reason. They provide you more insight about the product you are viewing. This would usually include an explanation of the product, its measurements, colours and materials. For some items, you might also find information on how to care for the product, usually in the case of glass or finer materials.
However, when in doubt, always speak to a representative of the store; ask for more information, pictures or even close up images of the products. It might also be worth considering verifying that the colour is true to the picture being shown - you don't want to buy a mustard throw and end up with a Neon yellow one!
Even after all this planning, you may still need to return an item. Websites should have clear returns policies, so read the site’s policy carefully before making your purchase. Some vendors may offer free shipping, but charge you return shipping or a restocking fee if you don’t like your item or just a credit note.
Stores should give customers (by law) at least 14 days ‘’cooling-off’’ period in case they decide to return products. The best return policies offer a full refund and the option to return products free or to a physical address.
As a person who loves to do her research, I am one to look for Store reviews to assess whether I should buy from an Online store or not, especially if it is my first time purchasing from that store. Reviews give you the true consumer perspective versus marketing speak. Reviews can either be product related or about the service given to consumers, both are equally important. Check the star rating first. I usually skip over any store with a one or two star rating. If the store has a three, four, or five star rating, read some of the reviews left by others. If the store has no reviews at all or is not showing them, that is a ‘’risk’’ you might be willing to take, but I always prefer stores that are transparent in their reviews over those that show none at all. Check out some of our lovely reviews here.
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Ever walked into someone’s home for the first time and your reaction was - Wow, this is so you! There’s always that first impression we get when we meet a person for the first time, and it’s the same with our homes.
