The average American household spent about $2,600 on furniture in 2022. But most of these purchases could have been less expensive with the right timing, online research, and a bit of haggling.
What’s The Best Month to Go Furniture Shopping?
New indoor furniture usually gets released at the start of spring and in the middle of summer. So the best months to shop for furniture would be during the clearance sales in January and July.
February could also be a great month to buy furniture because of the sales during and after President’s Day. Similarly, you might catch a good deal in September during the Labor Day sales.
Alternatively, you could also go furniture shopping during the slow times of the year, like a couple of weeks before Christmas. It’s a good idea to do this because most furniture staff work on commission. If it’s a slow day, they’re more likely to cut you a deal so that they can meet their quota.
Are You Supposed to Negotiate in Furniture Stores?
Can you initiate the price negotiation instead of waiting for the staff to cut you a deal? It depends on the furniture store, but it’s definitely a valid option.
If you’re shopping in an IKEA, for example, you should give up your plan of haggling. However, if you’re shopping in a smaller store with commission-based salesmen, you might be able to do a bit of price negotiation.
3 Tips to Get a Discount When Buying Furniture
Here are some things you can do to increase the chance of getting a discount:
1. Pay in cash
The discount that a salesperson can give you increases when you pay in cash. While Buy Now, Pay Later is an excellent option for those who want to split their payments into four installments, your chances of getting a discount are essentially non-existent with this financing option.
2. Negotiate the Warranty
In most cases, warranty commissions are higher than the commissions on the piece itself. So you might have a higher success rate if you negotiate the price of the warranty instead of the furniture price.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Walk Away
If it’s a slow day and the staff are desperate to make their sales goal, then walking away is possibly the best strategy. This option is perfect for those who easily get tongue-tied or are too shy to haggle. If all goes well, they’ll run after you with a better offer.
What are White Label Products?
White-label products are made by manufacturers with the intention of having other companies label them with their own branding and logo. Furniture stores sell white-label products as well.
This means that some pieces of furniture are sold by different big brand companies under different names. So if you’re doing a bit of online shopping and find a piece you like, the first thing you want to do is to find out if it’s a white-label product.
Because if it is, you’ll be able to find it in other stores at potentially cheaper prices. The only problem is that even though it’s essentially the same piece, it will have completely different names in other stores.
So to find a white-label furniture piece at other stores, you can:
- Search for a product with the exact same dimensions.
- Compare their country of origin.
- Compare the material they’re made of.
- Compare the weight of the products.
If all or most of these match, chances are they’re the same product with different branding and pricing.
Summary
The best times of the year to purchase furniture are just before spring and at the start of summer due to the clearance sales that happen during these times.
It’s also a good idea to visit brick-and-mortar stores when there’s little foot traffic to increase the chance of getting a good deal.
If you’re shopping online, keep an eye out for white-label products. Spotting one allows you to purchase the same product from the store with the lowest prices.
