Whether upgrading or starting up your office, shopping for office furniture should be an exciting time to invest in your dream. Unfortunately, shopping for furniture (even your own) can be a very complicated and stressful process. Online shopping for office furniture presents a unique challenge in choosing the preferred items and the vendor.
Moreover, the other pitfalls of online shopping, e.g., shipping complications, multiply when dealing with bulky and expensive items like furniture. You do not need to be apprehensive because all the advantages of online shopping take-off are still beneficial. With the specific needs of your office in mind, you can click away, bearing in mind to avoid these classic mistakes:
Picking the Wrong Vendor
How should you decide where to buy furniture online? Referrals are a great way to shop, but reviews are a great place to start if you do not have any. As an online shopper, you cannot afford to slack on the research. At a glance, online reviews may seem confusing or contradictory. However, a deep dive into the review section is the best way to know which negative or positive reviews you relate to and wish to rely on. As offices upgrade and sell good-as-new furniture at throwaway prices all the time, consider secondhand vendors. Get quality on a budget by considering a visit to PTI Office Furniture used office furniture store.
The range of products and services offered is a good way to distinguish the upstarts from the pros, e.g., most reliable vendors offer the option of assembly with shipping. Lack of such an essential service might be a sign that your vendor is simply an individual with stock and a laptop but no staff. Another indicator is the quality of the vendor’s website. Websites with professional showroom photography and not just the generic marketing photos from the manufacturer indicate a more reputable online vendor. Partnerships also reveal your vendor’s standing in the community. Trusted vendors often team up related sectors for marketing purposes like discounts at a partnered soft furnishings and decor store. Take as much time choosing your vendor as you will choosing the actual furniture.
Measurements, Specifications & Scale
If you are upgrading your office furniture, it is important to consider the items you will be hanging onto. The new furniture needs to fit through your doorways, hallways, and alongside the existing furniture (if any). When considering an item, please pay close attention to its dimensions, and for large items like conference tables, have them marked out in masking tape in the conference room to get the scale right. Make sure that large items can be disassembled and reassembled for easy placement. Investigate the product specifications down to the kind of foam used to pad the chairs. Do not be deceived by appearance; make sure a product is specified as wooden instead of judging it by its exterior look. Go for the product that fits right into your office space.
Choosing Style over Functionality and Comfort
Furniture is meant above all for comfort, and this is doubly so for office furniture. Uncomfortable furniture can demotivate your staff and lower their productivity. As you cannot physically sample the product online to judge its comfort, look for other indicators like price, material, adjustability, and projected shelf-life. Style often costs much more than comfort without guaranteeing the latter. The budget is tight, prioritizing employees’ furniture over that which is not repeatedly used, e.g., the chairs in the guest lobby. Functionality and comfort will be a worthwhile investment as it repays in productivity which directly translates into sales.
Return, Maintenance & Repair Policy
Blame and bitter words have been exchanged often on customer service lines due to regrettable purchases. You certainly do not want to be on that end of a phone call, especially when you just received a large shipment of office furniture! Make sure you read the vendor’s return policy because mistakes can occur no matter your best efforts; for instance, an item may be a different color in reality than it seemed on the website. If necessary, call them up to clarify issues like if they accept returns and at what additional cost to you.
Shipping Policy
Shipping policy is often the swing vote when it comes to online shopping because it is a significant part of the total cost of the product. Avoid being swayed by marketing gimmicks like convenient and free shipping. If tempted, call the vendor and ask the tough questions, e.g., how long free shipping will take and if goods are insured during transit. Shipping challenges have frustrated many online shoppers. Delicate and bulky items like furniture require to be appropriately packaged and shipped.
