Next to our vehicles, and our homes, furniture is probably one of the biggest expenses we have, and is one set of items most of us would love to get at lower costs. But how do you do that? How do you save money when you're purchasing furniture?
Here are 9 tips for saving money on your furniture bill:
1. Before you go furniture shopping, decide right away the minimum of what you need to purchase for each room in your home and make a list. Also, add sizes, color and style preferences to the list. If you have a spouse or room mate(s) make sure you make these choices together.
2. Come up with a budget. Decide what you are willing to spend and don't go over that amount. It may mean making more than one trip to look for sales and such, but in the end it will be worth it as you won't have spent more than you can afford to.
3. Shop at furniture wholesalers, liquidation and discount stores. Doing this will save you a lot of money. While there are sometimes minor flaws on these pieces, they are often flaws will not even notice.
4. Shop at thrift stores. I have personally gotten some very nice pieces of furniture by shopping at thrift stores. People get rid of high quality furniture all the time. Some storage places will clear out high quality items from their storage areas that have been left behind by people who did not keep up their fees, or others decide they have to have new furniture every couple of years, even though there is hardly any wear and tear on their older furniture. Whatever the reason, you can often find bargains on nearly new furniture at second-hand stores.
5. Buy your furniture from a furniture warehouse where the sales clerks are paid on commission. Sometimes you can bargain with the clerk and find out that if you purchase more than one piece of furniture you can get a better and bigger discount.
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Tips 1: Furniture Wholesale Costs
Don’t waste your time searching the Internet to find wholesale costs on new mattresses or new furniture.
Unlike the automobile industry, the furniture industry is a secretive, closed community. They jealously guard against you or anyone else discovering wholesale cost information. This enables furniture retailers to:
1. Charge more for their merchandise.
2. Completely ignore the actual cost of an item when figuring a selling price and
3. Make it more difficult for the average shopper to make price comparisons.
Tip #2. :Furniture Prices
Don’t be fooled by the “same” piece of furniture being offered at different stores at drastically different prices.
There are three possible reasons you might see this.
The first, and obvious, answer is that one store simply charges higher prices for its merchandise.
The second reason is that one store’s selling price includes services, like free delivery, that are not included in first store’s price.
The third possible reason is the scariest. Furniture manufacturers often copy each other’s best selling styles. When they do, they sometimes remove a few of the unseen quality construction features built into the original.
Worse yet, the best quality and poorest quality piece may both be offered at the same price! (That means more profit for the retailer.) Unless you know how to tell the difference, you could easily pay the high quality price for the poor quality piece.
Tip #3. :Buying a Mattress
Be wary when buying a mattress from a retailer that offers you a satisfaction or “comfort” guarantee.
Major mattress manufacturers do not allow retailers to return to them mattresses that customers simply did not find comfortable. Regardless of what you may think, the major name brand bedding manufacturers do not rebuild new mattresses from old ones.
Let’s say your neighbor (you know, the one who only bathes on holidays) purchases a new mattress from a store that offers a “satisfaction” guarantee. He, and his dog, sleep on it for a week and decide that it just isn’t comfortable. He returns the mattress to the store for a different model.
You then go to the same store and happen to buy the same model your neighbor just returned. The store, since it cannot return your neighbor’s mattress to the manufacturer, can simply deliver it to you. The store is happy because it got rid of the returned mattress. You are happy because you are sleeping on a mattress that you think is factory fresh. YUUUGH!
Tip #4: Home Furnishings Quality
Just buying a brand name you know is no guarantee you’re getting the best quality.
For example, let’s say XYZ furniture manufacturer makes bedroom furniture. In order to sell as wide a range of furniture retailers as possible, they will make some of their bedroom patterns...
in GOOD quality...
some in BETTER quality...
and some in their BEST quality.
Unless you know how to spot the differences, you could be fooled into paying too much for the quality you’re getting just because you bought a recognized brand name.
Tip #5.
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SOMETHING YOU SHOULD NOTE: Most bedding manufacturers have converted their product lines to one-sided mattresses since "Tip #5" was posted in 1999. Keep in mind this does NOT mean that one-sided mattresses are better. Just more profitable!
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One-Sided, “No-Flip” Mattresses
Don’t buy a “one-sided” mattress unless you have a really good reason for doing so.
One-sided, “no-flip” mattresses have several benefits. Most of which go to the manufacturer and/or retailer. (In the form of increased profits.)
Think about it for a minute. Look at the underneath side of a “no-flip” mattress. You couldn’t turn it over if you “wanted” to. You’re buying a mattress with only “one side”. (Most two-sided mattresses today do not require you to “flip” the mattress to maintain the warranty provisions. Ask your retailer.)
(Also ask the salesperson how deep, in inches, a “body impression” must be before your one-sided mattress is considered “defective” under their warranty.)
And take it from someone who’s seen one of these new “one-sided” mattresses torn apart...the very same materials are being used to make BOTH one and two-sided mattresses. There are no new, “revolutionary” materials in there.
-http://www.furnitureadvice.com/
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Mahogany is a durable and expensive hardwood used to make fine furniture. This rare wood, known for its beautiful grain and deep, reddish-brown color, endows furniture with a timeless, traditional quality. Chairs, tables and other home furnishings crafted with mahogany will last a lifetime and should be considered an investment. The following hints will make buying mahogany furniture easier.
* What is Mahogany?Most mahogany furniture today is made from two varieties, African and South American. South American mahogany is used for fine furniture. Caribbean or West Indian mahogany, another variety, is rarer, because it has been overharvested. Mahogany is an excellent wood for carving and finishes beautifully. Cabinetmakers such as Chippendale and Sheraton have replaced walnut with mahogany for many of their furniture pieces.
* Why Buy Mahogany Furniture? Mahogany furniture is most often made in the traditional style, but these pieces can complement almost any decorating style. Its timeless beauty appeals to most consumers and furniture pieces lend an air of elegance and sophistication. Consider adding a few mahogany accent pieces, such as a sofa table or nightstands in mahogany if you have a limited budget or the rooms of your home are decorated with a different style. Mahogany furniture also is very durable. Dining room tables and armoires made of mahogany are excellent investments. These large pieces draw immediate attention. Ornate carvings in mahogany furniture add instant interest and drama.
# What to Look For There is controversy surrounding the harvesting of mahogany for purposes of crafting furniture. Overharvesting and illegal logging in parts of the Peruvian Amazon and elsewhere plague the industry. Some furniture manufacturers, such as IKEA, have chosen not to sell furniture made from mahogany for this very reason. Some furniture is made with mahogany veneers rather than solid mahogany. When in doubt, ask the salesperson. If you are buying antique furniture, look for a decal that denotes “genuine mahogany” issued by the Mahogany Association. The association, which operated in the early to mid 20th century, was created to help buyers distinguish between solid mahogany pieces and other woods stained to look like mahogany. Mahogany furniture marketed as Philippine mahogany is not true mahogany. It is actually luaun. The material comes from a family of plants, not mahogany trees.
# Getting a Good Price Mahogany furniture is very expensive. Consider purchasing it second-hand from an estate sale. Large estates will often auction off the furniture and will advertise the auction in the classified advertisement section of the newspaper or online. If you cannot find furniture at the auction, pay attention to whether there are businesses buying whole estates, and you may be able to strike a side deal with them on the mahogany furniture you like. Search for smaller furniture stores that specialize in fine furniture rather than large chains. Don’t be afraid to negotiate on price. Privately owned furniture stores are one place where you don’t always have to pay sticker price. Buying a floor sample will cost less than having the item made and delivered to your home.
-http://interiordec.about.com
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It seems there is no stopping development in this region as more and more projects come to fruition, including residential complexes, office towers, shopping malls, hotels and many more. Developers, architects, construction companies, interior designers, project managers and individual consumers are all looking for high quality, well designed furniture under one roof.
Demand for excellent furniture is at an all-time high in developed markets such as Europe and the US, this has put pressure on retailers in those markets to offer such furniture.
imageThe convergence of sourcing fairs in Hong Kong and southern part of the Chinese mainland in October will serve as the key meeting place for industry professionals. The Hong Kong International Furniture Fair is the ideal place to meet face to face with these stakeholders and show them what you have to offer.
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| IGLOO exhibitor from Thailand : Deesawat Industries Co., Ltd | Classic Furniture Zone exhibitor from Hong Kong : Hong Kong Hua Bu Furniture Co., Ltd | Exhibitor from Spain : Cisecore Design S.L. |
Welcome return of IFHK Pavilion
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| IFHK Pavilion | Opening ceremony of the International Furniture & Decoration (Hong Kong) Association Pavilion |
Some of Hong Kong’s finest companies will be featured when the pavilion of the International Furniture & Decoration (Hong Kong) Association (IFHK) makes its second appearance in 2008, with an even larger and more impressive space than before.
In its 2007 debut, the pavilion occupied over 1,400 square meters and hosted 23 IFHK members who showcased their quality and design-focused products. This non-profit organisation promotes and fosters furniture manufacturing and trading for its members.
More Info : HERE
More info HERE
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