Have you shopped for any new furniture lately? Well, I have been searching for a new kitchen table and four chairs. You would think such a task would be easy enough, but you couldn’t be more wrong with all the kitchen furniture buying obstacles consumers have to face these days.
No. 1 of My Kitchen Furniture Buying Obstacles
Stores in my area that do carry furniture seemed to have disappeared for the most part unless you go to Ikea. The ones that I found may have a few kitchen sets, but the sizes are huge and entirely inappropriate for a smaller kitchen. I happen to need a 36″ x 47″ kitchen set. Do companies that used to sell smaller size kitchen sets that would fit into a kitchen space like mine suddenly think everyone has moved out? Does everyone now either have to move into a new home that has a giant kitchen be able to order a new kitchen set?
No. 2 of My Kitchen Furniture Buying Obstacles
Those same stores that sell furniture only seem to be selling tables that are wood, wood veneer, glass or marble. This may be fine for some people, but not for anyone that uses the surface as a prep table as well to cook things like pasta and bread dough. Design suitability of the table also is another factor for anyone that cooks if you have a manual pasta machine that attaches to the table. Quite a few of the new tables have a piece or decorative edging that would make the use of my manual pasta machine impossible.
Some will say that why would a tabletop surface be a problem for anyone that loves to cook when you could always use granite or a solid surface countertop? The problem is height that can make kneading things like dough harder.
Of course, others will point out a large cutting board should suffice. Yes and no, I have to say on this subject because for this choice to work depends on what you are making and how much.
No. 3 of My Kitchen Furniture Buying Obstacles
Of course, the biggest kitchen furniture buying obstacles are the delivery charges and tricks that the store use before providing free shipping anymore–that is even if the stores ship themselves do.
No. 4 Kitchen Furniture Buying Obstacles IF the Store Delivers
Some stores in my area only will deliver your furniture purchase for free, provided that it is more than $999. Unless you plan to redecorate, you’re probably not going to spend that amount and end spending an additional $75 to $95 just to get what you bought home. The only other option to transport your furniture home is to load it into your own truck–that is if you have one and the manpower to do it. I do not see frail, elderly people moving furniture even if they have a truck.
The store also may use a subcontractor third-party shipper to transport your furniture, which can sometimes not go as smoothly as you expect for one reason or another. Less care can be taken with your new furniture. After all, it is not the company that needs to worry about the condition of the furniture after the money is exchanged and out of their hands. It is you that need to be on the watch for any sign of damage before signing for the delivery or damage that company may have made to your home first.
Sale items that could be on clearance and not the ones advertised for special promotions are void of any free shipping at all in some of these stores near me–even if the amount is more than $999. You have the same option of using the store’s third party shipping contractor to transport your furniture home for about $95.
You could also run into another unique delivery problem even if you finally find a suitable size and surface for the kitchen set in another store. I saw a kitchen set that would have been great, but the shipping was more than the actual price of the kitchen set.
No. 5 Kitchen Furniture Buying Obstacles IF Shopping Online
You could find kitchen sets online offering free delivery like Wayfair, but you are at the mercy of the company when it comes to examining the quality. I don’t know about you, but seeing what furniture looks and feels like before committing to a purchase that I will be living with for a while is something I feel strongly about.
Have you shopped for any new kitchen furniture lately? Let me know if you experienced any kitchen furniture buying obstacles yet?
I’m sorry that you’ve run into these issues. Smaller furniture stores seem to have been going the way of video rental stores.
I havent bought furniture in eons! I do have an extra table though refinished in the basement. I have never bought new- they have all been finds. I think you find the better quality in older pieces, the trick though is you have to e patient and when you find the right one you will know.
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Yes, the older furniture is built better. I totally agree. I was shopping for a new kitchen table and chairs with a surface like formica that is wipeable for making noodle dough and with the right enough thickness to attach my noodle machine for cranking,etc. The only thing that you can find in my area is basically wood and in huge sizes that won’t fit in a smaller kitchen. I might have to get a professional food prep cart or something just for this purpose.
It is really hard to find just the right item you want at the right price. Everything I find that is just what I want is twice the size I want. In smaller apartments you want and need smaller furniture.