Sofa Buying Guide: How to Buy a Sofa Online and Get Exactly What You Want

Article by: Vanessa Kirkland

Online shopping has never been more prevalent or convenient. You can buy just about anything with a quick keyword search and a click of your mouse. For the most part, Internet security , Unique Candle Chandeliers for Your Home measures and organizations such as the Better Business Bureau Online , Unique Candle Chandeliers for Your Home have paved the way for more consumer confidence in online , Accent Lighting: How to Take Your Room from Now to WOW! shopping. And other advantages such as selection and low prices have kept consumers flocking to their favorite online , Contemporary Living Room Furniture retailers for everything from dog food , Decorating a Baby's Nursery with a Beatrix Potter Theme to home , Interior Redesign and Decorating - What Can be Accomplished in One Day decor.

But if you're in the market for a large purchase for your home--furniture such as a sofa, for example--you might wonder if turning to the Internet , A Vanity Bench Adds a Romantic and Old World Feel to Your Bedroom Decor is such a wise idea. Guess what? It is. Simply arm yourself , Painting the Woodwork with a few shopping tips , A Guide To Outdoor Lighting and a couple of special safety , The Cost of Granite Countertops precautions, and your online , Painting the Woodwork shopping adventure can get you exactly the couch you're looking for--and save , Different Mattresses = Different Benefits you big bucks in the process.

Step 1: Decide What You Want

Maybe you're shopping for a new sofa because you're redecorating your living room. , Beds Or perhaps your comfy old couch has seen better days and you want to replace it. Either way, it's an important first step to set your priorities:

1. Set a budget. If you're planning on redecorating frequently, set a moderate budget of around $400 to $800 for a new sofa. If you're on a much tighter budget, and you're handy with a staple gun, another option is to look for a used couch you can recover. This approach can save , Interior Redesign and Decorating - What Can be Accomplished in One Day you hundreds of dollars. On the other hand, if you plan , Selecting Indian Banjara Tapestry or Wall Hanging to keep your new sofa for decades, set a more generous budget. It's not uncommon to spend $2,000 or more on a handcrafted , Carpet Steam Cleaning fine leather sofa.

2. Assess your existing decor. , Canopy Tents Make notes of the style of furniture , Bedrooms you're looking for. Is your living room , Loft Bed: Maximizing The Space Of Small s formal or casual? Contemporary or retro? A home , Amish Furniture For the with modern decor , Discover The Wonders Of A Tempurpedic Mattress needs a sofa with slim, square, clean lines and perhaps a metal , Contemporary Living Room Furniture frame. A more traditional decorating , World Globes scheme might call , Interior Decorating Book and Decorating Book club for a curved, classic silhouette.

3. Take note of your lifestyle. Do you have children? Pets? If so, you'll need a durable upholstery fabric that's easy to clean. Leather, microfibers, and tightly-woven fabrics such as twill and denim are best for durability.

4. Take measurements. Write down the length, width, and depth of the area you're working with and keep it with you during the shopping process.

Step 2: Go Window , Buying Down Alternative Comforters Shopping

With your budget, style, and measurement information , Painting the Woodwork in hand, as well as a pad of paper for note-taking, it's time to go shopping. Visit several local , Accent Lighting: How to Take Your Room from Now to WOW! furniture stores and browse the options you find--but remember, you're there to look, not purchase just yet.

While browsing, pay close attention to the structural details of the couches you see. Be on the lookout for signs of good craftsmanship in these major areas, and write down the brands and styles that look promising:

1. Frame construction. Whether it's wooden , Enhance Your Room With A Closet Door Mirror or metal, , The Cost of Granite Countertops the sofa's frame should be strong and solid with little flexion. To test it, lift the left front sofa leg slowly. If you can lift it more than an inch before the right leg rises off the floor, , How to Choose Color Schemes for Your Rooms' Decor and Window Coverings the sofa has a weak frame, and it's probably not worth your money. For another test, try to wiggle a sofa arm. If it moves, that's another indicator of a weak frame. Also make note of the joinery.

2. Frame materials. In general, avoid materials that warp or crack, such as plastic, , Chinese Rugs: 3 Types To Discover particleboard, and plywood. Opt for strong hardwoods that stand up to reupholstering--maple or oak are good choices.

3. Upholstery. First, make sure the fabric is pulled taut on the body of the couch and on each cushion and that all the seams line up. This is especially important for fabrics with patterns and stripes, since you'll want the patterns to meet correctly across the entire sofa. Also, if you're in the market for a fabric upholstery, you need to know how the material scores in terms of fire safety. , Without Drapes is It Curtains? To find this information, , Enhance Your Room With A Closet Door Mirror look for a tag from the Upholstered Furniture , Loft Bed: Maximizing The Space Of Small Rooms Action Council (UFAC). If you need a seriously durable surface, a smart choice is leather. There are many grades of leather to choose from--the firmer, less expensive grades actually withstand more wear and tear than the pricey, buttery-soft grades.

4. Cushions. The material your cushions are stuffed with is just as important as the upholstery. For comfort and durability, opt for blown fiber, fiberfill, or polyurethane foam with a density of at least 1.8 pounds per cubic feet. These options are reasonably priced and last longer than the most expensive fill material--down. Down filling tends to lose its shape and firmness over time. A great option that uses the best of both worlds is a cushion with down and feathers wrapped around a firm foam core.

5. Springs. , The Cost of Granite Countertops There are two options for the support system in your couch: Eight-way hand-tied springs , Why You May Need a Rug and sinuous springs. , A Guide To Outdoor Lighting Hand-tied springs , Without Drapes is It Curtains? are found on the most expensive sofas, and provide the most consistently even foundation. But preassembled or sinuous coils that are attached to the frame can be just as comfortable and can save , Buying Down Alternative Comforters you tons of cash. Just ensure that the coils are numerous and tightly packed together and that the spring , Wallpaper action is quite firm.

Step 3: Make Your Online , Making Your Home Your Home Purchase

Now that you've done your research, taken notes, and made a list of all the brands and styles you like, it's time to surf the Web. , How to Choose Color Schemes for Your Rooms' Decor and Window Coverings Go to your favorite search engine--Google.com, for example--and type the name of each sofa you're interested in. The more specific your keywords, the better results you'll get. As you make your way through each of the listings, be on the lookout for the best prices from the most reputable online , Cork Tiles Versus Ceramic Tiles in the Home merchants.

Keep the following shopping tips, , The Soul of Rustic Design compiled from the Better Business Bureau and the National Cyber Security , Where to Buy Wholesale Picnic Baskets Alliance, in mind:

1. Check out unfamiliar sellers. Research the companies with the Better Business Bureau. If you're using an auction web , Stylish Dining Room Furniture site, check the seller's feedback information , Infusing Heart into the Hearth of the Home and ratings to ensure it's a legitimate merchant. It's important that you get the actual name and physical address of the merchant. This information , Enhance Your Room With A Closet Door Mirror will make it easier to research the merchant with consumer protection agencies.

2. Note delivery costs, schedule, and method posted by each seller. You can sometimes find merchants who offer free shipping, which can save , Carpet Steam Cleaning you a bundle. But be sure you read their delivery policies carefully: Do they offer a delivery window? A "white glove" policy? In-house or curbside delivery?

3. Make safe , Loft Bed: Maximizing The Space Of Small Rooms payments. First, never make a payment through an unsecured payment screen. When you get to the screen on which you're entering payment information, , Tables the first part of the Web , Chinese Rugs: 3 Types To Discover site address should change , Home Decor Accessories - How to Create a New Look in a Room to "shttp" or "https," which lets you know that the information , Wallpaper is encrypted. Some browsers also display icons, usually at the bottom of the window, , Commodity Futures Trading Online that indicate an encrypted screen. Never enter personal information , Decorating a Baby's Nursery with a Beatrix Potter Theme into a pop-up window. , Different Mattresses = Different Benefits Also, it's always best to pay with a credit card, because federal law allows you to dispute the charges if you don't get what you were expecting. Don't forget to check your credit card statements carefully for overcharges or unauthorized charges.

4. Keep all documentation related to your purchase. Print an order confirmation and keep all packing slips and invoices once your sofa arrives.

5. Beware of unsolicited e-mails and phone calls , Contemporary Living Room Furniture claiming that there's some sort of problem with your order. If you're ever requested to provide any information , Painting the Woodwork this way, it's your queue that you're dealing with a scammer.

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About the Author

Vanessa Kirkland is freelance writer whose articles offer consumer advice , Where to Buy Wholesale Picnic Baskets and decorating tips , Advice on Building a Bunk Bed for home , A Vanity Bench Adds a Romantic and Old World Feel to Your Bedroom Decor furniture including sofas, futons, and coffee tables.

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