Furniture exchange can be a great way to get new items without paying full retail price. This can be especially beneficial for college students, who may not have the budget to pay top dollar for their next apartment or dorm room furnishings.
Furniture stores have a plethora of options when it comes to delivering the goods to your home, from curbside to “white glove” services that bring the furniture directly to your door and assemble it for you. Depending on the retailer, delivery costs range from a flat rate to a percentage of your total order.
Return policies and fees:
Like delivery fees, return policies at walk-in stores vary a lot from store to store. Many retailers offer full refunds, but some require that your item be returned within a certain number of days of purchase, and that you pay for return shipping. Some online furniture retailers also have lenient policies when it comes to returning large pieces of furniture, but you’ll need to repack the item and pay for the return shipping on your own.
Most online-only furniture retailers will offer you the best return policy if you shop for your new pieces on their website. But some do not, so you’ll need to do a bit of shopping around to find the most favorable policy.
For instance, Badcock Home Furniture offers a no-questions-asked return policy on most items (excluding special-order products and items that are not in stock). The company will provide you with a full refund or store credit for any unopened merchandise you’re not satisfied with.
Other notable mentions go to a few other retailers, including Bob’s Discount Furniture, which offers a 90-day return policy and a refund on any damaged item returned in its original packaging. Some online furniture stores, such as Pottery Barn, offer free returns on most items, although you’ll need to fill out a short form on their websites in order to claim your refund.
The most impressive furniture-related novelty is a web portal that allows faculty and staff to list items they’re considering getting rid of as well as to request that items be transferred from their current location to another. This platform, which was introduced to MSU Denver’s Facilities Department in May, is already proving to be a big hit.
