Top 10 reasons to avoid high street furniture stores this January. 

 A new year, a new you, a new home. Many of us get this feeling in January, and with the prospect of all the 'high-street give-aways' out there, run out into the cold in search of that bargain bedroom furniture buying into the hype that we have been force fed since Boxing Day.  But it's unnecessary, uncomfortable and expensive. Here's why.

Reason 1: High-street shopping is horrible.

Furniture shopping itself is horrible on the high-street. Busy, cold, uncomfortable, trying to control or amuse your kids, driving around from store to store in search of a suitable chest of drawers (note the word 'suitable' not 'ideal'). Why would anyone want to endure high-street furniture shopping, when they can sit at home in front of the TV with a cup of tea, and see 10 times more variety?

Reason 2:  Opening times 

Ideally you'd put the kids to bed, leave your telephone number with the babysitter and wonder around DFS with a glass of wine. But usually the only time you can visit the high-street store is on your precious work-free Saturday afternoon.  And obviously you're not alone. When you insist on visiting the high-street store you have to play by the rules of the store, which involves subjecting yourself to a potential nightmare.

Reason 3: Limited choice

Not only is high-street furniture shopping hellish, its also very limiting. Very often you only see what's available in the showroom even though the retailer displays a ton more choice on-line.  We understand the sanity-check part of furniture shopping (You see something online and want to see it in the 'flesh' before purchasing) which is why we have a showroom here at Out There Interiors, however venturing out in search of something before you've done any online research is a sure-fire way to limit your choices. Not to mention very old fashioned.

Reason 4: Mass produced nasties

A lot of high street furniture is very cheap and nasty. The fluorescent lights of the showroom may give that veneer TV stand a shine, but after a month or so of use in your home, it soon shows itself as a cheaply manufactured chipboard nasty. We're not suggesting that there isn't plenty of shoddy furniture online, but there is no denying that there is more choice and more information available (seen reason 8). Also, as mentioned previously, if the shop only has a certain amount of showroom space you may well be steered towards dead stock the retailer wants to push.

Reason 5: High street furniture is often miserable

Limited choice is one thing, but the fact is that if you were to put the majority of high street furniture stores under one roof, the choice would still be limited in terms of style. When you think of high street furniture what springs to mind? High back leather dining chairs and oak effect tables? Wood effect TV units and glass coffee tables with chrome brackets? Divan beds and pine chests of drawers? Ooh delightful.  Avoid the high street and get yourself to Out There Interiors for some interior inspiration. 

Reason 6: Price comparison impossible

Very often products aren't exclusive to the high street furniture shops you visit. Many items are manufactured by suppliers who distribute to retailers. Often the retailer can set whatever price they like on that product, so by visiting just one or two high-street shops you may be massively over paying. It's impossible to know what other retailers are offering the same product by visiting high-street stores, you'll be driving around all year. Online all you need to do is find a product code or name and go searching for the best price.

Reason 7: Annoying shop assistants 

We all like to think we are not sold to, however shop assistants (especially those on commission) can be very persuasive. After all the hassle of searching for that 'suitable' chest of drawers you often only need a little push to just get it over and done with. A small discount just because its Saturday, the promise of a money back guarantee or free (impossible to claim for) damage cover and your sold. Even though you're not convinced. You go home worried that you've made the wrong choice.

Reason 8: Customer reviews not available 

One of the most important aspects of buying online is impartial customer reviews which are impossible to get in high street furniture stores. There you are buying that shiny coffee table unaware that the two-hundred customers to have previously bought it all found that the finish scratched badly within the first year.  Online customer reviews are readily available. Here at Out There we go a step further and ask customers for testimonials on our products so we can put them on the product pages for you to see. 

Reason 9: Doing your own delivery

Buying on the high-street often involves taking the furniture home yourself. Many impulsive shoppers make the mistake of insisting on this, but it's often a mistake. Squeezing a piece of furniture into the back of a car, carefully lifting it out again, manoeuvring a cumbersome item through your hall and up your stairs. Not to mention all the packaging to dispose of. Remember if you damage the furniture in transit you are accountable.  Do yourself a favour and opt for delivery. Let drivers who are used to carrying the furniture do the hard work for you.  Here at Out There we have a two-man service as standard, so you won't have to lift a finger.

Reason 10. Don't throw away your well-earned money

It's a well known fact that products are cheaper online. Online stores don't have to employ hundreds of staff or pay astronomical high street rent. With cheaper overheads online furniture stores can sell much more competitively than the high-street, and yet many people still feel nervous about buying furniture online. To avoid getting stung look for a furniture store with a simple returns policy such as our 'return on arrival' policy which allows you to send the furniture directly back if you don't like it.