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Purchasing a NEW couch.....Tips?
Reverend_Chaos
Suit Up!Spokane WARegistered User regular
Suit Up!Spokane WARegistered User regular
So I am expecting my tax return shortly, and I have budgeted $1000 for the purchase of a new couch. My GF has pretty much demanded that it be a new couch, not a used one. I found a comfortable couch priced at $550, which is great, and in a servicably dark color (I have 3 kids, stains are an inevitablity).
I will glady pay the $550 for the couch, but I know that furniture places generally have huge mark-ups on their stuff, so I am wondering what kind of chance I have to get he price lower. All furniture places in the area offer 12 months sames as cash, if not 24 or 36 mo's, and I am going to pay cash up front, so they won't have to wait for their money. What ammount should I offer in this case, and should I deal with the salesman who's looking out for his commision, or should I ask to talk to one of the managers?
I will glady pay the $550 for the couch, but I know that furniture places generally have huge mark-ups on their stuff, so I am wondering what kind of chance I have to get he price lower. All furniture places in the area offer 12 months sames as cash, if not 24 or 36 mo's, and I am going to pay cash up front, so they won't have to wait for their money. What ammount should I offer in this case, and should I deal with the salesman who's looking out for his commision, or should I ask to talk to one of the managers?
“Think of me like Yoda, but instead of being little and green I wear suits and I'm awesome. I'm your bro—I'm Broda!”
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I went on a massive couch hunt throughout three boroughs of New York City, from the ultramodern and posh digs of Manhattan to the Ikea of Brooklyn and finally, settled on the JCPenney of Queens.
I gotta say, the answer was Middle America. What does Middle America do better than anyone else, anywhere? Sitting on couches. They better damn well be comfortable. And where are they buying their couches? Places like JCPenney.
When you shop for a couch, and comfort is your goal, follow Middle America.
I love Ikea to death, and I even liked the mattress I bought from them once (as a 1 year-use-thing), but their couches are absolutely terrible. Not only are they not attractive looking, they're not even soft and comfortable.
Specifically regarding haggling - the easiest things will be getting free delivery, knocking off the tax, etc., especially if you're willing to pay cash. Basically just say some version of "will you offer me any extra benefits for paying cash?" Knocking it significantly down will require more effort (and skills that I, sadly, didn't inherit from my mom).
Check out the overall build quality - things like how the fabric is attached to the frame, the stiching, and how well the pillows are assembled.
As for pricing, depends on the place. Where my wife works, (long-time Chicagoe biz) they really don't haggle. The company has already discounted the price. However, they always have a set discount for paying cash, and will occasionaly have sales. I would deal with the salesperson because their the one making the sale.
Check out any clearance items as well. Can get some good deals.
Also, if you can buy the couch this weekend, you might be able to take advantage of President's Day weekend sales.
This is it here http://www.bestpricedfurniture.com/sofas/sofa/item-24106.html
I was at another furniture store last night, and they were offering to pay the sales tax, and had free delivery, and that was on 3 year financing.... and they had a similar couch that was actually a little bigger for $1000, and it was just as comfortable. So if the first store won't make a deal, then I have no problem walking away and going to the other place. Either way I should be able to get a good deal.
And yes, with Presidents day coming up, there should be some good deals going on.
Go leather or go home.... Couchless...
They aren't that much more expensive and you should find one that fits your budget. My parents had a leather couch that lasted my entire life, and the lives of all of my siblings until it was burned up in a house fire. It survived all of the abuse of 4 children growing up using it.
Also super easy to clean, and no chance that anything will get through the leather and soil the inside. Just think with a fabric couch over the years all the crumbs and nasty that fall inside the cushion.
I'll chime in and second this. I got a hand me down L-shaped couch from a friend that was fabric. By the time it'd made it through our high school years plus two years of my college partying the thing was trashed. Compare this to my friend's nicer leather couch, that also went through college, and still looks like it did when he got it. Granted with regular maintenance you can keep up both types of materials, but for non-leather you may find yourself needing to work harder at it to preserve the fabric.
PSN: TheScrublet
In all fairness, those davenport\sectional style couches can take a hell of alot of abuse with the chitlins.
Maybe it was just me and my friends. But four or so years of partying fucking demolished that couch. We had to put it out of it's misery.
I agree. Leather is downright uncomfortable if your house is not at the perfect temperature at all times. Winters make it cold to the touch, and summers make it....sticky.
Also I have an ikea couch and I like it. The cover sheet is a soft denim feel, and I'm rough as hell on that thing and it hasn't complained once. But I was also on a budget and was looking to make my living room match.
Suede is a good option though, or some sort of suede like material. Incredibly soft, and if you get a pouffy couch you can fall asleep on it pretty easily. It's what my parents have after buying it years and years ago.
If you have them, cats with claws don't mix well with leather couches.
Though the OP wanted NEW, you can score lots more couch/$ buying on consignment. Buying on consignment I scored a $1500 Ethan Allen couch for $350 delivered.
I've had a lot more trouble with fabric couches than with leather in this regard. My cat never bothered my old landlord's leather couches, but the fabric ones at my new place are like convenient scratching posts to her. I wouldn't think leather would catch their claws very well for scratching.
Yeah, felt bad, I totally owe him a couch.
Edit: That's not to say the cat doesn't sharpen her claws on the fabric couches also, it's just that this damage is a lot less visually obvious.
http://www.roomstogo.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=showItem&ipac_id=13215
I got that one for like 800 at the time. Epic awesomeness, really.
No cats so I can't vouch for that bit.