The Truth About Buying Furniture Online: When It Works (And When It Doesn’t)

La-Z-Boy Southeast | November 29, 2025

5 Common Problems with Buying Furniture Online

Online furniture shopping has exploded in popularity, and for good reason. The convenience of browsing thousands of options from your couch, comparing prices instantly, and having items delivered to your door is undeniably appealing. But furniture isn’t like buying books or kitchen gadgets—it’s a significant investment that you’ll live with every single day.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, we help customers navigate furniture decisions daily across our North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia locations. We’ve seen firsthand what works when buying furniture online and what creates expensive headaches down the road.

This article isn’t about convincing you never to shop online. Instead, we’ll give you the real picture so you can make the smartest choice for your situation and budget.

1. When Online Furniture Shopping Actually Works Well

Let’s be honest: online shopping works perfectly fine for certain furniture categories.

Small accent pieces like end tables, nightstands, or decorative chairs are relatively low-risk online purchases. If the finish isn’t quite right or the scale is off, the return process is manageable.

Highly standardized items such as simple bookcases, basic dining chairs, or storage ottomans typically match their online descriptions closely. When a piece has minimal variation in comfort or quality, you’re less likely to be disappointed.

Replacement pieces for furniture you already own—like buying another chair to complete a dining set—make sense online since you already know exactly what you’re getting.

The problems arise with major seating pieces, bedroom furniture, and anything where comfort, quality, and long-term durability matter significantly.

2. The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About

Return shipping gets mentioned often, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here are the costs that catch people off guard:

Time is money. That sectional you ordered? You’ll spend hours unboxing it, assembling pieces, dealing with packaging disposal, and rearranging your room. If it doesn’t work out, add several more hours coordinating the return pickup, repackaging everything, and starting the search over. For many people, that’s an entire weekend—or two.

The assembly trap. Many online furniture pieces require significant assembly. Unless you’re handy and have the right tools, you might need to hire help. That “great deal” you found? Add $100-300 for professional assembly.

Environmental impact. Shipping a large sofa across the country twice (delivery and return) creates a substantial carbon footprint. It’s worth considering if sustainability matters to you.

The warranty wild card. When something breaks on a piece you bought online, you’re navigating customer service call centers and email chains. Compare that to calling the consultant you worked with at a local store who can advocate for you directly with the manufacturer.

Damage during shipping. Large furniture items frequently arrive with dings, scratches, or structural damage. Then begins the tedious photo documentation, customer service negotiations, and waiting for replacement parts or a new delivery—often weeks or months later.

3. What You Actually Miss by Not Shopping In-Store

You Can’t Test Real Comfort

Jessica thought she’d found the perfect recliner online. The reviews were glowing, the price was right, and the photos looked great. When it arrived, she realized the seat depth was too short for her long legs, and the lumbar support hit her in the wrong spot. The return process took six weeks and cost her $200 in shipping fees.

Comfort is incredibly personal. What feels supportive to one person feels stiff to another. Online reviews can’t tell you how a recliner will feel for your body, with your proportions, for your typical lounging position.

You Don’t See the Full Range of Options

When browsing online, algorithms show you what’s popular or what the company wants to move. You might never discover that the sofa you’re considering comes in a stain-resistant performance fabric perfect for homes with kids and pets, or that you can add heat and massage functions to a recliner for less than you’d expect.

Walking through a showroom floor reveals possibilities you didn’t know existed. You might go in looking for a standard sofa and discover a modular sectional that actually solves your awkward room layout better.

You Lose Access to Design Expertise

Furnishing a room involves dozens of decisions: scale, proportion, color coordination, traffic flow, and how pieces relate to each other. Most people feel confident making these choices in isolation but struggle to visualize the complete picture.

Mark ordered a beautiful leather sectional online that looked perfect on his tablet. When it arrived, it overwhelmed his living room, blocked the natural light from his windows, and made the space feel cramped. An interior designer would have caught this immediately by asking about room dimensions and window placement.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, our complimentary design service gives you access to degreed interior designers who can help you plan around your lifestyle, style preferences, and budget—at no extra cost. They’ll catch potential issues before you commit and help you create a cohesive look you’ll love for years.

You Miss the Tactile Experience

Fabric matters more than most people realize. That velvet might look luxurious in photos but feel too delicate for your active household. The leather could photograph beautifully but have a texture or smell you don’t like. The microfiber might seem boring online but feel incredibly soft and practical in person.

Seeing furniture arranged in room vignettes also sparks ideas you’d never get from a white-background product photo. You notice how accent pillows pull a color scheme together, how a throw blanket adds texture, or how a floor lamp creates the perfect reading nook. Many of these accessories are available for purchase and can complete your space.

4. The Smart Hybrid Approach

Here’s how savvy furniture shoppers use both online and in-store shopping to their advantage:

Research online, experience in-store. Browse collections online to narrow down your style preferences and create a mental wish list. Then visit the showroom to test-sit your top contenders and see them in person.

Use online tools for planning. Many furniture retailers offer online room planners and visualization tools. Use these to explore options, then bring your plans to an in-store consultation to refine them.

Compare total cost, not just price tags. When you see a lower price online, factor in delivery fees, assembly costs, potential return shipping, and the value of warranty support and design services. The in-store price often represents better total value.

Build relationships for future purchases. Working with a sales consultant in-store creates an ongoing relationship. They’ll remember your style preferences, notify you about sales on items you liked, and make future furniture shopping faster and easier.

5. Making the Right Choice for Your Situation

Ultimately, the best shopping method depends on what you’re buying:

Consider online for: Small accent pieces, replacement items, highly standardized furniture, and situations where budget constraints are extreme.

Visit a showroom for: Sofas, sectionals, recliners, bedroom furniture, dining sets, and any significant investment piece where comfort and quality matter.

Get expert help for: Room makeovers, first-time furniture buyers, coordinating multiple pieces, or whenever you feel uncertain about your choices.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, we’re here to answer your questions and guide you toward furniture that fits your life. Whether you’ve been researching online and want to see pieces in person, or you’re starting fresh and need comprehensive design help, we’re ready to make your furniture shopping experience exceptional.

Continue Your Furniture Journey

Before you visit one of our showrooms, explore these helpful resources:

Visit us at any of our locations across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia—we’d love to help you find furniture you’ll genuinely love living with.