ᐅ What have you ordered online?

The classic Hornbach trick – I got my roof windows and the vinyl flooring there at a much better price

Buying furniture. A (for me) difficult subject.

I often buy things online (for the garden, electronics, books, etc.), but furniture less so.

1. Pictures on the internet often look different from the real thing
2. I can’t try them out (sit on them, etc.)
3. Even though it’s said that furniture/lamps are cheaper online, I always feel they are still quite expensive
4. The huge variety (for example, with lamps) is overwhelming. When I see that I might have to browse through 400 pages of 20 lamps each, I lose interest (especially since models often repeat or look very similar)

I only remember buying two pieces of furniture online.
A box spring bed from Otto and the changing table (cabinet) from don’t remember where.
We liked the bed and the price was okay. Since the slatted frame and mattress are crucial for beds, I could order without problems.
The changing table fit in terms of price/performance. It’s still there after 5 years. Since our second child has been out of the diaper phase for about 9 months and can mostly dress themselves (with some help), we will probably remove the changing pad soon and continue using it as a dresser.

Otherwise, I approach furniture like @ypg and, if my wife agrees, sometimes like @BeHaElJa.
Our first dining table with 6 chairs, I bought used in 2006 for 130 euros. The table was discarded in 2014 when we moved into the house (because my wife no longer liked it), the chairs were moved to the basement a few weeks ago (and are reactivated when guests come). So they were used for about 8-10 years.
We found the replacement chairs after a long search at Möbel Martin. We liked the color, they were comfortable, and cost only 20 euros each (rather unusual for Möbel Martin). I had prepared for 60 - 100 euros per chair, but there was always something to complain about. Now I realize these chairs aren’t built to last forever. But we have small children who like to make a mess, and if the chairs last only 3 years, they are still more cost-effective than 100-euro chairs over 8-10 years. If they last longer, even better.

Our corner sofa cost about 2,600 euros. At the time of purchase, our daughter was just 4 months old and a move was planned. This means we needed something durable (I’m talking about vomiting kids) that would last a while with reasonable care. Obviously, the sofa has suffered under the small children despite warnings. We have had it for 5 years and it still looks decent. I expect it to last another 5 years.
Friends of ours bought a leather sofa for 6,000 euros about 5 years ago (their children are a similar age). That sofa definitely shows its age already.

Generally, our furniture lasts quite a long time and when removed from one room, it is often reused elsewhere.
The large wardrobe from my wife’s childhood bedroom continued to live on in our daughter’s old room and now stands as the wardrobe for our son (his bed etc. was new). Other furniture from her childhood bedroom serves as filing cabinets and a CD shelf in the office.
The old futon bed from 2002 (replaced by the box spring bed) is now in the office/guest room. Eventually, it will be replaced by a sofa bed — but there’s no rush.
My old wall unit from 1991 is still in the new living room. It was actually supposed to be replaced in 2014 but was spared because the new living room furniture was sacrificed due to higher construction costs.
One base cabinet and two wall cabinets from the old kitchen have found a new use as tool cabinets in the utility room.

The problem with furniture is how it looks. We once ordered a high-gloss sideboard online. However, those are smaller investments. For bigger purchases (garden set, kitchen table, sofa), it’s best to go to a furniture store and negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.

I have currently contacted two online furniture stores and requested honest, unedited photos (for example, from the showroom or warehouse).

One of the stores (massivum) responded quite quickly. Although no photos were included yet, they immediately offered a price reduction from about €2756 (several items) to around €2556.

One of my issues is that I am somewhat "jaded" when it comes to furniture. So far, I haven't had much positive experience with furniture, but it has mostly been from the low-cost range.

For example, when I see a solid wood dining table measuring 198 x 100 x 76 cm (78 x 39 x 30 inches) and weighing 88 kg (194 lbs), I find it hard to believe that this table would fall into the "cheap junk" category.
One example is this particular model

Link removed by moderation

The response from the other furniture store (massivmoebel24) is still pending.

Online furniture retailers have the advantage of not needing expensive showroom spaces. Since furniture is often sold under different brands, it is difficult to make direct comparisons. Expensive furniture isn’t necessarily better than cheaper options; often, you end up paying for artificially inflated prices.

Negotiating is not my thing. Either they offer me a reasonable price from the start, or the time of the staff is wasted. I tell them they have one chance to adjust their offer, and if I’m not satisfied, I will walk away. If I want to buy a sofa for €6370 (about $6700) and they start trying to lower the price by just €70 (about $74), after two hours of consultation, I just leave. When the price starts with a low 4,000 (e.g., €4000 or about $4200), it becomes interesting enough to consider buying. Anything above that is usually artificially inflated to allow for haggling. Since furniture stores often offer 20% off everything during sales, prices outside of sales shouldn’t start with less than a 20% discount, because I find anything less insulting.

Payday, I like you.