When shopping for apartment furniture don’t get stuck in the mindset of looking on the showroom floor. Many furniture stores that sell apartment furniture will have a scratch and dent section. This section will typically have apartment furniture that has either been returned or may have been damage during shipping from the manufacturer. The drawback from buying apartment furniture from the damaged section is there is no return policy, so you need to know what your buying and what is wrong with it before you leave the store.

Here are some other tips if you plan to visit the scratch and dent section:

  • Bring a flash light with you. The lighting in most furniture store warehouses are horrible. They don’t display the damaged apartment furniture on the floor, so more than likely it will be stored in a place where lighting might not be optimal.
  • Inspect the piece of furniture over thoroughly. If it’s a bed – lay on it, if it’s a dresser – open every draw and look underneath it, if it’s a recliner flip it over and check out the mechanics of it. I think you get the point. Don’t be afraid to ask the sales rep for help either. They will still get a commission…make sure they earn it.
  • If your handy with some wood tools…make it a project at home. Last piece of apartment furniture that we purchased was a small entertainment center that had spots. We simply sanded the spots down and re-stained it. Only paid $55 for a piece of furniture that would have been $400 brand new.
  • Just like with any piece of furniture…try and negotiate a price. Trust me, the furniture store does not want to get stuck with a piece of damaged furniture. They will be willing to take less most of the time. If not ask if they will deliver it for free. Try and create more value for your self. Don’t settle for the sticker price even if the piece of furniture is in the scratch and dent.
  • Bundle pricing! As Frank with American Pickers likes to do…ask for a discount if you buy more than one piece of furniture.

I hop some of these apartment furniture buying tips will help you on your next trip to the furniture store. The economy is tight and stores are looking to move inventory. Take advantage of it!

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