There are benefits to buying furniture online and in person. When you shop online, you'll have a much larger variety to browse through, as most retailers only have a small selection of their furniture on display in showrooms. Many salespeople are also trained to be design experts and make recommendations about what pairs well with each other. Although, this leaves room for upselling and pushy behavior if they work on commission.

On the other hand, you'll be able to see furniture in person and try it out when you shop in-store. This is particularly beneficial for pieces like sofas or mattresses, where comfort is paramountYou'll also be able to assess the quality and scale of the furniture more carefully, and if you're shopping locally, your furniture may be delivered much sooner (if the retailer has it in stock). It's also a fairly typical practice to browse in store for inspiration and research and make final purchasing decisions from the comfort of your own home, and vice versa.

Retailers frequently offer storewide discounts around holiday weekends such as Memorial Day and Labor Day and of course, Black Friday. Retailers looking to clear out inventory will also drop prices before launching new collections. You can also save by shopping off-season, like scooping up outdoor patio furniture in the fall, while indoor furniture is most deeply discounted in the winter and summer months. If you have your eye on a more expensive piece, it's worth waiting until one of these holidays to save a bit of money on your purchase. Typical furniture discounts fall anywhere from 20 to 40% off.

It's often worth spending more on furniture that will be used heavily in your home. For instance, if you're shopping for a sofa that will be used daily by your family, it's worth splurging on a model with a solid hardwood frame, stain-resistant upholstery, sinuous spring seats, and dense foam cushions. These features will help ensure the sofa can stand up to daily use and will last for several years — cheaper models will often start to sag quickly and generally need to be replaced much sooner.

On the flip side, if it's going to be a decorative piece in your home like aside tables, decorative chairs, and even bookcases that won't be used directly, I think it's acceptable to opt for less expensive pieces. This could come at the expense of less durable materials like MDF and particleboard Just be sure to check their weight capacity and whether they have exposed hardware that you'll need to hide while styling the piece in your home.