First things first: I work at Amazon. But like many other people, it’s never been top of mind for me as a place to buy bulky items like furniture. That is, until earlier this year, when I had to move houses and entertain visiting relatives, all while dealing with a busy period at work.
I had to think of the quickest, fastest way to get my new home furnished without having to go to multiple places. Out of a need for sheer convenience, I checked out Amazon.
What kind of furniture can you get on Amazon?
What surprised me was how wide and interesting the selection was. I used filters to help me streamline what I needed, and found really nice beds, shelving, kitchen cabinets, bookshelves, bedside tables, study tables, a sideboard, a shoe rack and more. Pricing was good too—I cross-checked a few other online stores and noticed that in most cases, the selection and prices were better on Amazon.
I ended up getting about 15 pieces of furniture, mostly from small businesses like Alaterre Home Furniture, RESHUZ, Angel Furniture and Made Wood, because I love artisanal products—they offer something different and unique.
What was the buying experience like?
One of the things I really appreciated was that I could view all the delivery dates available and choose when I wanted my items to be delivered.
Other than that, it was just like ordering any other item on Amazon: You browse, click, and buy. The details that I needed were mostly all there. In one instance, I had to ask a seller for the height of a bookshelf which wasn’t in the description, and they replied really quickly.
What was the delivery process like?
Everything came on time and was delivered quite carefully. I’m not a DIY person and was worried that I might have to assemble some items myself, but in India you can book an installation service that Amazon offers for most products that need assembly. And if you don’t want the installation to happen at the same time as the delivery, you can choose a date that’s convenient for you.
Can you return furniture? What is the process?
A coffee table I ordered for the living room didn’t suit my space, so I had to return it. The return was accepted fairly quickly—within two days.
Online furniture shopping tips for you
The next time I order furniture from Amazon, I’ll pay more attention to the product dimensions listed in the descriptions. You’re not seeing the furniture in person, so you really need to be sure of the size of every piece that can fit in each space. I found that reading the customer reviews for the products helped me understand better what to expect. And using the VR option on the Amazon app was a great way to help me visualise how something would look in my home.
When it comes to delivery, because I ordered so many pieces and had them delivered around the same time, I found it hard to identify which piece had arrived because they were all in boxes. The order forms don’t tell you what’s inside—they just list the order numbers. I didn’t know which room each box should be put in. Next time, I’ll create an Excel sheet matching the order number with the product. So I’ll be able to see at a glance what each delivery contains when it arrives, and have it moved to the right place.
(As told to Audrey Phoon, senior editor, About Amazon APAC)
