Retail furniture from office furniture stores can be costly unless you look for bargains that can help you save when buying furniture for your office space. Cheap furniture stores and discount furniture stores are the first place to look when you need to save money, but you can find ways of working with furniture retailers to get a better price on retail items. All it takes is a little research and the willingness to ask for the best price.

Many home furniture stores and office furniture stores offer many ways to save money if you are willing to ask. If you are shopping in a showroom, you can easily save money by doing the following:

1. Buying showroom models instead of new stock.

2. Exploring furniture stores that offer scratch and dent items.

3. Asking for discounts on large orders.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose furniture for your office from wholesale furniture suppliers

To get the best deal on office furniture, choose wholesale dealers that can get you the most furniture for your money. Some wholesale outlets will not let you buy furniture unless you are a retailer, but there are some wholesalers who are willing sell directly to the public.

I recommend: You can choose from hundreds of wholesale office furniture items from OfficeFurniture.com, or you can check out the selection of commercial and home office furniture from Wholesale Warehouse Supply.

Find furniture from used furniture stores for your office

Office furniture is one type of furniture that can be well used, but is often in good condition after years of use. The best way to get a great deal on office furniture is to work with an office furniture retailer that specializes in selling used office furniture. This way, you'll still have plenty of selection.

I recommend: FurnitureFindex.com and Iverson's are two retailers that sell used office furniture at low prices, for those small businesses and startups.

Check online furniture stores for deep discounts

You can find many great discounts with online furniture stores because there are small fees that both parties can avoid. Buyers usually avoid paying sales tax unless the warehouse is located in their state, and many online furniture stores can set up shipping directly from the manufacturer so it costs them less to get the products to your office.

I recommend: Office Doctor offers all types of office furniture styles for 50-percent off list price. FurnitureBuzz offers free shipping on most orders and a guaranteed lowest price.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many furniture outlet stores do not make a point to advertise some of their specials, so make sure to ask about any deal you can get on the office furniture you want to buy.

Retail furniture says a lot about your business. When people enter your lobby and wait in comfortable chairs surrounded by attractive furnishings, they have a favorable impression of your business. Likewise, a poorly furnished office can set an unprofessional tone.

Retail furniture can be expensive, especially for businesses on a budget. When purchasing furniture for your business, save money by comparing prices at a variety of furniture retailers. There are several types of furniture retailers to consider when purchasing furniture for your business.

1. Browse local furniture shops for bargains close to home.
2. Check out the selection at national home furniture stores.
3. Go online to find retail furniture at discounted prices.
4. Look at the furniture inventory at online auction sites.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Search for retail furniture for your company at local furniture stores that offer excellent customer

Local furniture retailers offer knowledgeable sales staff to help select furniture that will meet your company's needs. Often, local home furniture stores are willing to negotiate on pricing. Local fine furniture stores usually offer free delivery.

I recommend: If you are looking for a particular furniture manufacturer, visit America Home Furnishings Alliance’s furniture finder.

Shop for retail furniture at national home furniture stores, which frequently offer sale promotions

National chains tend to have less selection than local home furniture stores, but offer more in-stock availability. National furniture stores often run sales and will add you to their mailing lists to let you know about upcoming opportunities.

I recommend: National discount furniture stores like RoomStore offer a good selection of office furniture. The RoomStore site offers helpful tools like a style guide and a room planner. JCPenney also offers office furniture. Their website features a color guide with suggested palettes that can be helpful in creating a cohesive office environment.

Research online furniture stores to find retail furniture at discounted prices

Online furniture stores offer furniture from popular home furniture stores at considerably reduced prices. The challenge of online furniture shopping is that it is difficult to determine quality, but most sites offer online reviews. If you decide to purchase online, calculate shipping into your total purchase price.

I recommend: At Overstock, narrow your retail furniture search by category, price or special features. Carefully read the fine print when purchasing online. Overstock has an oversized item delivery policy. There may be additional fees incurred to deliver an item up a flight of stairs, or even into your home or business. Furniture Find advertises that if you see any item for less, they will work to negotiate a better price for you.

Check out retail furniture at online auction sites to get great deals on overstocked items

Online auction sites are growing in popularity, even for retail furniture. Many wholesale furniture brokers, furniture outlet stores and office furniture stores sell directly to the public online, which can be a significant savings for your business - often up to 70% off suggested retail prices. While online auction sites offer great deals, be aware that each seller may have their own terms for payment and shipping.

I recommend: Ebay offers a diverse selection of buyer’s guides, including several dedicated to furniture purchases. The large selection of new and used office furniture can be overwhelming, so it may be helpful to narrow your search using the “narrow your results” and “search option” tools on the sidebar.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Outlet malls often include retail furniture options for your company. Retailers like Pottery Barn have furniture outlet stores throughout the country.

Furniture retailers offer large selections of furniture for the home and office. If you want to set up your office with the best furniture that accommodates all your employees, and is also comfortable for many years to come, get to know furniture retailers key terms. Home furniture stores can also assist you on learning about what's best for the office, compared to what is best for the home office.

The best way to look for the type of furniture you need is to visit online furniture stores. Here you will be provided with a written description of each product, as well as a photograph in most cases. The points you will want to look for are:

1. How comfortable the furniture is for the employees who have to use it all day.

2. How large the furniture, is compared to the space you have.

3. The price of new retail furniture, versus used or wholesale.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose from a variety of desks offered by office furniture stores

Office desks come is a variety of styles, but one of the most important considerations is desktop space. Whether your company primarily uses computers for work or not, the desks you choose should have enough room for employees to work comfortably.

I recommend: L-shaped desks are perfect for those who need to multitask throughout the day, or just need both a writing space and desk space for a computer. Compact desks are smaller, but still provide the workspace that most employees need. This type of desk is good for tight office spaces.

Find comfortable chairs from contemporary furniture stores

When choosing an office chair, there are many things to consider. You need something that is comfortable, but do you need to have the mobility of wheels? Because there are many types of office chairs, it's a good idea to determine whether the chair will mainly be used by guests in your office or those work in the office all day long.

I recommend: This executive office chair from ABC Home Store is a good example of the mix of comfort and style. A guest chair still provides comfort, but is stationary. A newer style is the kneeling office chair, which provides superior back and leg comfort.

Look in furniture outlet stores for storage solutions

Supplies for furniture retailers, offices, and other business spaces include storage solutions. This can come down to basic filing cabinets, or can be elaborate shelving and closet systems to store any type of supplies or files found in that particular space.

I recommend: Under-the-desk units are popular in small office spaces. This gives employees the necessary space they need for their files and other important papers without cabinets cluttering the walls. Two-door cabinets can blend into the background if you need hidden storage space. If security is an issue, steel storage cabinets are the strongest and most durable storage solutions on the market.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Once you decide on the type of office chair or desk model you need, shop around at a handful of cheap furniture stores to find the best price. Ask for any discounts that are available.

Home and office furniture stores are great places to begin your search when looking to furnish your business or home office. The problem with many retail furniture stores is that you are faced with steep retail or fine furniture pricing that can make a big dent in your budget.

If you have your heart set on a certain look for your office but can't afford the full retail price, you do have options. Consider the following ways to get fine furniture store quality at discount furniture store prices:

1. Ask furniture stores if they offer volume discounts when you need to purchase a quantity of furniture.

2. Shop in the clearance section of furniture outlet stores or online furniture stores.

3. Find online furniture retailers that offer discounts on shipping. They save money and pass it on to you by eliminating the costs of brick and mortar storefronts.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Ask furniture store managers if they offer volume discounts

With volume discounts, your savings grow as you spend more money. This arrangement is a win-win for all parties. The furniture store sells more and you walk away with a bargain.

I recommend: Accurato offers volume discounts on home and office furniture. Vermont Woods Studios website outlines increased discounts based on the volume of furniture purchased. The store offers 15% savings on orders totaling more than $15,000.

Save by shopping at furniture retailers that offer clearance or overstock items

Furniture retailers need to get rid of old inventory to make room for new items. This 'housecleaning' period is a great time to shop for discounted furniture offered as clearance or overstock at steep discounts.

I recommend: Max Furniture website features two pages of clearance office furniture. One Way Furniture carries several lines of overstock and clearance furniture of all kinds--including office furniture.

Save with online-only furniture retailers that don't pass on extra costs

Furniture retailers with a storefront must pay the rent and utilities involved in displaying their wares. These extra costs are passed down to the consumer. Online furniture retailers eliminate these costs, which can result in savings to you.

I recommend: Furniture From Home website features an article with tips on how to be a savvy online furniture shopper. The site also sells furniture. Owned by Furniture.com-CSN Stores, FurnitureFind's inventory includes office furniture, and they offer free shipping.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are looking to save really big and don't mind buying something that is isn't brand new, consider inventory that is either 'scratch and dent' or slightly used. While this furniture might need some TLC to bring it up to your standards, it will come at a significant savings.