Are you a bargain hunter always on the search for the best deals? When it comes to the world of furniture, mattresses, décor or other housewares, you can often save money by seeking out scratch-and-dent, floor model, or other pieces being sold as-is.
But what are the pros and cons of buying as-is furniture? Are the savings really worth it? What risks and upsides do these deals present to shoppers? Read on and as we weigh the benefits and drawbacks together!
“As-Is”, “Scratch-and-Dent” & “Floor Models”: What Do These Terms Even Mean?
Here at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet, when folks come into our showroom, so many of them are overwhelmed. Not just with our large selection or the many different brands we carry, but also with our selection of as-is, floor model, closeout, and scratch-and-dent pieces. This is particularly true when it comes to our Acworth furniture store. That’s because in addition to our normal inventory, our flagship location has a great number of as-is furniture deals.
However, before we dive into the pros and cons of buying as-is furniture, we need to briefly explain what these different terms mean. This will help you navigate your next furniture shopping trip - whether you shop with us or elsewhere!
- Scratch-and-Dent: a piece of furniture that has minor cosmetic imperfections, whether from the manufacturer, due to mishandling, returned by customer, etc.
- Floor Model: a furniture piece that has spent time displayed on the showroom floor, and as a result usually has minor but natural wear, staining, discoloration, etc.
- As-Is: this broad, umbrella term often overlaps with the terms above, but specifically refers to any item being sold without warranty or without the ability to return / exchange
[Editor’s Note: Please note that here at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet, as-is merchandise is not the same as closeout merchandise, because unlike as-is items, closeouts may still be covered by warranty or eligible for our Furniture Care Protection plan. While closeouts and clearance items may be sold as-is elsewhere, only scratch-and-dent and floor models are sold as-is in our stores.]
What Are The Pros & Cons of As-Is Furniture?
The Pros
1) Low Price / High Value. This is the primary selling point most shoppers cite as their reason for considering as-is furniture. The possibility of buying for significantly less than regular price provides shoppers with a real and obvious value.
2) No wait. Take it home today! Another key benefit that many shoppers don’t consider is that floor models, scratch-and-dent and other as-is pieces are already sitting on the showroom floor for immediate sale. That means no extra trips to a warehouse for pickup and no waiting for furniture deliveries if you don’t want.
3) What you see is what you get. While as-is furniture may have minor cosmetic imperfections or wear, the piece you see before you is the exact piece that you’ll be taking home, so there are no potential surprises while unboxing your purchase.
4) Some are unique pieces that may not be readily available elsewhere. When buying this type of merchandise, you’re usually dealing with very limited quantities. This means that occasionally you’ll find unique deals you can’t find anywhere else.
The Cons
1) Restrictions on Warranties & Returns. Just like the lower price and savings are the main benefit shoppers consider, worries about restrictive return policies and lack of warranty protection are easily the leading drawback. It’s even right there in the name – “as-is”. Here at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet, our scratch-and-dent and floor model furniture are sold as-is. This means there’s no manufacturer warranty or Furniture Care Protection plans available for these items.
2) Limitations on Delivery & Pickup Options. This is the flip side of the coin above. While as-is merchandise can usually be picked up immediately, here at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet, delivery options like our Curbside Delivery require the products to be in their original packaging. As a result, scratch-and-dent and floor model items must either be picked up by the customer, or delivered by Premium Delivery within 5 days of purchase.
3) Possibility of Wear or Minor Imperfections. Floor models have spent time being tried out by shoppers on the showroom floor. Scratch-and-dent models are sometimes returned items or have cosmetic issues from the manufacturer. As a result, there’s always the possibility of minor imperfections.
4) Limited Supply. Once it’s sold, it may be gone for good! Unlike regularly stocked furniture, as-is merchandise isn’t always available. That means that if you don’t strike while the iron is hot, you may not be able to find it for sale later.
Does As-Is Furniture Sound Like a Good Fit for You?
As you can see, there are other benefits and drawbacks to consider with as-is furniture beyond just a lower price and limitations on returns. Now that you’re familiar with all these pros and cons, you should know whether an as-is furniture purchase is right for you! So, what do you think?
The good news is that Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet has you covered either way – from limited as-is pieces to in-stock product lineups from nearly 100 established furniture and mattress brands! If you’re in North Georgia or metro Atlanta area and are looking for fair prices on one-off, scratch-and-dent or floor model furniture, you need to visit us at our Acworth showroom ASAP!
Have more questions about buying as-is furniture? Pay us a visit, give us a call, or reach out to us today using our quick and easy live-chat.
