Wanna Buy a Desk Online? - Internet/Web/Online Service Information

Home Office Computing, May, 2000 by Marilyn Zelinsky Syarto

IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TEMPTED TO BUY HOME OFFICE FURNITURE ONLINE but were leery of high shipping costs or potential return hassles, you're not alone. To jump-start sales, merchants have taken retailing to a new extreme--and it's working. In 1998, according to Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research, online consumers bought $268 million worth of furniture, but the figure is expected to reach $3.9 billion by 2004. Here's what you can expect.

Selection Since Web furniture stores don't have to bother with showroom displays, they're free to stock an enormous selection of items. For example, Shop 121.com boasts 124 choices of chairs with casters. Living.com offers over 160 desks and chairs, including the site's best-seller, the $749 Herman Miller Aeron chair. Living.com senior vice president of merchandising Helaine Suval says the company plans to "expand the home office category by offering a greater depth and breadth of assortment."

Value Although style is the mantra of many stores, if you want value, go straight to Staples.com. "Our best-selling item is a HON file cabinet," says vice president of merchandising Kevin Dempsey. "File cabinets are hard to put in the trunk of your car, that's why we've sold thousands of them from the site." Dempsey says the site's advantage is that many customers use their local Staples store as a touch-and-see showroom, then go online to order the furniture.

Perks Most online stores offer a dizzying array of coupons, discounts, and special offers for first-time customers. But the biggest attraction is the promise of free shipping and even free express delivery on some sites--no matter the item's size.

"Free shipping is a big issue in the industry, but right now it's the standard," says Marilyn Bellock, cofounder of GoodHome.com. However, company representatives warn that you should take advantage of the free shipping offers now before they're revisited in a year or two.

Many retailers also offer "white glove" or "red carpet" service in which a contracted delivery service will deliver and assemble your home office furniture. Not happy with the product? Just call customer service, and the vendor will arrange pickup and return of unwanted goods at no cost to you.

Tools Not ready to buy? You can still take advantage of home office planning and design tools from Herman Miller's online store (www.hmstore.com) and Furniture.com--both of which require a Shockwave plug-in. Living.com's "home office wizard" helps you put a home office together in five steps, with a team of professional interior designers on hand to answer e-mail inquiries within 24 hours. Free phone consultations are also planned.

Warranties "Technology tools help sites sell complex items such as home office furniture," says Susan Gilbert Cohen, principal associate of Frazer, Pa.-based Sullivan Marketing Group. "But the process isn't completely seamless. Who will repair furniture if it breaks down the line? E-tailers don't want to absorb returns after a specific amount of time, so it's best to check warranties for online furniture purchases."