For many of us over the past 18 months, it has been a case of either not being allowed into showrooms or simply not wanting to go so that we stay safe. This has meant a lot more sales have been done online. This is how it may stay for a while as well so we have put together a few tips for making sure you have everything covered when investing in your rattan garden furniture.

It’s sometimes hard making purchases online when you can actually see the item or test drive it like you would some new rattan garden furniture. Just because you are buying online doesn’t mean that you take shortcuts or make assumptions. It’s still just as important to make sure you have done everything you can before making your purchase.

Measuring

This is the starting point no matter buying in-store or online. You have to ensure that what you are buying will fit comfortably in your garden. Always double check your measurements as 1 wrong number written down could really mean you are in trouble when your furniture turns up.

Once you are happy with your measurements it’s time to sit down and start looking at the type of furniture you want.

When you finally sit down to start looking through shops for your rattan garden furniture, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed with the different options that are available. It is also very easy to go over budget once you start adding on some extras like a fire pit table, or some extra dining chairs. Have a think about some of the questions below before going off looking at products.

Are you looking for a casual or formal experience?
Do you want full dining or just casual snacks while entertaining? Will you incorporate a BBQ?
Do you want formal dining seating or relaxed rattan sofa seating area? If it’s a sofa you’re looking for, do you want a standard sofa or a rattan corner sofa set?

Once you have gone through these simple questions above you should have an idea of where to start with your furniture options.

Read, read and re-read the description

Always read the product description several times so that you can fully understand what is included and what may be optional extras. Don’t go by the pictures alone as these are done to show what a product can look like fully decorated, not necessarily what a product is. It will also allow you to review the product dimensions against what you have measured previously so you know if the item will fit? At this point, it’s also good to review the space that is left around the product. Just because the product itself will fit in your desired space, will there be enough space to pull the chairs out fully or to walk around the back of someone who is seated? This is also very important to review.

As part of your reading, you should check the product material. As we always state you should be buying a product that has an aluminium frame and not a steel one. You should also be buying a product that has HDPE or PE rattan material. Both together will ensure that you are buying a top-quality item.

Price

This will no doubt have a big part to play in your final decision. Yes, we all would like the amazing looking furniture that costs £5000 but realistically that’s not for everyone. That doesn’t mean that the less you pay the worse the item is. Be sensible and compare products but always ensure your materials used are of the highest quality otherwise you may be looking again in a couple of years! For more advice on materials, read our article Rattan Furniture – Plastic or natural?

Delivery

This is an area that a lot of people overlook. The delivery can be something that people struggle with. You have to remember that you are buying garden furniture, which is not small or always manageable for 1 person. The delivery drivers will only deliver to the front of your property which means that you may need help carrying it to the desired location.

Try to plan the delivery around when you are at home and at a time when someone will be able to help you. Also, ask if there are any extended delivery options. Sometimes, for a small fee, the delivery men can carry your rattan furniture and remove the packaging and some may even offer the ability to assemble your furniture for you. Always ask if anything like this is available when purchasing.

If you have answered the above questions then you are in a position where ordering your furniture online shouldn’t cause you too many problems. As always, we are here to help. If there are any questions then simply get in contact and we will do what we can to answer them for you.