Don’t get me wrong–I like IKEA. Sure, it’s a pain to assemble a bed frame using only an Allen wrench and drawings of a humanoid creature. But it’s the go-to place for affordable furniture, and they have a lot of great stuff.
But maybe you’re ready for something different. Perhaps you’ve gotten lost in their store one too many times. Or maybe you’re tired of seeing the same LACK side table and POANG chair in everyone’s home. You want a little variety, and I don’t blame you. If so, here are ten other affordable furniture stores like IKEA (minus the maze).
1. Amazon
Yes, Amazon is actually a pretty amazing place to find affordable furniture. Now, their prices can be over the place. But with some filtering, and you can find great deals on furniture. I once bought a comfortable, executive desk chair for $25. That’s an extreme example, but it’s worth a look. Their daily Gold Box Deals also often include steep discounts on furniture.
2. Sears Outlet
Yes, Sears has an online outlet, and you can find some incredible deals. In my own search, some discounts were up to 82%. Some of their sofas–not futons–were as low as $280. The caveat is, not all items can be shipped, and some of them may not be available for pickup near you. The good news is: you can browse by pickup location to find a store nearby.
3. Muji.com
If you’re into simple, minimalist design, you’ll love Muji. They’re quite similar to IKEA in price, quality, and aesthetic. Muji has locations throughout Europe and Asia, but in the States, their storefronts are limited to New York and California. You can order items online, and you’ll have to pay for shipping. But their prices are pretty affordable, so it may be worth the extra cost.
4. Urban Outfitters
Frankly, a lot of their stuff is overpriced. But some of their furniture items are comparable to IKEA prices, especially when they’re on sale. And if you check their clearance section, you can usually find some decent deals.
5. Stores that Sell Floor Models
It might be a long shot, but it’s worth asking. Some furniture stores will sell their floor models for a fraction of the price. At one frou-frou store here in L.A., I nabbed two fancy floor model barstools for $70 each. IKEA prices, better quality.
6. AllModern.com
Here’s another online retailer whose prices are all over the map. Some of their stuff is, frankly, insanely expensive. But a lot of is it surprisingly affordable–and not just by comparison. Oddly, depending on the day and time, I’ve noticed their prices fluctuate.
So here’s a tip: if you’ve got your eye on something, monitor it for a while. Also, consider searching in Private or Incognito mode. Sometimes, you’ll find lower prices.
7. Overstock.com
You probably know that Overstock is a discount surplus site, but maybe you didn’t know their prices rival even Amazon’s. I’ve found a few of the exact same Amazon products cheaper at Overstock. So make sure compare prices.
Bonuses: free shipping if you spend more than $50 and a 10% off coupon if you sign up for their email list.
8. Big Lots
Big Lots is another option, and you probably have a store near you. They’re similar in quality and price to IKEA, just with less variety. You can find even better deals on their furniture clearance items online.
9. Cost Plus World Market
Some of their stuff is a bit more expensive than IKEA. But, occasionally, they have sales that bring down the prices considerably. Oh, and here’s a funny story:
Years ago, I bought a couch, in-store, for like, $450. A few years later, the cushions started sinking. Granted, I had a few couch guests over the years (and I did jump on it once, when I got my first job in LA). But I felt like the couch should’ve been able to handle that. When I emailed Cost Plus, they agreed. And they gave me credit, for the exact amount I paid, to buy a new couch. So they get bonus points for their amazing customer service.
10. Etsy
Etsy is a great place to find handcrafted furniture. Yes, sometimes, these prices are going to be expensive–after all, these are independent store owners. But, considering the quality, there are remarkable deals to be had.
You can find decent prices on reclaimed or upcycled vintage furniture, too.
Consider Quality
Some will argue, rightfully, that it pays to spend a bit more money on quality furniture you’ll have for years. This is definitely true. But not everyone can afford a $2,000 couch; sometimes you have to compromise. Also, if you take care of your stuff (i.e., don’t jump on your couch when you get a new job), you might still be able to keep lower-quality items for a long time. Of course, you can also get great deals on quality used furniture with tried-and-true methods: yard sales, estate sales, thrift stores, etc.
Have you guys ever bought from any of the stores above? If so, would you recommend them? Are there any I forgot?
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I like Ikea but every time I go in it I get dizzy. The way the store is laid out for some reason causes me to want to pass out. I’m actually looking at getting furniture for the new Phroogal digs and should definitely check out alternatives you’ve mentioned.
Hehe–I know the feeling! Is Phroogal getting a new office? Very cool!
Totally agree with you on IKEA! Love the place and their prices, but I get lost in there way too easily and sometimes, I just don’t want to have to assemble my furniture!
To answer your question, I purchased my first couch and love seat from Big Lots four years ago and they held up pretty well. We paid $250 for the couch and $200 for loveseat, both Ashley, which was great since I was moving into my first place and on a tight budget! The biggest complaint I had was that the cushions were sewn to the frame, so you couldn’t fluff them or clean them easily. I got married a year after buying them and my husband does most of his work and schoolwork on the couch, so they got pretty worn looking since we couldn’t fluff them or turn over the cushions occasionally. I would totally recommend Big Lots furniture though. I’ve also heard good things about World Market’s furniture from friends and I’ve seen where some HGTV shows buy from there.
Good to know! The World Market couch I mentioned had attached cushions too–so that may be something for budget shoppers to look out for. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I have a dog that has ruined my cushions. He likes to pile them and nest on top like “Princess and the Pea”. I’m thinking attached cushions might be a good solution.
I’m definitely interested in Overstock! I’ve been looking at a few things on their site but haven’t pulled the trigger. We’ve had our IKEA couch for 5 years and it has served us so well, but I think we’re ready to upgrade to something a little bigger and sturdier, and we’ll likely work with someone on Etsy or similar for a custom couch! Also, on the opposite end, I think Pottery Barn furniture is beautiful but way overpriced.
I feel the same way about CB2. I love their stuff and appreciate that they’re trying to be the affordable version of crate and barrel, but they’re a tad too pricey to put it on the “budget furniture” list. Etsy sounds like a fun idea!
what is CB2?
I just wanted to put a little bit of input here.
I worked in a furniture store for a little over a year, and I just wanted to say NEVER EVER buy floor models, yes you get a cheaper price, but that’s because they are selling you crap items.. We used to glue our floor models to make them look not broken, had wood pens to color in all the scratches, and if it hadn’t been scratched or broken, there is a good chance that it’s the floor model because it has something else wrong with it.. I worked at a high quality, well known furniture store so this isn’t coming from somewhere that sells bad furniture.. Just thought I would share my knowledge because as far as I know, from other employees who had worked in other furniture stores too, that kind of stuff is extremely common.
This is good to know–I appreciate the comment! It wasn’t my experience the one and only time I’ve bought floor model furniture, but I’ll definitely keep this in mind next time I consider it.
I remember the first time I needed to buy furniture that I actually needed. For the first few years of college I lived with roommates, then friends, and then my wife in apartments. I was always able to get free things from family or friends, and collect things like that which made it easy. Once my wife and I moved into a condo during my last year of college, we decided to buy our own furniture. I wish I would have known about these things back then. It would have made that experience a lot easier.
Yeah, I used to like to go to IKEA but that place is overwhelming. Now I just tend to look around online stores like Amazon and Overstock. Not to mention, their prices are actually competitive and sometimes lower than the market. I haven’t checked out Etsy much, I’ll definitely take a look on the other places you mentioned here. Thanks!
Hey, thanks for the comment! Yeah, I appreciate the idea of IKEA, but that maze just makes me sleepy. 🙂
Yard sales and thrift stores are great but bed bugs are an issue. I don’t think those are good places to get furniture…..
Good point–you should always check thoroughly for this kind of stuff. I’ve bought plenty of things from yard sales without an issue, although there are some items I personally probably wouldn’t buy used, and a mattress is one of them.
My experience with Ikea is the worse I have had with any store. No customer concern. I never even got my item and they charged me for and I have been fighting 2 months for a return. No luck.
Use anyone except them!
Lois
I’m super behind on posting but I’ve bought furniture and accessories in almost all these places. Wayfair and All Modern are the same company just different divisions. The selection of furniture on Wayfair is second to none plus there have reviews on furniture by customers. I never had a problem with them. I have had a lot of problems with Overstock.com either wrong pieces are delivered,come completely damaged, packed poorly on and on – I avoid them. Also try Home Goods part of Marshall’s and T.J.Maxx you can find gems of furniture there. Etsy is can be pricey because all their furniture is usually made of solid wood, designed and built by hand by craftsman not mass produced. Just another idea, keep your eyes on major store furniture sales throughout the year – clearance sales are usually good.
If you have an Aarons near you, they usually have parking lot sales once or twice a year on their products that are slightly damaged.
Very informative article about purchasing affordable furniture.My experience is with amazon and one can also find very good “used deals” on amazon at cheap prices.
Hey kristin,
Have you tried WayFair? Where would you rate this famous furniture store?
I love that you mentioned Overstock.com. When I first found the site, I was a little skeptical, but their products are the real deal, and you are right- they do rival the prices you find on Amazon. I also heard you can buy mattresses on Amazon! So if you need a mattress, but have essentially no way to get it to your house, feel free to check it out!
Thank you for mentioning Overstock! I have used it multiple times and have always found discounted items. Also, if you don’t mind used furniture you can always buy from local stores! I have made some of my best purchases for furniture locally and haven’t regretted any of them!
All affordable furniture is either craigslist or smaller furniture websites, not large ones like amazon, wayfair, etc. The service is better, attention is to individual customer, and actually they mostly do delivery w/ full assembly for free. I’ve bought my tables, tv-unit and sofa-love combo on comfyco.com which is quite small local NY company, but there’s a lot of them.
Well the term you get what you pay for still holds true to this day. We bought a click clack ( a folding four on like sofa) from big lots for $150.00 it was crap that lasted a year maybe 2. My mother bought a patio set from Lowe’s when we first moved here 22 years ago for $950.00. she has passed but that patio set is on the side of my house. Ok so visions are long gone as well but the set is still beautiful. I have used it as a dinning set, work shop horses and bench and again as a patio set. I thank her Everytime we use it for leaving me something of hers that lasted.