Discount resale shopping

Good bets on where to find the best bargains and greatest selection

Home office veterans may remember the days when buying a desk or chair meant foraging through the dusty office furniture reseller store located downtown. Once there, you'd likely find repossessed commercial furniture from a defunct company. A little ding there, a small scratch here--what did it matter that the oversize green metal desk in your price range wasn't in perfect condition, or that it didn't match your decor?

Fortunately, in the 1990s, office supply superstores sprouted up everywhere, selling affordable, brand-new, ready-to-assemble furniture, ergonomic chairs, and durable file cabinets--all designed to fit residential spaces and the growing needs of the home office professional.

Since then, the industry has flourished, and retailers, online sites, and catalogs are tripping over each other to sell you the latest and greatest in home office furniture. If you're like most people, you'll play it safe and go to the office superstore where, no doubt, you'll find a great selection to fit your budget and decor. But it might be worth your time and money to be a little more adventurous and look beyond the superstore to other retailers, e-tailers, and catalog houses that stock distinctive home office furniture.

Home office furniture emporia can be roughly divided into four categories to suit the four types of shopper:

Full-Service Retail stores are your best bet if you prefer to see, sit on, and test-drive the furniture before you buy. Your options include office supply superstores (such as Staples, Office Depot, and Office Max), traditional furniture stores (such as Ethan Allen), and "lifestyle" stores (such as Crate & Barrel).

Some Hand-Holding If you don't need to touch before you purchase, yet crave a live voice to answer questions about the furniture you're interested in buying, catalog shopping is the way to go. Turn back the corners of a catalog page and mull over your decision for a few days, then shop whenever you like.

Self-Service If detailed descriptions and a full color photo are enough for you and you don't need to talk with anyone (and may even have seen the item priced higher in a retail store), then online shopping should meet your needs. As you shop online, compare prices, and make sure that the shipping charges won't cut into the discount you'll receive. And be cautious: At least one well-known online furniture retail company has gone under in recent months as part of the great dot-bomb shakeout.

Do-It-Yourself Independent types will want to save a bit of cash by purchasing ready-to-assemble furniture from a store such as IKEA--which has both bricks-and-mortar and online presence, prices somewhat Lower than other retailers, and functional furniture with a Scandinavian flair--or unfinished furniture stores.

Whether you're looking for one more piece of furniture to round out your home office or you're starting an office from scratch, this guide will point you in the right direction.

Insider Information

Answers to four commonly asked questions about home office furniture

What's the difference between furniture made from hardwood and furniture made with wood veneer?

The most expensive furniture is made of hardwood, such as oak, maple, and walnut. You can save money by buying furniture made with wood veneers (thin layers of hardwood adhered to particleboard). Higher-end pieces use 1-and-1/8-inch-thick particleboard, while less expensive models employ 3-and-1/3-inch-thick particleboard. High-end pieces sometimes use exotic veneers. When considering furniture with wood veneers, test to see that the piece is sturdy, drawers glide smoothly, and seams are fastened securely.

What is RTA furniture?

RTA stands for "ready-to-assemble." This used to be the least-expensive category of furniture because it was made of inexpensive materials with a price point to match. But all that's changed, as both the quality and styling of RTA furniture have improved, says David Messinger, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Bush Furniture, a Summerfield, N.C.-based RTA furniture manufacturer. "Families would buy RTA furniture until they could afford to buy real furniture," says Messinger. "The category sold at a price point of $100 or below, but today you'll find RTA furniture can sell for well over $1,000." While RTA furniture is still available at lower prices, Messinger says a wealth of furniture made of solid wood and high-quality veneer is available at higher prices. And because RTA isn't always easy to assemble, most stores will go to your house and assemble it for a modest fee.

Where can I find the best deals on home office furniture?

Secondhand doesn't have to mean second-rate. Good-quality, inexpensive furniture is available if you look in secondhand shops and local newspapers such as Bargain News or Penny Saver. Corporations often remodel to keep up with staff growth or replace slightly worn furnishings. They sell their furniture inventory to liquidators, which refurbish and resell the pieces. Some small offices donate used furnishings to a secondhand or consignment store. Because prices run about 50 percent less than new furniture, shopping at secondhand stores makes sense. Salvation Army Stores can be bargain cornucopias. Donations vary from day to day, so there's never a guarantee that home office furniture in good condition will be available, but perseverance could yield good results.

Where can I find high-quality home office furniture like I used to have in my corporate office?

Once open only to large corporations able to buy in bulk, contract furniture showrooms such as Steelcase, Haworth, Knoll, and Herman Miller (see "Guide to Home Office Furniture Retailers, Online Sites, and Catalogs" at the end of this article) now welcome home office professionals seeking new and secondhand commercial-grade furniture. Many of these companies now have resale sections (often in a warehouse) setting slightly used furniture (the better the condition, the higher the cost) at 30 to 50 percent off the list prices. If you have a particular style of furniture in mind, a sates representative can keep your name on file and contact you when the item is available. But be aware that shopping at a showroom is not like shopping at a retail store. Call first and ask what kind of products they sell to small businesses, and to schedule an appointment to visit the showroom.

Guide to Home Office Furniture Retailers, Online Sites, and Catalogs

While no one con keep up with the ever-changing world of home office furniture suppliers, here's a sampling of what's available. The types of transaction offered by each entity follow the name in parentheses.

Aaron Office Furniture ([easing)

(877) REN-FURN www.aoronrents.com/office

New furniture for lease or purchase. "Lease plus advantage" includes monthly payments and free service and repair.

Cort Furniture Rental (leasing)

(888) 669-CORT www.cort1.com

New and used furniture. Emphasizes corporate furniture with some for home office use.

Crate & Barrel (retail and catalog)

(888) 249-4158 www.crateondbarrel.com

Crate & Barrel offers traditional and eclectic looks, hardwood and pine desks, bookcases, and armoires.

Design Within Reach (online)

(800) 944-2233 www.designwithinreach.com

Cutting-edge designs. Its primary customers are interior designers, but products are available to the general public.

Ethan Allen (retail and online)

(888) EAHELP1 www.ethonallen.com

Sells up-to-date line of higher-end home office furniture.

Full Upright Position (catalog)

(800) 431-5134 www.fulluprightposition.com

Offers odd-shaped desks or chairs guaranteed to be conversation icebreakers for home office client meetings.

Furnitureonline.com (online)

(800) 407-8273 www.furnitureonline.com

Easy-to-navigate site offers affordable computer workstations, home office centers, seating, and lighting.

Haworth Inc. (commercial furniture showroom)

(616) 393-3000 www.haworth.com

Contract-quality desks, ergonomic chairs, and storage units are available through a dealer network. A dealer locator service, complete with detailed maps, is available on their site.

Herman Miller for the Home (retail and online)

(800) 646-4400 www.hmhome.com

Commercial and residential furniture manufacturer sells 150 home office items and has developed a "room planner" to help you create a virtual office that fits your dimensions.

IKEA (retail and catalog)

(800) 434-4532 www.ikea-us.com Ready-to-assemble in wood, steel, and glass with clean Scandinavian lines and clever style. Ask for the business furniture catalog.

Knoll (commercial showroom and online)

(877) 61KNOLL www.theknollshop.com

This upscale office furniture manufacturer sells a variety of pieces, especially its renowned ergonomic chairs, on its Web site. You can also call to find a nearby showroom.

L.L. Bean (catalog and online)