Where to Shop for Your Home Online When Shops are Closed
Furnishing or decorating your home with a click just got easier as shops enhance the online buying experience
Photos & Advice
Credit card companies reported that in January to March this year, cardmembers spent up to twice as much compared to the same period last year. Insurance, online groceries, online food delivery, online movies, games or music subscriptions made the top of the list. With shops shuttered, we are also shopping online for other things that are important during this work-from-home and home-based-learning time – desks, chairs, technology, stationery and storage solutions.
The good news about buying furniture and homewares online now are the discounts retailers are offering to boost their sales, personalised service and free delivery or lower minimum spend.
Como Decor
What’s new: Free delivery islandwide with no minimum spend, till June 1.
“We started a Design Chat service and Customisation enquiry chat during the Circuit Breaker. Design Chat allows the team to engage with customers regarding any product or styling questions they may have. We provide complimentary personalised styling service where customers can send us photos of the rooms they would like to restyle. The team will then come up with a list of recommended products for the customer that would fit the space.”
What’s new: Free delivery islandwide with no minimum spend, till June 1.
“We started a Design Chat service and Customisation enquiry chat during the Circuit Breaker. Design Chat allows the team to engage with customers regarding any product or styling questions they may have. We provide complimentary personalised styling service where customers can send us photos of the rooms they would like to restyle. The team will then come up with a list of recommended products for the customer that would fit the space.”
Wall arts
“We also have customers who are looking to combine artwork from our store but are unsure of how they may look together. The team can provide a mock-up for their review before they commit to the purchase.
“We do a lot of customisations for our products customers used to enquire through email. With our new messenger chat service, they have another way to reach us or get instant quote for their customisation.”
Try: Pre-styled bundle sets that save you up to 30 per cent.
“We do a lot of customisations for our products customers used to enquire through email. With our new messenger chat service, they have another way to reach us or get instant quote for their customisation.”
Try: Pre-styled bundle sets that save you up to 30 per cent.
Industrial-styled cabinets
Journey East
What’s new: “Delivery has never stopped – in fact we started working with more delivery partners to provide more cost-effective delivery solutions for smaller items, as well as cater to increasing demand for international delivery.
Try: More than ever, it’s important to create a home space that makes you happy. For smaller items, we have some beautiful table and standing lamps to add practical productivity to the workspace.
Shopping tip: Please support your local stores! Oh, and remember to buy from reputable shops who offer support with product and after-sales queries.
What’s new: “Delivery has never stopped – in fact we started working with more delivery partners to provide more cost-effective delivery solutions for smaller items, as well as cater to increasing demand for international delivery.
Try: More than ever, it’s important to create a home space that makes you happy. For smaller items, we have some beautiful table and standing lamps to add practical productivity to the workspace.
Shopping tip: Please support your local stores! Oh, and remember to buy from reputable shops who offer support with product and after-sales queries.
Slumbershelves
Spaceman
What’s new: See how these space-saving solutions work with a live demo.
“We still offer our virtual appointments which is exactly what it sounds like. Customers can book a video consultation and we will discuss their needs, they can show us the space they are furnishing if they wish, and then we can propose solutions for them and demonstrate them live in our design studio. That includes our home office range, murphy beds, multi function or extending dining tables, real mattress sofa beds, and kids beds. We can demonstrate how our pieces work and also show them the finishes. In this way, customers can get almost the same level of understanding and confidence as they would from a physical visit.
Being able to discuss the customer’s needs whilst they are often in the space they wish to furnish creates a unique opportunity to be able to recommend not only products but also designs and finishes to suit their home. For customers wanting to order, we can also have samples sent to them if they wish.
What’s new: See how these space-saving solutions work with a live demo.
“We still offer our virtual appointments which is exactly what it sounds like. Customers can book a video consultation and we will discuss their needs, they can show us the space they are furnishing if they wish, and then we can propose solutions for them and demonstrate them live in our design studio. That includes our home office range, murphy beds, multi function or extending dining tables, real mattress sofa beds, and kids beds. We can demonstrate how our pieces work and also show them the finishes. In this way, customers can get almost the same level of understanding and confidence as they would from a physical visit.
Being able to discuss the customer’s needs whilst they are often in the space they wish to furnish creates a unique opportunity to be able to recommend not only products but also designs and finishes to suit their home. For customers wanting to order, we can also have samples sent to them if they wish.
Slumberdesk
Try: Slumberdesk which is a Murphy Bed combined with desk. Your master bedroom, guest room or kids rooms can then double up as a study. Or a home office desk that offers plenty off workspace but close up to conceal everything when it’s time to relax in the evening or at the weekend. You can also free up space to exercise, do yoga etc.
Beds
Grafunkt
What’s new: “Via our digital concierge system, we continue to offer personalised assistance through our Product Specialists, who are also able to aid in purchases and payment remotely. This personal connection, albeit digitally, is important to us because we want to make sure that our customers are not receiving robotic replies, but are getting the information, recommendations and understanding of the brands and products we are offering. We recognise the unique situation and needs of every single person who approaches us, so there is no one-answer-fits-all too.”
What’s new: “Via our digital concierge system, we continue to offer personalised assistance through our Product Specialists, who are also able to aid in purchases and payment remotely. This personal connection, albeit digitally, is important to us because we want to make sure that our customers are not receiving robotic replies, but are getting the information, recommendations and understanding of the brands and products we are offering. We recognise the unique situation and needs of every single person who approaches us, so there is no one-answer-fits-all too.”
Tables
Try: “A coffee table – it’s great because now that we’re working form home, we realise the importance of functional surface spaces. Coffee tables actually make for great working surfaces. And even after this work-from-home period, it still works to organise the space, or create a space for us to display and hold daily items.
A good chair – not only does it last longer, but it also makes a huge impact on our body posture and long-term comfort. A good chair can definitely make harder days easier to sit through.
A lounge chair – having a lounge chair to just soak in the moment, spend some time resting, thinking or spending time with a young one. It’s a cosy notion that we deserve to indulge in at home.
Shopping tip: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions before making a purchase. You are looking to make an investment so you should find out as much as you can about the product. It’d be good to research and see what others say about the particular model you’re eyeing too.”
A good chair – not only does it last longer, but it also makes a huge impact on our body posture and long-term comfort. A good chair can definitely make harder days easier to sit through.
A lounge chair – having a lounge chair to just soak in the moment, spend some time resting, thinking or spending time with a young one. It’s a cosy notion that we deserve to indulge in at home.
Shopping tip: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions before making a purchase. You are looking to make an investment so you should find out as much as you can about the product. It’d be good to research and see what others say about the particular model you’re eyeing too.”
Ikea
What’s new: Some categories are not available online: metre fabrics; live plants; handmade rugs; customised kitchen worktop/panel items and food from the Restaurant, Swedish Food Market and Bistro.
“Online shopping traffic has been relatively steady during this period of time. We have seen an increase of 63 per cent in our web traffic during this timeframe as compared to last year. We have seen a surge in the following categories: Cooking and Dining, Eating, Power Supply and Charging, Storage Boxes and Workspaces.
It’s clear that many people are counting on Ikea now to meet their new reality of life at home, and our delivery, assembly services and 365 days return policy remain in place to support our customers through this period. All our co-workers and delivery/assembly partners are working hard to fulfil our customers’ orders with added measures to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone, such as practicing strict social distancing, receiving regular temperature checks, applying hand sanitisation and wearing face masks.”
What’s new: Some categories are not available online: metre fabrics; live plants; handmade rugs; customised kitchen worktop/panel items and food from the Restaurant, Swedish Food Market and Bistro.
“Online shopping traffic has been relatively steady during this period of time. We have seen an increase of 63 per cent in our web traffic during this timeframe as compared to last year. We have seen a surge in the following categories: Cooking and Dining, Eating, Power Supply and Charging, Storage Boxes and Workspaces.
It’s clear that many people are counting on Ikea now to meet their new reality of life at home, and our delivery, assembly services and 365 days return policy remain in place to support our customers through this period. All our co-workers and delivery/assembly partners are working hard to fulfil our customers’ orders with added measures to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone, such as practicing strict social distancing, receiving regular temperature checks, applying hand sanitisation and wearing face masks.”
Tell us
What have you bought online for your home? Share your shopping tips as well.
More
Find a renovation professional in Singapore
Browse more Singapore photos for design inspiration
What have you bought online for your home? Share your shopping tips as well.
More
Find a renovation professional in Singapore
Browse more Singapore photos for design inspiration