Have a sample, a furniture sample

You know how it's impossible to get a decent bathing suit in August, but you can easily find corduroy pants in 9 different colors?  Clothing retailers start discounting their spring collections early to make room for fall pieces.  And you know what?  Furniture retailers do the same thing.  ​

Fall collections usually launch in late July or early August with email blasts, magazine ads, window displays and other marketing initiatives.  The new product has to be on the floor at the same time.  What's the point in driving traffic to the store if the cool new stuff isn't there?  This means now is an excellent time to score some deals on furniture.

The thing with floor samples is that you have to be completely open minded (lots of needs to fill) or supremely focused (you're looking for night tables with drawers in a white finish).  Also, if you are looking for multiples of a particular item, you may have to reach out to several locations.  If you want the deal, be prepared to do the legwork yourself.  More likely, you'll have to pay full price for at least one.    

Here are a few more pointers:

• Take pictures of the existing pieces with which you are looking to coordinate
• Have necessary measurements-doorways, size of television, etc.
• Floor samples are almost always final sale and are rarely eligible for "holds" while you go home and think it over 
• Be flexible about some details like exact size or color if it's important to get a better deal
• If the windows feature a seasonal display, it will likely be sold off (even if it isn't marked down)
• Be prepared to make a quick decision.  It may or may not be there tomorrow
• If you're buying multiple floor samples, you may get a little wiggle room on price-about 5% more, not 25%.
• Just because one location is selling an item off their floor doesn't mean all locations will be doing the same.  Factors such as rate of sale, condition and space are all considered.

Happy hunting!