With summer fast approaching, many of us are in the market for new Garden Furniture. One of the most common questions we get asked at this time of year is when are garden furniture sales?
The answer to that varies from retailer to retailer.
At Lazy Susan we have our Clearance section but that is all-year-round.
We don’t do sales as such. We would rather give you a discount for purchasing multiple pieces from us. We feel that our garden furniture is a quality product that’s competitively priced. Our collection has been refined so that it comprises classically styled pieces that won’t go out of style after a summer or two.
The flip side of that coin would be your large national DIY store. They will regularly discount at the end of summer/in the offseason. They have significant floor space allocated in their stores for seasonal goods.
In summer you’ll see outdoor furniture, BBQ’s, patio heaters and hot tubs all displayed at the front of their stores. Come October and that’ll all be swapped out for Christmas trees and inflatable Santas.
Now, I could just tell you to buy Lazy Susan garden furniture today. It’ll give you the best bang for your buck. And whilst I truly believe that it is not what I want this article to be about.
The garden furniture industry has made great strides in recent years in terms of both design and quality. The Lazy Susan team and I want that to continue. We want a garden table and chairs to be integral to the design of your outside space. We want it to be the feature and focal point on your patio.
For that to happen, surely it needs to be more than just about shopping online or in-store for an end-of-season 30% off sale bargain?
Should you wait for a garden furniture sale bargain or buy now
Time in our gardens is often precious. We need to make the most of it. Now more than ever… How we use and enjoy that space is dictated by the items we have in it.
Could this be the perfect time to purchase garden furniture from Lazy Susan? We’re in the final month or so of our ‘off-season’. Summer is just around the corner and people are again starting to ask when will garden furniture go on sale?
My response to that question; is the exact set you want on sale in our Clearance section? If it is, then win-win. However, don’t just be seduced by the price or a hefty discount tag, with Lazy Susan or any other garden furniture retailer.
As consumers, we need to shop smarter.
Your brick-and-mortar stores will often reduce at the end of the summer to clear floor/warehouse space, sell off items at the end of the season. They often sell garden furniture pieces for a season or two too, before they’re discontinued.
Buyers at these large Home/DIY chains will shop around with manufacturers at the big trade shows such as Milan, they’ll switch suppliers for a more competitive price or the latest styles too, so that old stock will also need to go.
It's fast furniture I guess. The latest fads and trends. Rattan-style sofa sets that will only last a few summers. And those sales are there to clear that stock, maximise profit and make room for the new.
As consumers, we’re more inclined to make a purchase if we perceive it to be a bargain. Even if that bargain is wrong for our patio or not what we really need. Some of my worst purchasing decisions are because I was shopping in the sales. We love a bargain. But it’s a false economy.
More often than not, you’ll simply just spend money you wouldn’t have spent otherwise. You’ll buy that 30% off garden sofa set with a low coffee table, even though what really enjoy is sitting in your garden with the family and eating a meal when the weather permits.
Sale shopping is rarely efficient shopping too, you have to wait for customer service, wait to sort delivery, wait to pay for your purchase, wait to get out of the car park, etc. All while battling the Black Friday crowds of other bargain hunters.
If you add in the value of your time (and sanity for that matter), those ‘bargains’ that you’ll end up having to (or wanting to) replace in a few years actually cost much more than you think.
Ask yourself, why are they even ‘bargains’ in the first place? Out of style? They didn’t sell at full price? Avoid the sales and you’ll maybe save time and money. As the old saying goes; “If you buy quality, you only cry once".
When to shop for garden furniture?
So, you could grab a bargain in the offseason. You might even find what you’re looking for today in our Clearance section. However, my advice would be not to compromise. Get the patio set really you want, the outdoor pieces you need and the type of furniture you will use and get the most benefit from.
And what I mean by that is, if a 6 seater garden dining set will fit and function best on your patio, and you and your family of 5 enjoy a meal or BBQ when the sun is out, then that’s what you should buy. Don’t purchase an 8 seater garden sofa set or 4 seater table set just because it’s 30% off.
Most of the promotions we do (outside of our Clearance section) are to reward loyalty. A reduced-price Garden Bench or Parasol if you purchase this garden set for example. Maybe we’ll offer a discount for recommending a friend. That’s not to say we’re against sales. We may do them in the future. However, we don’t follow any seasonal sale calendar!
Garden Furniture shopping tips
Now I’m not saying don’t shop in the sales. We all love a bargain.
I’m not suggesting for one second that you don’t know what you want. We’re all guilty, myself included, of being seduced by a bargain though. And it seems to happen more often than most with garden furniture.
In fact, most garden items (I include BBQs, patio heaters, fire pits, etc. in this too) are often purchased on impulse. We don’t do this with furniture for inside the home. The patio is often an afterthought, a whim, the last ‘room’ in the house we decorate. However, we are missing out on maximising the use of that space.
Garden furniture is also often purchased as a result of good weather. If the sun is shining, we buy. Hands up who’s done this? I know I have. I work in the industry too, so I have even less of an excuse. But I have been both seduced by the off-season in-store sale and a sunny panic purchase!
I guess what I’m trying to say is that we should treat our garden and patio just like we would any room inside the home. Design it, plan it. Look at how we use it and would like to use the space better. Create a patio that not only functions but enhances our home.
It can be so much more than a few seats on a few paving slabs. That requires a little research and planning. Measure the space you have available, and think about what pieces will function best, and what will work with your home and garden in terms of style.
Shopping online is one way we can do this. Make a more informed purchase. We can browse multiple styles, types of furniture and materials. We can find what we need and want.
If you find a garden furniture set that you like, look at other stores, price match similar products, look at Customer Reviews, Customer Photos, etc.
Garden Furniture Clearance Sale
At Lazy Susan, you’ll always find a bargain in our Clearance section. However, if you don’t need or love it, and it’s not the exact size table you need, then don’t buy it. Take your time, get the purchase right the first time.
If the set you really want is full price, then purchase that one. Look at getting a better deal by adding a Lazy Susan with 60% Off, Chair Cushions with up to 40% off or a parasol with over 50% off!
Purchase it in the coming weeks and it’ll be on that patio and ready to use this summer too. Wait until a sunny weekend to purchase, and knowing the UK, by the time it’s delivered, the weather will have changed to wet and windy.
We understand that the right garden furniture set enhances your outdoor space, making it a place you and your family can truly enjoy.
The sale photograph above was kindly supplied to us by the folks at Coupon Snake and is available to download from Unsplash.
