If you’re looking to shop online for Garden Chairs this summer, then at Lazy Susan we want to help you make not only the right purchase but also a safe and secure purchase.
Now we can’t speak for other online retailers, however, what we can do is tell you what to look for and look out for. Share the benefit of over a decade of online trading.
We’re not a big DIY or homeware brand. We're a small family run business started (literally) from owner Michael Scott’s garden shed... However, we have taken the big boys and girls on.
The internet allows for a level playing field. We can sell our garden chairs, garden tables, garden benches, sun loungers, etc alongside the more established names.
We can compete with them. We can even (hopefully) beat them at their own game. We can provide people with an alternative to the ‘pile em high, sell em cheap’ model prevalent in our industry.
An industry that has seen big shifts in the last decade, we may add. Not least a more discerning customer…
Homeowners are not just looking for something that looks pretty on the patio but also delivers in terms of form and function.
Furniture that is designed and constructed to be comfortable, useable, made from materials that can stand up to mother nature, designed to fit both our lifestyle and home/garden style.
Michael and the Lazy Susan team have a passion for garden furniture.
Our core product offer has been refined and fine-tuned for the UK market.
That’s not to say we haven’t made mistakes!
We’ve seen rapid growth and sometimes as a business, you have to play catch up. But 2021 sees us in a very healthy place with a host of exciting new products and services coming very soon.
The customer experience has and always will be core to the Lazy Susan philosophy. Our eKomi Reviews, Trustpilot Reviews and Customer Photographs are testaments to this.
And with all that experience and growth we’ve gleaned a little about what’s needed to be a successful online retailer. That’s the wisdom we hope we can impart with you in this article.
Hopefully, help you make a safe and informed purchase. Help you get the Garden Chairs that fit with the way you and your family use your garden and patio in a safe and secure manner…
Demand for garden furniture is high this summer
A recent article in This Is Money highlighted that due to COVID demand for garden furniture is incredibly high in 2021. In fact, demand is outstripping supply. They state in the article that:
Popular retailers like Argos, John Lewis and Ikea along with a host of other major firms appear to be running low of garden furniture stock with one even posting a warning on its website. Argos currently has a sign stating that due to 'high demand' stock of garden furniture is low. Meanwhile, on John Lewis, it has 72 different garden furniture sets on its website. However, the vast majority - 60 items - are currently showing as out of stock.
A spokesperson from Ikea is quoted in the same article as saying:
Throughout the pandemic, we have seen an unprecedented demand for products that help people to live, work and play more comfortably from home. This was especially true as we went into lockdown last spring and customers were keen to make the most of the beautiful weather, with searches for Ikea sun loungers increasing by as much as 1,364 per cent year-on-year between March and May.
At Lazy Susan we too experienced this in summer 2020, it caught us off guard, but we are better prepared for summer 2021. For us, demand is the primary reason. People are simply using their gardens more than they ever have, staycationing, staying home to stay safe. This article backs up what we already knew, and market/retail analysts, Mintel see this trend continuing:
Demand is one of the biggest factors with 48 per cent of consumers intending to spend more on gardens and outside areas, according to data from Mintel. Gardens and outdoor areas remain in the spotlight, as many housebound consumers look to extend the scope of their living spaces with the return of warmer weather. This timing mirrors that of last year, as sales surged in the run-up to the bumper Easter bank holiday weekend. Moving forwards, this focus will remain, even as restrictions begin to ease from later on in the month.
Shop online for garden chairs with confidence at Lazy Susan
The great thing about shopping online for garden chairs is you can shop around, no wasted trip to the local retail park. You can compare prices, research to make a more informed purchase, see exactly what is in stock and when it will be delivered.
If an item is out of stock on our website, we will make it clear on the product page. If you see "You missed it" on any of our product pages it just means that that garden chair/set/item is currently out of stock and that no orders can be taken for it at the moment.
It does not mean the product has been discontinued, and you can rest assured that we’ll be working hard to ensure that we have stock of the garden chair or set again as soon as possible.
Once we know the product is due in stock we will update the product page with an option to pre-order. This is activated on our website as soon as we have a confirmed restocking date. You’ll see that marked on the main product image too, in an information box at the top left that looks like this:
At any time, if you have any questions, or if you want to get an update on an item you’re keen to order, please just Contact Us. Our Customer Service team will be happy to provide you with any information that they can.
Why purchase Lazy Susan garden chairs online?
When we developed our Garden Chair Collection we wanted to create a range that was comfortable, sturdy and designed to stand up to the elements.
We wanted to pair style with substance. Create chairs that will enhance the outdoor dining experience and sit on our patios for the next 10 years without going out of style.
Our garden chairs are the perfect partners for our range of garden benches, bistro tables and outdoor dining tables.
Furthermore, you’ll find that the classical stylings of the Lazy Susan collection are just at home in a traditional English cottage garden as they are in a minimalist urban outdoor living space.
As we discussed in our Easy to build garden chairs article, our chairs are supplied Ready To Assemble (RTA).
That means you can purchase online in confidence. This is not flatpack!
Our furniture is easy to build. It is safely and securely packaged for ease of shipping. And when constructed it has the strength and good looks you want from an outdoor piece.
Why shop online for garden chairs?
We touched on this above but there is a number of advantages you get from shopping online for garden chairs and tables. The advantages are well known but worth repeating.
It is just easier to shop online for garden chairs. All the hassle is removed and it is delivered to your front door or even back garden.
The main advantages of shopping online for garden chairs and tables are as follows:
- Saves time and effort
- The convenience of shopping at home
- Wider variety/range of products
- Good discounts/sales/lower prices.
- Easy to research and get detailed information about the product
- Easy to compare different types and materials
- Easy to compare prices between different suppliers/shops
- No crowds or busy weekend car parks
- No sales pressure
However, what’s more, important if you shop online for garden chairs is how you can overcome/remove the perceived disadvantages compared to shopping in a physical store…
Safe online shopping with Lazy Susan
The Lazy Susan team have pooled our experience and come up with our better/safer online shopping tips if you want to shop online for garden chairs.
Many consumers will worry about things like risk of fraud, security/safe online shopping, shipping, delivery times, returns, not knowing exactly what you’re getting from a photo, complicated websites, etc.
However, possibly with the exception of not being physically able to touch/try the garden chairs, most of those disadvantages could just as easily be applied to shopping in a physical shop too.
If you ask us, the advantages of shopping online for garden chairs etc far outweigh the disadvantages. Just follow our tips…
1. Look for the padlock
Never buy anything online using your credit card from a site that doesn't have SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption installed.
With Lazy Susan you know we have SSL because the URL or web address for our website starts with HTTPS (shown above bottom) and not just HTTP. You will also see a small locked padlock icon (shown above top) next to it in your address bar or status bar.
HTTPS is the industry standard now, even on non-shopping websites such as the BBC. In fact, the Google Chrome browser will now flag any webpage without HTTPS as "not secure”.
Our shop is also constructed using the Shopware eCommerce platform that further protects you (and us)!
2. Don't overshare your personal info
When you make a purchase with Lazy Susan, you will only be asked to provide the necessary data. Payment and address/contact information only.
No online retailer needs your date of birth or mothers maiden name!
3. Check Bank Transactions/Statements Regularly
Don't wait for your monthly statement to come, go online regularly and keep an eye on your credit cards and bank accounts.
Look for any fraudulent charges. They can even originate from sites such as PayPal or eBay.
If something doesn’t look right, pick up the phone and contact the bank/credit card provider. Be vigilant! Money.co.uk offer some great advice on how to keep your bank account secure.
4. Create strong passwords
Research by PCMag highlighted that most people; “only change their password to protect privacy a few times a year (27%) or more likely, never at all (35%)”.
Many will even use the same password across multiple sites.
Keep it unique, keep it difficult to figure out (no dates of birth, etc), use numbers and special characters (such as exclamation marks for example) if you can and keep it regularly updated.
The Money Advice Service offer some great tips on how to choose a password and how best you can keep it safe.
5. Protect yourself
Unfortunately the unscrupulous don’t just sit and wait for you to make a mistake or your data to be stolen in a breach/hack.
It is important you’re vigilant to things like malware attacks, suspicious spam emails, phishing emails and website phishing attacks on the devices you use to shop online.
The best advice we can give… If in doubt, don’t click!
Always make sure you’re using reputable antivirus software, and most importantly, that you keep it up to date. Better still, purchase a full security package from the likes of Norton or McAfee.
TechRadar recently published their latest guide to the best antivirus software for 2021, and in that they detail how to best protect PCs, Macs and more.
I know they’re free to use but avoid using public wifi hotspots too. They’re OK for browsing on your phone when you’re in a coffee shop, but don’t share any personal info whilst logged on them. They’re just not safe/too open.
And if you want to go the extra mile, we would even say consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). How-To Geek have the low down on the why and how.
6. Shop on your mobile phone or table
Many of us have ditched the laptop or PC when it comes to online shopping. Smartphones and tablets are often the devices of choice.
It is the reason why at Lazy Susan we’ve invested so much time in ensuring our webshop is responsive and optimised for whatever you use. Be it a 5” smartphone or a large 24” iMac screen, the site will display correctly and still be easy to use/navigate.
Our mobile phones and tablets such as the iPad are often closer to hand and just as easy to use when looking for those new Garden Chairs.
Our products are available to purchase on Amazon too, and if you shop via their App, you’re adding an even greater level of protection.
In many ways, paying for items via your phone is just as easy online as it is in store. In fact, many of us (myself included) will now pay for products in a physical store with a click/tap of our phones.
Using payment apps like PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay is in fact safer than a credit card. They generate unique authentication codes for each individual purchase you make, thus making it impossible for thieves to steal your details.
They often use 2-factor authentication (sending a text to your mobile) or you need your fingerprint, face, or passcode to make the purchase. All extra layers of security.
8. Do a background check on the seller
I used to have an old boss when I first started in Marketing that used to always shout “due diligence people, attention to detail”. The same is true when shopping online.
Do a little background check on the company - It is usually pretty easy to spot the wheat from the chaff!
One of the main things we would advise you to look for is a real address and a working contact telephone number. If in doubt, pick up the phone and speak to them. One quick phone call to the Lazy Susan team and you know you’re dealing with a company that puts customer service at the heart of everything we do.
We also hear a lot of horror stories of people ordering from overseas and furniture never arriving. That’s not to say you shouldn’t buy from other countries, there are some great pieces, but our advice would be to stick to the big reputable furniture brands like BoConcept or Roda for example.
9. Read the reviews and testimonials
Online reviews are one of the best ways to get a real flavour of who you’re buying from. That’s not to say reviews can’t be faked. If it is all a little too positive, then that could be a red flag. Any business, us included, will make mistakes. Damaged product, late shipments, they happen. The review should reflect that.
This is also why we have partnered with Trustpilot and eKomi for our testimonials. This ensures that the reviews you’re reading are all genuine, and they’ve been written by people who have purchased garden chairs and tables from Lazy Susan. This is backed up by our Customer Photo Gallery (you’ll also find these on many of product pages and marketing materials too) showing our garden furniture in real gardens.
10. Try before you buy
This is the tricky one. What if you want to try before you buy? That’s easy if you pop to your local DIY/Home store (as long as they have it on display in-store). We would say that you get a better deal online and our When are garden furniture sales? article sort of touched on the subject of online vs physical shop too.
Our solution to this is threefold…
First, we offer a Free Sample Pack (pictured above). This lets you see the metal finish of our garden chairs and tables and the fabric swatches for our Cushions and Parasols. This gives you a feel for the quality of our range.
Second, we have our aforementioned Trustpilot/eKomi Reviews and (maybe most importantly) our Customer Photos. They showcase our furniture better than any professional studio shot. They show exactly what our furniture could look like on your patio.
And lastly, we have our Returns policy.
You must understand the returns policy before you make any purchase online. It is important to know that if for any reason you’re unhappy with the product, you can return it. Not just garden chairs. Take clothing as an example. If it doesn’t fit, it needs to be easy to send back and get a full refund.
You can view our full Terms & Conditions, and if you have any further questions about purchasing Garden Chairs and Tables from Lazy Susan, then please don’t hesitate to Contact Us.
