Is Home Goods Online More Expensive?

Home Goods has long been a staple in the home decorating community. Its affordable prices and named-brand items make shoppers come back time and again. Their only flaw was that you couldn’t shop Home Goods online…until now.

About Home Goods

Owned by TJX Companies, Inc., Home Goods started as an off-price apparel and home fashion retailer in the United States and grew offshore.

The company ranked 75 in the 2022 Fortune 500 company listings. With nearly 4,700 stores across nine countries and three continents, it also operates five distinctive branded e-commerce sites.

HomeGoods.com is now one of those e-commerce sites which offers a wide selection of furniture, décor, and accessories for the home and office, even offering deals and clearance items.

But, are the deals online the same as in-store?

Window Shopping Home Goods Online (First Impressions)

My first impression of shopping on the Home Goods website was that the categorization and navigation were great. And the overall design of the site was very nice.

However, the prices seemed a bit off in certain categories.

The bedding section seemed to be priced higher than their in-store counterparts as well as the wall art.

But, it had been a while since I’d been in a Home Goods, so head in-store to see if my hunch was right.

After my visit, here’s what I learned about shopping Home Goods in-store vs on the website.

PROS of Shopping Home Goods Online

Here’s what’s awesome about shopping on the Home Goods website.

Convenience

There’s nothing more convenient than shopping from the comfort of your own home at any hour of the day.

You can relax and browse items when it’s convenient for you, easily add them to your cart, and have everything delivered to your doorstep.

Easily Find Multiples of an Item

Finding multiples of an item in-store can be a challenge.

There have been many times when I was on the hunt for a set of lamps, only to find that I couldn’t find a matching pair in-store. The same can be said for glassware, decorative pillows, and towels.

Finding the quantity you want online, however, is as easy as clicking a button.

Easy to Find New Arrivals

In the store, it’s nearly impossible to find what’s new.

Because the layout is organized by department, there’s no “New” section with all the fresh inventory.

However, you can see what’s new online easily. This gives you an easy starting point if you’ve visited the site multiple times looking for a specific item.

CONS of Shopping Home Goods Online

There are, unfortunately, a few downsides to shopping on the website.

Clearance Section

Those deep red tag clearance discounts that you find in-store won’t be found on the website.

While they do have a “clearance” section, the prices are just okay. Nothing like the $10, $5, and even $3 deals you can sometimes score in-store.

Free Shipping Starts at $120

While this is subject to change, at the time I’m writing this post free shipping is being offered at $119.

That’s really high, especially if you’re used to getting free shipping from Amazon or Walmart.

No Reviews

As much as possible, when making purchases, we check out what other people think right?

We like to see real photos and videos from other customers. Or, at the very least a star rating. But, there are no ratings or reviews on the Home Goods website.

Fortunately, you can return in-store if something isn’t to your liking.

Is Shopping Home Goods Online More Expensive?

Okay, now back to my suspicions that some types of items were priced higher online than in-store. This is, in fact, true.

Some categories have much higher prices overall on the website than in-store. Although, that’s not true for everything.

Here’s what to buy and not buy from the website to get the best deal.

What To Buy and Not Buy From HomeGoods.com

What To Skip

Here’s what you shouldn’t buy from the website.

Wall Art & Mirrors

The online inventory of wall art and mirrors are priced higher than what I found in my local store.

It’s also a smaller selection. If you’re on the hunt for either one of these, your best bet is to take a trip to the store.

Rugs

About 90% of the rugs online are sized 5’ x 8’ or smaller. The few that are larger are a part of “The Collection”.

These are premium items offered on the website. For example, a 6’ x 9’ Turkish rug is priced at $499.99.

In comparison, you can get a fantastic 8’ x 10’ Safavieh rug in-store for $299.99.

Bedding

Comforters, duvets, quilts, and sheets are all priced much higher on the website than in the store.

At my local store, I saw a number of king-size comforters between $49.99 and $79.99.

Online, however, most comforters start at $79 for a queen size and go up from there.

What To Buy

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are some recommendations for what to buy from Home Goods online.

Patio Sets

The selection of patio sets, bistro sets, and other outdoor furniture is much bigger online.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find more than 4 or 5 patio sets on display at the store. This makes sense, given the limited floor space.

So, online is the place to go for patio sets. The prices online are comparable to in-store prices and you have the added benefit of getting the item shipped directly to your home.

Furniture

Just like patio sets, home delivery for furniture is a big plus in my book. The prices for furniture online are great and so is the selection.

Lamps

Buying lamps on the website versus in person will save you a lot of time hunting down a match. Too often have I found a style I love, yet see only one of them when I want a pair.

Décor

Home Goods offers a great selection of decorative objects and other home accessories at good prices online.

While the selection isn’t as large as you’d find in-store, I would have no hesitation buying from the website if I saw something I liked.

Kitchen and Dining

I was quite impressed with the glassware and stemware selection on the website. The kitchen and dining category overall is well organized and it’s easy to find what you’re looking for, unlike in-store.

In my local store, the kitchen and dining is one of the most crowded and overstocked sections. It’s hard to see what’s there.

But online, you don’t have that problem and the prices are comparable.

Conclusion

Whether you shop Home Goods online or in-store, there’s no doubt you’ll find a deal. Just be aware of what you’re buying where because some items are definitely higher online.

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