Ridiculous prices for new furniture and household items

[Bretrick]

I wanted to purchase a new Lounge chair and lowest price at Harvey Norman store was $999.
Actually that was the only chair with a price. The other 17 chairs - Price on Request.
I went else where, second hand chair in excellent condition $220.
I walked around this huge store noting prices and how so many products are completely overpriced.
A double door fridge $5000, Clothes Dryer $2300, Queen Bed $3200,Smart Phone $2000.
Seems to me that these products are becoming crazy priced.
Manufacturers know the higher the price, the higher the profit.

 

[hollydolly]

I wanted to purchase a new Lounge chair and lowest price at Harvey Norman store was $999.
Actually that was the only chair with a price. The other 17 chairs - Price on Request.
I went else where, second hand chair in excellent condition $220.
I walked around this huge store noting prices and how so many products are completely overpriced.
A double door fridge $5000, Clothes Dryer $2300, Queen Bed $3200,Smart Phone $2000.
Seems to me that these products are becoming crazy priced.
Manufacturers know the higher the price, the higher the profit.

yes I'm afraid it's the same here...

Australian $2,000 dollars is equal to... £900...UK pounds sterling.. and Iphone 17 cost even more than that here.... around £1200..which is the equivalent of $2,400 australian dollars...

even a refurbished one is £800.... Australian = $1600

my point is.. I agree it's very expensive for everything now.. shocking prices.... ..but just be glad you don't live here you'd be paying at least a third more than you do now...

this one swivvel armchair costs.... £1,149.00 sterling.... in Australian dollars that would be $2,315....so you can see how expensive it is here....compared to there ..

 

[Michael Z]

Wow, those are crazy prices!

 

[outlander]

The last furniture I bought was a pair of folding stools for under $50.

I built a custom cot sized bed frame to fit a specific foam mattress for about $30.

I will never support overpriced items, there are better alternative options.

 

[hollydolly]

The last furniture I bought was a pair of folding stools for under $50.

I built a custom cot sized bed frame to fit a specific foam mattress for about $30.

I will never support overpriced items, there are better alternative options.

it's very difficult to find alternative options when everywhere is charging these types of prices.. sure if you want something that won't last for long.. then you can pick it up cheaper..for example you can buy a new armchair for £400 or £500 ( Aus. $1006.00 USD $660.00. .. but it won't last long... ..or you have to buy secnd hand, and even those priices have gone sky high now as well..

 

[outlander]

The stools are metal framed and have been going strong for several years.

The bed frame was tested with me and my son literally jumping up and down on it (400 lbs), it will outlast me for sure

 

[MarciKS]

With used furniture you run the risk of adopting bed bugs.

 

[hollydolly]

The stools are metal framed and have been going strong for several years.

The bed frame was tested with me and my son literally jumping up and down on it (400 lbs), it will outlast me for sure

yes but that's because you made it.. most people can't do that , most people are at the mercy of the extortionists

 

[MarciKS]

Extortionists love how you worded that.

 

[Bretrick]

yes I'm afraid it's the same here...

Australian $2,000 dollars is equal to... £900...UK pounds sterling.. and Iphone 17 cost even more than that here.... around £1200..which is the equivalent of $2,400 australian dollars...

even a refurbished one is £800.... Australian = $1600

my point is.. I agree it's very expensive for everything now.. shocking prices.... ..but just be glad you don't live here you'd be paying at least a third more than you do now...

this one swivvel armchair costs.... £1,149.00 sterling.... in Australian dollars that would be $2,315....so you can see how expensive it is here....compared to there ..

All these manufacturers and retail stores are making sickening profits.
What would be great to see is that everyone stopped buying "Stuff" for a month.
When one thinks about it, so much of what we buy is called discretionary spending.
Not essential to our survival.

 

[Ronni]

Household furniture items are ridiculously overpriced! That said, there are all kinds of seasonal or other sales that you can take advantage of that bring prices down considerably.

We needed to replace our fridge so we went window shopping. We found a lovely Frigidaire 4 door, with ice and water in the door, well placed and moveable shelving, nice big freezer. It was $3400 which was well above the two grand we were willing to spend.

Asked the sales guy when their next sale was and if he had any advance notice of which brands were going to be on sale. Came back to the store during the sale and purchased the same fridge for $2100.

My husband is also the best haggler!!! The last car we bought Ron gave the salesman a price he was willing to spend for the car he wanted, out the door. The guy said there was no way, so we started to leave fully intending to go elsewhere to find someone who could meet our requirements. Salesman said hang on let me see what I can do.

He came back with a lower price but still not what we offered. Ron firmly said no again, there was more negotiating, and the salesman finally met Ron’s out the door price, taxes and all the other stuff they add on included!

Part of the problem is being in a situation where you HAVE to have an item because the existing one broke down or whatever, so now you have an emergency and zero wiggle room to take the time to shop and haggle and get the best price. We didn’t urgently need a car or a fridge. The fridge was 10 years old but working flawlessly, our car was several years old but we wanted a hybrid, and interest rates were at an all time low which was what Ron was waiting for.

We’re grateful that we’re in a position financially to shop this way.

 

[Muskrat]

Furniture prices are all over the map in the states.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I won't be buying any furniture no matter what the price is, but may need to replace a TV or appliance that breaks down. A few months ago, someone worked on my 12 year old refrigerator, and it's fine now. If I need to replace it, I just checked, and Home Depot has a basic refrigerator like it for $748. It will do for me since I care nothing for ice makers or water outlets on the front of a refrigerator.

 

[Gardenlover]

This might help...

 

[Dr.Colosso]

I just went to a store cause I needed a standard for my Christmas tree. Saw a nice set of couches for 500 or so lol but they were meant for in your yard. I have everything from a 2nd hand shop, bought around 2013. Only things I bought new recently are 2 bunk beds. You can buy em for 600 but these were 150 a piece. The other ones I had were falling apart after 12 yeara.

 

[hollydolly]

I won't be buying any furniture no matter what the price is, but may need to replace a TV or appliance that breaks down. A few months ago, someone worked on my 12 year old refrigerator, and it's fine now. If I need to replace it, I just checked, and Home Depot has a basic refrigerator like it for $748. It will do for me since I care nothing for ice makers or water outlets on the front of a refrigerator.

View attachment 470639

yes that's expensive for a basic fridge.... (£550)

..... something like that here... this one for example is..... £199.00... = $265.00 USD

 

[hollydolly]

I;m having new Utility room built in the new year, and that means I'll have to buy a new washing machine, new Dryer, possibly new fridge... so it's going to be an expensive time...

I mean I don't HAVE to buy them.. but I want them all to match which the ones I have now, don't...

 

[Michael Z]

With used furniture you run the risk of adopting bed bugs.

And then you are in for possibly thousands of dollars to eradicate them!

 

[MACKTEXAS]

something like that here... this one for example is..... £199.00... = $265.00 USD

Wow, in the 1980's, we paid $400 for a used refrigerator.

A standard refrigerator with freezer on top ranges in size from 16-20 cubic feet (some up to 24). If the model you pictured is in that size range, the prices where you live are better than we can buy one for in the States - a difference of $483 in this case.

I bought a new clothes washer in February of this year - just a basic washer, nothing special. I don't need a washer that does tricks or has a bunch of features. Just washing the clothes will do. It was $599.00 (tax and delivery were extra). I just now viewed an ad for my exact model, and it's gone up around $100 since then. With all the talk of tariffs, I was expecting a larger increase.

 

[Rae]

We bought new appliances in 2020 and now they sound so reasonable, all less then $1,000 each. I just hope they last for a long time. The washer and dryer work well and they are top of the line but getting older, too. I am like @hollydolly as far as you wanting appliances to match.

 

[hollydolly]

Wow, in the 1980's, we paid $400 for a used refrigerator.

A standard refrigerator with freezer on top ranges in size from 16-20 cubic feet (some up to 24). If the model you pictured is in that size range, the prices where you live are better than we can buy one for in the States - a difference of $483 in this case.

I bought a new clothes washer in February of this year - just a basic washer, nothing special. I don't need a washer that does tricks or has a bunch of features. Just washing the clothes will do. It was $599.00 (tax and delivery were extra). I just now viewed an ad for my exact model, and it's gone up around $100 since then. With all the talk of tariffs, I was expecting a larger increase.

yes washing machine are expensive... however a basic one would be around the same price in ££'s... approx £500.... .. but the ones my daughter bought a couple of years ago ..washer and dryer seperate cost £1100 each.... approx $1400 USD...I'm not going to pay that much for my new ones but they will be around £800 each and they won't be anything all singing and dancing ... approx $1100 USD

 

[Aunt Bea]

That’s why I haven’t replaced my old broke down easy chair.

I’m afraid that the inexpensive ones won’t hold up and I just couldn’t bring myself to spend the money for a high end quality replacement.

I do believe that it’s still possible buy basic refrigerators that make things cold and basic stoves that get things hot as well as basic washing machines that slosh and spin. In our family we call them ‘landlord specials’.

It’s the notion that we are somehow ‘less than’ if we choose to be content with the basics.

I’ll stick with my flea market and estate sale finds. I’m not sure that I’ll live long enough to get my money’s worth if I start buying new at this point in my life.

 

[HoneyNut]

I just checked, and Home Depot has a basic refrigerator like it for $748.

It sounds good until you find out about all the lawsuits because their refrigerators have faulty compressors and break after two years.
This condo I bought came with all new kitchen appliances of the LG brand. I've been here three years and so far the refrigerator is still working, but the over-the-range microwave broke last week. I wish there were standards for life-spans of appliances.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

It sounds good until you find out about all the lawsuits because their refrigerators have faulty compressors and break after two years.

So we may as well buy basic, no frills models which have less to break. The more working parts there are, the more to repair or replace. It didn't use to be that way. I'm still using a "Magic Chef" microwave that belonged to my parents in the 1980s, and it just keeps going.

 

[Dr.Colosso]

That’s why I haven’t replaced my old broke down easy chair.

Lol I have a couch with huge holes eaten in it by rabbits, but it sits so comfy. I just threw a plaid over it. I could get a beautiful one for free. People in the neighbourhood replace perfectly fine stuff and you can get it for free, but this one sits great. I don't want another one.