Before investing in an expensive purchase money can often be saved with a little research to check all options for sales and bargains.
Buyers looking for where to buy a bed frame can compare deals at Amazon, Home Depot, manufacturer’s websites, Costco, Etsy, local discount stores, flea markets, GoodWill and other charities, Craig’s List, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace.
Online
Amazon
Let’s start with the behemoth that is Amazon. There are good and bad points for buying from the world’s largest online seller of… almost everything. Check out my article Should I buy a Mattress on Amazon for my thoughts as most apply to bed frames too.
The good:
- Huge selection for most budgets
- A reliable and trustworthy company
- Lots of reviews and ratings by product owners
The Bad
- Fake reviews are an issue
- Cannot test the product
- Sometimes the manufacturer warranty is more restrictive
It is easy to create a search for different styles of bed frames such as these samples:
- Metal platform foundations $100 – $200 four stars and higher (see results)
- Wood bed frame $300 – $450 (see results)
Home Depot
Most of us live in an area with a Home Depot, but did you know that they sell furniture online? Often the product is shipped directly to the location nearest you where you have to pick it up. So if you don’t have a truck hit up your neighbor or friend for a favor (Be sure to buy him/her a beer or a meal as a thank you as I am sure you will need the truck again in the future… right?).
The Good
- Reputable company founded in 1978
- Stand behind their products if there is an issue
- Large selection and a decent website
The Bad
- Customer service is usually terrible
- Your order can get buried in the deliveries room
- Cannot give it a test ride
Customer service is my biggest issue. Have you ever tried to call a store? Say goodbye to an hour of your time. Just drop in eh? Yup, stand in line waiting for your turn and then have to wait for other staff to help you find your order. And then if and when your item is located, and if it isn’t damaged, you still have to wait for someone to release you from the store after they check your paperwork.
Damaged items is another VERY common issue. The night shift Dale Earnharts on forklifts can do a lot of damage in the receivables room while playing bumper forklifts with a 500 lb roll of carpet 12 feet long in an overflowing room.
Manufactures Websites
Some manufacturers have been around since the earth was flat and have their “stuff” together. Some… not so much. So this is a bit of a crapshoot. But most of the companies have good and efficient websites with only a small number of bed frames, mattresses, and perhaps pillows and bedding.
The Good
- Many good websites with easy to find information
The Bad
- I have underwear older than many bed-in-a-box companies
- Many companies do not have good customer service
- Often have challenges to return products
I have found that most manufacturers have pretty good information that is usually easy to find on their websites. And this information is actually more than what is available on the giant Amazila such as:
- Warranty
- Return Policy
- Detailed information about the materials in the product
Most online bed-in-a-box companies were founded less than 10 years ago, so will it be around in another 10 years for warranties?
Costco
Everyone loves Costco. The company website is not the best but it works fine and bed frames ship to your home rather than the store.
The Good
- Trustworthy company
- That’s all I have. Please let me know if you have one to add here
The Bad
- Poor selection to choose from
- Slow shipping times, often 2 – 3 weeks
- Very few reviews and light on specifications
Etsy
Etsy has some beautiful bed frames for sale by small mom and pop businesses, single craftsmen, and small companies around the world.
The Good
- Large selection of beautiful models for all budgets
- A review and rating system
The Bad
- A small number of reviews due to smaller sales numbers
- Shipping can take much longer, such as if you order from Volcano in Greece
- Not as much detailed information or specifications as other online sellers
Stores
Local Discount Mattress Warehouse Stores
You can usually find these in local business parks where you can find no-frills products pretty cheap and often a deal can be negotiated (Throw in some pillows please!).
The Good
- Supports the local economy
- Can test the products in person
- Usually, lots of products in stock and sometimes deals on damaged units
The Bad
- It can be difficult to determine the quality of the product
- Not always the most trustworthy staff (based on my experience)
- Any others I am not thinking of?
Costco
Who doesn’t love Costco? If you have one around you are not likely to find many bed frames available as in-house furniture options are usually pretty small other than boxed up shelves and such.
The Good
- Everyone knows and trusts Costco
- They may have the product in the store for an in-person inspection
- Good return policy
- You can pick up a 2-ton box of breakfast cereal while you shop!
The Bad
- Often elbow to elbow with other shoppers competing for space
- You likely will need to hire a taxi to get from the available parking space to the front door
- Good luck trying to find someone to help you hump the bed onto a cart and into your car or truck
Where to Buy Used Bed Frames
GoodWill/Salvation Army/Habitat for Humanity
For many of us cheap (savvy???) shoppers there are often good inventories in the GoodWills located around larger metropolitan areas. I know that I have donated a lot of great furniture in the past and also got lucky with some great finds.
The Good
- Benefits the local economy and charities
- Recycles an existing product rather than killing resources for a new one
- Save money! Usually super cheap compared to new and they can often deliver too
The Bad
- Limited selection
- Need to do a close inspection to determine the condition
- There may not be a convenient location near you
- The potential stigma of buying used (or wear with as a badge with pride like I do :))
Craigs List
I have never used Craig’s list but it sure seems like many do so I will include it here as an option.
The Good
- Often a decent selection of items available
The Bad
- No recourse if the product is crap (broken, sagging, wet MDF, etc)
- No seller history or reviews
- Have to pick up the bed at a strangers house
eBay
I used to buy many things from eBay, but that was about 20 years ago.
The Good
- Has a rating system to help keep everyone honest
- eBay has been around for a long time
The Bad
- It is owned by Microsoft so it might crash at any second haha
- Unlikely to find what you are looking for near where you live. And since most eBay sellers are small they may not have good shipping rates as the big companies.
Flea Markets
Flea markets are a crapshoot, but you might meet a few sellers who own second-hand stores in the area. Look for these sellers and ask if they have any bed frames in stock. This is another great way to help a local small business and help keep the dumps free of more useful furniture.
FaceBook Marketplace
It is free to check Facebook Marketplace from the comfort of your home so it is worth a few minutes to check it out. Make sure to set the search area to a reasonable distance and make sure to watch for the search results that are hundreds of miles away (why do they have the option to set the search distance if they are going to ignore it??? I digress).
Please let me know if I am missing a store or website to help readers find as many possibilities for where to buy a bed frame and I will be happy to add it to this article. Thanks.
