10 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Furniture Online

Written and maintained by the Beliani Content Team · Last checked 18 August 2026 · About Beliani

Most problems with online furniture orders come down to two things: measuring only the wall instead of the whole space, and judging a product from a single photo. This guide covers the ten mistakes that cause the most returns and disappointment, and exactly what to check before you order a sofa, wardrobe, bed, dining set or bathroom cabinet online.

At a glance: mistakes and quick fixes

1. Measuring the wall but not the room

Checking one width along a wall is not enough, because walls, floors and ceilings are rarely perfectly straight. Measure the width and height in at least three points: near the floor, in the middle, and near the ceiling.

Before you measure, account for:

• Skirting boards, which can reduce usable width by 1–2cm on each side
• Radiators and window sills that project into the room
• Sockets and switches that a tall cabinet or headboard would cover
• Door frames and the direction a door swings open

Mark the exact footprint of the item on the floor with masking tape before ordering. This shows immediately how much walking space is left, which a wall measurement alone cannot.

2. Checking only the width, not the full dimension table

A sofa or wardrobe fitting against a wall does not mean it will be comfortable to use. Depth and height matter just as much as width, and they're not always visible from the main product photo.

Before ordering, check the full dimension table for:

• Total depth, including armrests on sofas or handles on wardrobes
• Height, including any legs or a curved backrest
• Space needed to open wardrobe doors or slide out drawers fully
• Dimensions once extended: a sofa bed unfolded, or a dining table with its leaves out

A deep sofa can narrow a walkway more than expected, and a wardrobe with hinged doors needs clear space in front of it to open fully — something a sliding-door wardrobe avoids.

Reference: what to measure by furniture type

3. Not checking the delivery route before ordering

A piece can fit the room perfectly and still not get there, because it also has to pass through your front door, hallway and stairwell first.

Before ordering large or bulky furniture, measure:

• The narrowest point of your front door and any internal doors along the route
• The width of hallways and any tight corners or turns on a staircase
• Lift dimensions, if you're above ground floor and there's no other option
• Space to manoeuvre a large box once it's through the door

Large corner sofas, wide wardrobes and bed frames with tall headboards are the items most likely to cause problems on the way in, not once they're in the room.

4. Choosing a colour based on a screen alone

Fabric and wood-panel colours can look different on a phone, laptop and monitor, because screen settings and the lighting in a product photo both affect how a colour reads.

Before confirming a colour, compare:

• The product photo on a plain white background
• Any lifestyle or room-set image showing the same colour in context
• A close-up shot of the fabric or material texture
• Other colour variants of the same product, side by side

The same beige can look warmer next to a wooden floor and cooler against grey walls, so check the colour against a photo of your own room where possible, not only the product page.

How do I know if I need a left- or right-hand corner sofa?

Stand facing the wall where the sofa will go. If the longer chaise section should be on your right as you face that wall, you need a right-hand (or "right-facing") corner sofa; if it should be on your left, you need a left-hand version. Retailers are not always consistent about which side "left" or "right" refers to, so always check the specific product photo and description rather than relying on the name alone.

Also account for anything the chaise section might block, such as a balcony door or a walkway you use daily.

5. Assuming any sofa bed works for everyday sleeping

A "sofa bed" or "fold-out" listing doesn't tell you whether the sleeping surface is right for nightly use. Some models suit occasional guests better than daily sleeping.

Check these details before buying:

• The length and width of the sleeping surface once unfolded
• Whether the surface lies flat, or has a seam or gap in the middle
• How the mechanism folds out, since some need more floor clearance than others
• The mattress fill, which affects comfort over weeks rather than one night

A narrower sleeping surface can be perfectly comfortable for one person or occasional use, but is unlikely to work well as a permanent bed for two adults.

Read more: How to choose the right mattress

6. Overlooking seat height and depth

Seat height and depth affect day-to-day comfort more than most buyers expect. A seat that's too low can make standing up harder, and a seat that's too deep can leave shorter people unable to rest their back and feet at the same time.

This matters most when choosing:

• An armchair for an older person, or anyone with limited mobility
• Dining chairs that will be used for long periods at the table
• A sofa for daily relaxing rather than occasional use

If you're unsure whether a seat height or depth will suit you, measure a chair or sofa you already find comfortable and compare it directly to the product's dimensions.

7. Not reading exactly what's included in the set

A styled photo can show extras that aren't part of the listing. Mirrors, LED lighting, mattresses, decorative cushions and shelving inserts are often sold separately, even when they appear in the main image.

Before ordering, confirm:

• Whether a mattress is included with a bed frame, or needs buying separately
• Whether lighting inside a display cabinet or wardrobe is included or an add-on
• How many shelves, rails or drawers a wardrobe or cabinet actually comes with
• Whether decorative cushions shown on a sofa are part of the price
• Whether self-assembly is required, and what tools or time that involves

For wardrobes and cabinets, a photo of the open interior is often more useful than the closed-front view, since it shows the actual shelf and rail layout.

8. Not checking how the item will be delivered

Delivery terms can vary between individual products, even within the same category, so it's worth confirming the details on the specific product page rather than assuming.

Check the following before you order:

• Whether the item arrives assembled, flat-packed, or in multiple parcels
• Whether delivery includes carrying the item into the room, or only to the door
• How many boxes to expect, especially for large sets like wardrobes or dining sets
• Whether you need to clear a space in advance for the delivery team to assemble the item

9. Buying from a single product photo

One front-facing photo can't show everything relevant to a purchase: the depth of a sofa, the texture of a fabric, the back of a wardrobe, or how a sofa bed looks once unfolded.

Before deciding, look for:

• A side-on photo showing the actual depth and profile
• A close-up of the fabric, wood grain or finish
• A photo of the item in its extended or unfolded state, if relevant
• The open interior of any wardrobe, cabinet or storage unit
• A room-set image to judge scale and proportion

Frequently asked questions

What to check before you place your order

Before confirming any furniture purchase online, go back through the full dimension table rather than the headline size, and mark the footprint on your floor if the item is large. Measure the narrowest point of your delivery route, not just the room itself. Compare colour across several photos rather than one, and read the inclusions list line by line rather than judging from the styled image. For sofa beds, corner sofas and multi-use pieces, check the exact measurements that apply once the item is unfolded, opened or fully extended, since this is where the biggest gap between expectation and reality tends to appear.