Prices seem to be much lower at Conforama for some goods (like tables, computer desk etc.)
So how do you compare Conforama to IKEA and maybe you know other cheap shops with furniture ?
I know about the existence of brockihouses but i mean normal supermarkets as it seems they have sometimes very low prices due to heavy sales
I would say generally the quality of goods in Conforama is lower than Ikea. Also depends on what you are buying and the purpose.
Even in Ikeas there are some good to avoid, like particle board bed frames.
But the PAX wardrobes can be good as it looks like this model will remain around for a long time so if you want to buy more later they should be availalbe and or add accessories or change doors etc.. So gives you a lot of flexibility.
The only pice of furniture I have bought from Conforama is a small TV stand. If was 49chf it is great for the purpose I bought it for (in a hurry as I needed a smaller stand that day, but didn't have the time to find something better for the right price...) and if I decide to upgrade to a better stand (was the original idea), then I can just throw or give it away.
In any case, the furniture at Conforama smacked of cheapness and looked like it would last about two weeks before it began to fall apart.
As always in life, you get what you pay for.
I ve had my furniture for 3 years now and no complaints at all, nothing broke and it all still looks good (i didnt buy the cheapest of the cheapest at conforama though). I wouldnt buy electronics there. Had a phone and within 2 weeks it didnt work anymore.
i just got a great laptop for 588 chf from mediamarkt, which is worth at least 1000 chf, and is usually sold for this price. you can buy it for around this in the internet...
also companies sometimes overinvest, and don't know what to do with stuff + a recession and drop in number of sales, and you have a desperate company that is just trying to stay on the market and sells things at much lower price.
this saying is especially not true in switzerland, where you can get 200 chf dinner in a restaurant that tastes like s*** and at the same time have it for 30 chf (for two people, including 2 beers! ) and it tastes ok.
back to the topic though... i think i will buy at least few things in conforama, you get 2 years guarantee i think on some of the stuff there, or at least 1 year (which is enough for me, i might not be here after 1 year anyway)
if something brakes after 2 weeks, you can take it back i suppose?
Subsequently, I bought some easy chairs at Conforama. They are OK.
Conforama have competitive pricing on branded goods. But sometimes the item in the shop has other specifications than advertised!
Conclusion: be very careful when buying at Conforama. But often attractively low prices.
Very pleased with them and a good price I think for what I got, just need to pick and choose what you buy, as said by others you get what you pay for ...and easier to arrange delivery from them than Ikea.
On the other hand, a bookshelf and tv stand from there were a catastrophe. Poorly thought of design, instructions that defy the laws of physics. (cheap glue holding up heavy glass ). I managed to put both together but foregoed the doors to both. Both items are also wobbly as heck.
The electronics seemed to be fairly priced. Most of the units are "new" but spec wise have been available for 2 years or so. However, if you need a cheap printer or blu ray player its worth a shot. There were also TVs there that looked appealing.
I think anyone considering a purchase there needs to really inspect the way the article is built. If it looks overly complicated or requiring substantial glue....stay away!
Conforama is a mixed bad, and quite a lot is bad in the mix.Some of the worst crap is to be found in Conforama. I particularly despise the plastic veneer imitations on furniture. Ugly.They do however have things on both scales of the price range, including Swiss made furniture.
They often have sales, and some things are truly excellent value. Recently I got a set of solid oak sideboard + cabinet + tv bank, each weighting >70kg for a total of 1000chf delivered (discounted 70%). I waxed the wood with some quality Fidess wax and it's turning heads of everyone who visits. The single most awesome deal I made in Switzeland.
We found a nice sofa there last week also though a lot of them are crap. Interestingly the same models are sold st the binzen mobel park at far higher prices.
Apart from slightly lower quality from Conforama, as previously mentioned, the other main issue, is that no basic pre assembly is done, as is sometimes the case with Ikea, so much more self assembly is required.
If put together correctly, with care, the finished product isn't all bad.
What lets both stores down, but particularly Conforama, is that their demonstration furniture is scrambled together hurriedly and poorly, probably by chimps, and can look quite shoddy in the showroom.
One complaint I have is that Conforama tends to advertise items that are not actually in stock, even if you go the day the flyer comes out. You hunt around for half an hour trying to find the item, then ask a sales clerk and they say oh, sorry - it's not in stock. We can order for you, but you have to pay now and it will be here in 4-6 weeks. They're not the only store that uses this tactic to get people in the door. We've encountered it at other places too.