Maybe my experience simply isn't representative of the average persons', since before I was a developer I was a professional furniture maker and upholsterer, but the issue I have is generally not the price. Like, it's not a huge deal if a bookshelf is $200 vs if it's $300 since the cost will be "amortized" over a decade or more of use. Furniture is an investment in quality-of-life.
The issue I have, especially with online shopping, is determining whether something is cheapo junk. The quality of most online furniture, especially on Amazon, is so bad, and it seems like 90%+ of the marketplace is heavily "cost-engineered" (particleboard instead of wood, thin tubing instead of rails, cheapest vinyl available, etc.). Junk at a great deal is better than junk at a bad deal, but the real problem with online furniture shopping is determining whether something is junk in the first place.
The issue I have, especially with online shopping, is determining whether something is cheapo junk. The quality of most online furniture, especially on Amazon, is so bad, and it seems like 90%+ of the marketplace is heavily "cost-engineered" (particleboard instead of wood, thin tubing instead of rails, cheapest vinyl available, etc.). Junk at a great deal is better than junk at a bad deal, but the real problem with online furniture shopping is determining whether something is junk in the first place.