Is Buying Furniture Online Safe? An 8-Point Checklist Before You Order
Short answer: yes, it is safe — but what makes it safe is not the internet itself, it is the seller's transparency. If the product page gives a piece-by-piece list of dimensions, material information, stock status and a contact you can actually reach, the risk is low; if those four are missing, stay away whatever the price. In Türkiye, Consumer Protection Law No. 6502 and the Distance Contracts Regulation protect your purchase on top of that. The 8-point checklist below covers everything you should look at before ordering.
1. Payment with 3D Secure
If your bank's SMS verification (3D Secure) comes into play at the payment step, your card details are safe. At Selishome all payments are processed with 3D Secure.
2. Distance Sales Agreement
This is a legal requirement. If you can see and approve the agreement before ordering, the seller is legally bound by the delivery time and the product specification.
3. Real Contact Details
Prefer companies you can reach by phone, that have a WhatsApp line and a physical address. Stay away from accounts that sell only through direct messages.
4. Returns and the Right of Withdrawal
On standard/stock products you have 14 calendar days from the delivery date to withdraw. There is one important detail with furniture: because installation is carried out by an authorised team, the right of withdrawal cannot be used once installation is complete and the installation record has been signed (Distance Contracts Regulation, art. 15/1-ğ). If you intend to use your right of withdrawal, tell us before signing the record. Conditions differ for bespoke products; read the return policy before ordering.
5. Warranty Certificate and Invoice
A proper company issues an invoice with every order and provides a warranty. At Selishome, unless stated otherwise, furniture is covered by a 2-year warranty from the invoice date; the warranty covers defects in material and workmanship arising from manufacture, not normal wear from ordinary use. Details are on the warranty terms page. We explained step by step what the warranty does and does not cover, and what to do when a fault appears, in our article on furniture warranty and after-sales service. Avoid "cash, no invoice" offers.
6. Shipping and Assembly Terms
With furniture, delivery is half the job: transport and assembly have to be planned. The terms published at Selishome are these: shipping is on us for orders of 80,000 ₺ and above, and installation for orders of 60,000 ₺ and above; below those amounts the charge is shown at order confirmation according to your delivery city. In buildings without a lift, items are carried up to the 3rd floor if the staircase allows. For the detail of the process: order, delivery and installation guide.
6.1. Delivery Time: "In Stock" or "Made to Order"?
Most furniture is not a ready warehouse item; once you order, the frame is built, the foam is cut and the fabric you chose is upholstered. The published average times are: about 2 weeks for small/stock items, about 6-7 weeks for made-to-order production, and about 8 weeks for bespoke production. If your moving date is fixed, plan backwards from the item with the longest lead time.
7. Real Product Photographs and Dimensions
Sites that give a detailed list of dimensions, fabric options and photographs from several angles stand behind what they produce. You can look at examples with a clear list of dimensions: Tesla corner sofa (module-by-module dimensions), Massimo bedroom set and Luna dining room set. All models are in the sofa set, bedroom and dining room categories.
The biggest risk of buying unseen: size
The real risk in online shopping is not being defrauded, it is the item not fitting your room or your door. Before ordering, measure the wall lengths of the room and the clear width of the building entrance and flat door, plus the lift car and its door. Compare them with the narrowest section of the item; if the difference is under 5 cm, ask the seller whether the item can be taken apart. For the method in detail: will the furniture fit through the door.
8. Company Identity
The footer of the site should carry the company's registered name, its personal data protection notice and its cookie policy. These are the marks of a properly run business.
Buying furniture online from a site that meets these 8 points — for example from Selishome, selling with the assurance of a manufacturer in İnegöl — is as safe as buying from a showroom, and usually more advantageous. If you do not know where to start, have a look at our guide on where to buy furniture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my money safe when ordering furniture online?
When you pay with 3D Secure, the transaction cannot complete without your bank's verification; and the distance sales agreement legally guarantees delivery.
Can I return furniture I bought online?
On standard products you have the right to withdraw without giving a reason within 14 days of delivery. For bespoke production the conditions are set out in the agreement.
Does furniture arrive by courier?
No; large items such as sofa sets and bedroom sets are sent by insured furniture transport and assembled at your address by a professional team.
We covered how this works for delivery to another city, including insurance and assembly, in our article on how furniture is sent to another city.
Why is furniture cheaper online?
Because costs such as showroom rent, display stock and sales commission are not added to the price, the same product comes in cheaper; buying directly from the manufacturer shortens the chain further and widens the gap. All the items that make up the price are in this article.
How do I choose fabric without seeing it?
Ask for a swatch and look at it in the light of your own home, both by day and at night. Store lighting and the light in your living room show the same colour differently. For the durability of different fabric types, see our article on how to choose sofa fabric.
