When shopping around for anything these days, most people have a look on the internet before buying. That goes for everything from MP3s to cars to new curtains for the kitchen. Because you can browse online any time, it’s easy to indulge an idle thought about a new and more stylish set of dinner wear if you see a plate is cracked, and easy to find a really beautiful oak framed wooden bed that would go perfectly with the antique oak wardrobe you’re so proud of.

Choice is one of the biggest advantages to buying beds direct online. You can look at hundreds of different models in a spare hour or two. Steel framed beds, basic divans, wooden beds, folding sofa beds, art deco ironwork beds… Whatever you picture, it’ll be somewhere on the internet. And if you don’t know what you want, you’re sure to see something you like with a little browsing. To see that much variety in the flesh (so to speak!) would take days of your time and involve travelling back and forth between a dozen different retailers.

Being able to view the range from multiple online retailers on the same screen is ideal for comparing prices too. Because this comparison is so easy to make, competition between those selling beds direct online is fierce and prices are kept down across the board. The running costs of companies that sell beds direct online are generally lower too, because they don’t necessarily need to factor in shop floor space and the wages of sales people.

There is, of course, a downside. You don’t get to bounce up and down on the bed before you try it. However, your right to return items bought online or by mail order is enshrined in law. Choose a company with a friendly returns policy to get around any issues that might arise.

Because beds are large items, look closely at the delivery charges that apply to you new bed before comparing costs. Many companies will deliver for a flat rate or even for free on more significant purchases.