Buying furniture

I have never shopped online here for furniture.  IKEA is the only store I know of that has this.

There are lots of stores to look at and some very good locally made Ratan but you will have to visit them.

Bob K

Shopping online really does not work  too well here for furniture!   Its an adventure to go to these stores and  see what you find.

As Bob said Ikea is the exception,  what you see is what you get with them. Cannot count on that with anything else online in the DR.

Thanks for the helpful input. Any stores with great prices?

Depends what you want and where you are!!!

Do you have any info on La Casita? Quality, price? Getting items from Santiago to Sosua?

I don't know la Casita but when you do buy furniture in Santiago most stores will ship to you and many times at no additional cost.  Just ask them.

Bob K

You can also draw a picture of just the furniture you want, or show a photo of exactly what you want, and a local guy will make it for you. In this manner you contribute here instead of to Swedish billionaires.

This is true.  We have had lots of stuff made from pictures at half the cost. Currently we are having two living room tables made from pictures.

Bob K

That probably works better if you are there full time to stay on top of the project, arrange delivery, etc.

I really don't want to spend hours putting things together. But, IKEA does employ 163,000 people and are good environmental stewards.

I have every intention of contributing to the local economy.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I see there is a place called Ysael Rattan. Is this the one you are referring to? We are coming in February, flying into STI, and going to furniture stores. It appears there are quite a few furniture shops in Santiago. We hope to get at least enough to be able to stay in our place. It will probably be more like indoor camping. Maybe blow up mattresses in the suitcase....Lolol

There are lots of places in Santiago but also many closer to your place.  In Puerto Plata
there is Hedelisa ((large furniture store on the main road a bit past the round about).

There is a large store in Ssoua Abajo and you need to  negotiate the prices here.  This is a good place for mattresses.

In Sosua you have Popeterria on the main road (again negotiate).  We just bought a bedroom set from them

Also in Sousa there is what used to be called Otto's (rattan) on the main road.  It has a big yellow chair out front and is close to CPS package store

In Cabarete you have Lunares home furnishings across from Ocean Dream.

There are many more as well.

Bob K

That's good to know....gracias

Thank you!!! This is great news as we really wanted to buy close and not worry about shipping from Santiago.

I knew there were places to buy. But our last trip was so property focused, I was not scoping out the shops.

If you have anyone with a truck you could hook us up with, that would be great.

We bought tickets yesterday for the end of February. Robert and I would love to meet you and your wife when we are down.

We furnished our 3 bedroom 2 bath casa over the last two year with a combination of online/shipping and local.  Where is your house?  Ikea is tricky...I've dealt with them online and direct.  Ikea Santiago is NOT a full store.  If you buy online, it will be delivered in about 10 days to the Santiago store.  PM me if you want my suggestions.

Christie all of the local stores will deliver your stuff to your home usually free of charge.

Bob K

WHere is the store in Santiago? I have been trying to get an address but it hasn't shown up on google or anywhere. Being over in Moca, I'd like to check it out....thanks

2vp- which store? Ikea Santiago is near airport

But not a  real store in Santiago. it is more of catalog shopping place with very little on display.  The large store is in Santo Domingo.  So if shopping in Santiago you better know what you are looking for as you will not in all likely hood see the real product.

Bob K

brodies2013 wrote:

We furnished our 3 bedroom 2 bath casa over the last two year with a combination of online/shipping and local.  Where is your house?  Ikea is tricky...I've dealt with them online and direct. Ikea Santiago is NOT a full store.  If you buy online, it will be delivered in about 10 days to the Santiago store.  PM me if you want my suggestions.

That's what I said! 😁

And to buy it without a Dominican bank card you will need to talk to someone directly...and show up with the same card to sign for stuff.

"That's what I said! 😁"
Sorry not enough coffee this morning

Bob K

But they take cash, right? And why would I need a Dominican credit card?

They will always take cash.  I am not sure if we used our Dominican CC or US CC when we bought some stuff years ago in Santo Domingo.
As a humorous aside I had the Swedish meatballs at the cafeteria there and it  is the ONLY time in 12 years here that I got bad food poisoning.  Go figure

Bob K

Lolol...I saw those meatballs here in Indiana!

We are starting our shopping in Puerto Plata, Sosua and Caberette, smaller stores. Hopefully most stores will take an American credit card or cash. Sounds like I'd better throw a couple air mattresses in the suitcase!

You should find most locally.  Mattresses are not a problem

Bob K

I did a research project on just this very subject 2 years ago, here are the results.  Of the 97 towns surveyed, we found that it was possible to buy furniture, and yes, including mattresses, in every one of them.  There's more......all shops accepted cash!   We also broke the myth that these articles are not available in Pedernales and La Romana...........they are.

Thanks! I appreciate knowing they are available. Our parents have a home in Santiago, but we prefer  to shop closer to Sosua.  I am curious as to why I would need a Dominican Bank credit card. I suspect the larger places take both cash and American CV. Smaller shops, cash. I feel certain it will all work out.

If they take CC usually they will take a US one. However you will get a discount for using cash over the use of a CC.
Pay a down payment (less than 50%) and the rest when they deliver the stuff is you can.

Bob K

ChristieE- you can use your us cc everywhere...cash prices are usually lower...the issue with cc was with IKEA online shopping...sorry for confusion

Thanks for corroborating my survey results.

All those towns sell matresses.

PriceSmart un Santiago would definitely be worth checking out...

If we were speaking in person, over a cold Presidente,  ya'll would have known I was making a lame joke about air mattresses in our suitcase. Lolol

If we needed a Dominican credit card, we would have been in trouble. We closed on our place on 12/7 and literally do not have 1 stick of furniture. We would be sleeping on the floor. 😂

On a side note, we would love to meet some of you when we are in town end of February.

Do you recall how long it took the items you ordered to actually arrive at the Santiago IKEA?

We realized that we are arriving into STI on a Saturday and it will be open. If we could just go there, upon arrival and pick up a couple things that I want, that would be great. We plan to buy the bulk of our items in smaller, local stores in POP and Sosua.

And you are correct! Ordering online is rather problematic. When I try to sign up, it keeps asking me for a zip code. As far as I know, our Sosua address does not have a zip. I have emailed them, awaiting reply.

Thanks for your help.

They will not have items in Stock. They  have to be ordered in. Try the zip code 00000. Most of us don't have one here.

Actually the zip code for Sosua is 57600.  Try that one

Bob K

There you go!

hi there,
my name is Nika.
im new to sosua and trying to sort out an apartmnent i just bought. my plans totaly failed when i heard the price for shipping from London. may i ask you for some advices where to shop furniture in sosua? may thanks ans all the best.
Nika