If you have occupied any time online or watching TV, you have probably run into an ad or two for Wayfair. Wayfair was founded in 2002 by two Cornell University grads, and at one point it was the largest online-only furniture store in the country.
But is Wayfair safe to order from? Does the merchandise you receive match what you ordered online when you can’t inspect it until it arrives? I’ve got the answer you need, so keep reading!
Is Wayfair Safe in 2024?
Wayfair is generally safe to order from, despite its lower-than-average prices in 2024. Customers have reported some items arriving damaged or defective, but Wayfair customer service is quick to act. However, customers should be aware of phishing and spoofing attempts by third parties pretending to be Wayfair to try and get your credit card information.
Let’s dive deeper into why Wayfair is so cheap (it’s not because it isn’t safe!), if Wayfair scammed you, if Wayfair is from China, and even some questions about Wayfair’s quality and ethics. Keep reading!
Why Is Wayfair Cheap?
Wayfair doesn’t sell its products for such low prices because it isn’t safe or legitimate.
Instead, Den Garden purports that it’s because all sales are online, so there aren’t any salespeople to pay nor real estate to tend to (at least, not much).
Wayfair doesn’t even touch 95 percent of the merchandise it sells on its website, and it doesn’t manufacture anything on its own, instead relying on over 11,000 suppliers.
The suppliers save as a result of this model, and they can pass those savings onto the customer.
Did Wayfair Scam You?
Wayfair.com itself didn’t scam you, but another site, pretending to be Wayfair, might have.
Some examples might include Wayfaireo.com or Wayfairusaonline.com – look at how there are extra letters or entire extra words in the URL.
However, someone who doesn’t know that Wayfair’s website is simply Wayfair.com might assume that this is the real thing.
One person reported that they got scammed on the Wayfair.com site when a third-party pop-up appeared and asked if she wanted a “clearance price” on something.
When the woman clicked yes, it took her to a different website, where she completed the transaction using PayPal…but the TV stand she ordered never arrived.
Customers should also watch out for emails that attempt to phish or spoof sensitive information from them.
Emails that look like they’re from Wayfair – and the fraudsters have gotten really good at impersonating companies – will try to get you to click on a link or hand over personal info.
You should be wary of emails that ask you to click on links or to hand over sensitive information, like your password or even your credit card information.
If you come across an email you believe is impersonating Wayfair, forward the email to phishing@wayfair.com.
Is Wayfair From China?
Wayfair isn’t from China and never has been; rather, it is based in Boston, MA, and was founded by two Cornell University grads, Niraj Shah and Steve Conine.
However, Wayfair doesn’t actually manufacture any of the items it sells; rather, they’re all supplied by merchandisers.
Therefore, some of those merchandisers may very well manufacture or source materials from China. However, the site isn’t super forthcoming about this.
Does Wayfair Furniture Have Formaldehyde?
An independent 2015 report found that, of the 10 pieces of furniture that were tested, nine contained dangerous amounts of formaldehyde.
However, the American Home Furnishings Alliance quickly sprang into action, also testing four of the items. They followed the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations.
And the findings? That the furniture contained “formaldehyde emissions levels well below the CARB II limits.”
The original report writer and tester, Whitney Tilson, fired back, saying that deconstructive testing is necessary for accurate results, and AHFA did not comply.
The two went back and forth, but the takeaway is this: There very likely is formaldehyde in your furniture, especially if it’s made in China, but the amount is contested.
However, since there hasn’t been anything published on the subject since, I think we can surmise that there are indeed safe amounts of formaldehyde in Wayfair’s furniture.
Is Wayfair Involved With Child Trafficking?
Wayfair is not involved with any child trafficking incidences. This conspiracy theory can be traced back to July 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
People on social media started circulating posts saying that expensive pieces of furniture were named in such a way that they matched the names of missing children.
However, Politifact investigated these rumors and found that “most of the children cited in social media posts about Wayfair have been found.”
They found that screenshots were doctored to reflect different prices than what are actually listed on Wayfair.
Therefore, Wayfair is not and was not involved in a child trafficking ring, despite the fact that the rumors persist.
Is Wayfair an Ethical Company?
Wayfair strives to be an ethical company. However, in 2019, an incident proved that this might not always be the case.
According to the report, several hundred employees staged a walkout, after hearing reports that Wayfair sold $ 200,000 worth of beds to detention centers in Texas holding migrant children.
When five hundred workers appealed to Wayfair’s executives, asking them not to do business with the detention center’s government contractor, they refused.
Wayfair responded by saying it was “proud to have such an engaged team that is focused on impacting our world in meaningful and important ways.”
However, ultimately, Wayfair continued the sale, stating, “This does not indicate support for the opinions or actions of the groups or individuals who purchase from us.”
Basically, Wayfair said, “It’s just business.” They took a risk on going ahead with the sale.
However, as CorporateComplianceInsights.com remarks, “mismanaged risk…has and will have financial consequences.”
To know more, you can also read our posts on Wayfair return policy, is Wayfair legitimate, and is Wayfair furniture good.
Conclusion
Wayfair is a safe site and safe company to purchase from, but customers should be on the lookout for scams and phishing attempts by criminal parties.
Wayfair’s pricing is pretty great, but watch what you click and be aware that “too good to be true” deals are likely just scams.
