If you’re considering investing in new furniture, you’re far from alone. A third of Consumer Reports members have purchased new furniture in the past two years, according to a new CR survey about the nation’s best furniture retailers.

But the survey, which collected responses in April 2020, doesn’t fully reflect how the coronavirus crisis has affected the furniture industry and furniture shoppers. Today, in addition to considering whether shopping online or in a store will be more effective, health concerns come into play. Being in a closed environment with shared air, settling into a sofa dozens of others have sat on, or touching the finish on a table that many other fingers have trailed across could come with a risk of virus exposure. 

If you decide to shop in person, call ahead to find out when the store is least likely to be crowded, or try to make an appointment. Ask about the store’s mask policy. Head out armed with your own mask and a bottle of hand sanitizer and—whether you opt for a walk-in store or a website—maximize your chances of a positive shopping experience by picking one of the retailers that earned top scores in CR’s new ratings. 

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