Is Overstock Legit? What to Know Before You Shop

Are you wondering ‘is Overstock legit?’ Keep reading for more about this discount retailer, plus my own personal experience with the company.

Overstock is a large ecommerce website that primarily sells furniture and decor. If you’ve never shopped the site, you may be wondering if it’s a trustworthy place to buy furniture and home goods … and I’m here to tell you that it is.

I actually placed my first Overstock order waaaay back in 2006, when the company also sold clothing, shoes, electronics, jewelry, and lots of other items. I was 20, and I splurged on a pair of Michael Kors riding boots. They were perfect.

Since then, Overstock has undergone a lot of change, including a shift to focusing only on home decor and furniture, and in 2023, a buyout by Bed, Bath & Beyond. Through all the change, I’ve placed about a dozen more orders with Overstock, which have mostly been in the home decor /furniture categories, and have always been satisfied with my purchases.

Want to know more? Keep reading for details on shipping, quality, prices, and more.

Is Overstock Legit?

As I mentioned, Overstock is a legitimate company. The company was founded in May of 1999 as a liquidation store that sold everything from clothing, to furniture, to electronics. The company would partner with manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, etc. and sell excess inventory online. The company went public, and has been a publicly traded company ever since.

Overstock is headquartered in Midvale, Utah, but ships from various distribution stores around the country.

In 2023, Overstock was acquired by Bed, Bath & Beyond, so now, if you visit Overstock.com, you’ll be redirected to the Bed, Bath & Beyond website.

What is Overstock?

I think there can be some confusion over what Overstock actually is and where they get the products they sell.

And by that I mean, a lot of people think Overstock is the furniture brand as well as the furniture retailer. Something similar to Crate & Barrel, where you shop on their website and you’re buying Crate & Barrel brand products.

But Overstock is actually a furniture marketplace, which means that it’s a website that primarily sells furniture from other brands. Overstock doesn’t actually make most of its furniture, it sources it from top home decor and furnishings manufacturers and wholesalers. It’s almost like Amazon in that way: it’s a marketplace for furniture.

Is Overstock Good Quality?

“Is Overstock good quality?” is a nuanced question, different from simply asking “is Overstock legit.”

As I mentioned, Overstock operates as a furniture marketplace, so it offers products from a wide range of brands, both high-end and low-end. This means the quality of products varies.

You can find both top-quality items as well as inexpensive options that prioritize low price over high-quality. However, most of the items that Overstock sells lie somewhere in the middle: They’re not top-quality luxury pieces, but they’re also not dirt cheap pieces that are going to break down three months after you buy them.

The best brands to shop on Overstock are a great mix of quality and affordability. Some to watch out for:

• Safavieh
• Abbyson Living
• TOV Furniture
• Jennifer Taylor
• Inspire Q
• Artistic Weavers
• Nourison
• Uttermost
• Greyson Living

And lots more.

If you’re not sure about the brand or have never heard of it, check reviews, or click on the brand name and read reviews for the brand’s other items. Generally, if the items are cheap with poor reviews, the quality probably isn’t great. Conversely, pricier items with positive feedback usually indicate a reliable brand.

Why is Overstock so Cheap?

As I mentioned previously, Overstock started as a liquidation store, selling overstock items (hence the name), back stock, past-season items, etc. While the business model has changed since then, the company is still committed to offering low prices.

Like Wayfair and Amazon, Overstock works directly with manufacturers and wholesalers to negotiate the lowest-possible prices. They have a buying team in place who’s responsible for securing discounts and low MAP (which stands for minimum advertised price).

Overstock also offers regular coupons (usually 11%), to new and returning customers, which can make their products cheaper than similar items elsewhere.

Overstock shipping and delivery

One of the reasons I like to shop at Overstock is that they offer free shipping on most items as well as easy returns.

Returns are done through UPS, and you can print the label at home and drop off the package at your nearest UPS store. Whether returns are free depends on the item, otherwise return shipping is deducted from the refund amount.