Help in Furniture buying

Hi ILites,

I need some information regarding furniture buying in High Point/Hickory NC from anyone who has gone/bought from there (especially recently). I have gathered a lot of info from the Internet already but most of it was a year old and I want to get a feel for how it is in recent times where more furniture is now being built outside of NC (oversees). Here are some questions that would help me with my trip down there.

1. What was the experience like?
2. Is it worth going down there from out of state to buy furniture? Did you save money?
3. Did you have to pay sales tax (if you are out of state)?
4. What places did you shop and had a good/bad experience with?
5. How long before you had the furniture delivered to you?
6. What are some of the things to look out for?
7. Are there any places in NJ that match prices based on quotes from other furniture stores including High Point/Hickory stores?
8. Also, any stores that you can recommend price and quality wise in the NJ area to checkout?
9. Any other advice?

I had lived in Charlotte, NC and have bought furniture there but have not had the pleasure of visiting the Furniture capital of the world. Now that I live in NJ, I was shocked by the furniture prices here and think that it might be worth going to NC as I need to furnish my entire house. I will greatly appreciate any information that you can provide.

If anyone is planning on shopping in NC as well and want some of the info from my research, just let me know and I can post that as well. It is a lot of time to dig up all the info.

Thanks in advance!
Vib