Becker Furniture World is discounting everything in its stores and liquidation centers 50 percent this weekend. You may have seen other stores such as Hom discounting everything 33 percent. I'm not saying that Becker's 50 percent deal is a better one. I'm not even convinced that Becker's sale is better than another store's every day low price. With furniture, It's a comparison shopper's game.

I recommend that furniture shoppers go the stores they like and then zero in on pieces that interest them. Ask the salesperson for the brand name, model number or name, color and or fabric name. Get as much info as you can and don't make it a secret that you're comparison shopping. It's been my experience that once a salesperson knows you're shopping around, they say "I might be able to do a little better on that."

After you get the model # etc,, call around at other stores and ask if they carry the item you're looking for. Asking for a manager can cut to the chase for getting a good price. For example, if you see a sofa you like at Becker, call Slumberland, Hom, and Schneiderman's too. If you're shopping at Macy's Home store, check Gabberts too.

Am I alone in this comparison shopping thing? Anyone else done it recently with furniture? It's not easy. If you like Room & Board or Ethan Allen, you can't comparison shop because those are exclusive brands. Ashley has its own stores too, but I believe that it is sold in other stores.

Tell me your comparison shopping tale. I'm especially interested if you included a mom and pop shop too. The small shops and outlets often have competitive prices. With markups so high on furniture, I take the high percentages off as no big deal until I've had a chance to compare what competitors are offering.