Choosing the right area rug store is the single most important factor in your rug buying decision. No matter how much you know about rugs, you have to depend on the dealer you choose for information, advice, and guarantees. Choose a dealer that has been around a while, has a substantial inventory, and you get a feeling of honesty, integrity, experience, and excellent customer service. Reading reviews and testimonials is always an important first step in evaluating and comparing the dealers you are considering.
GIMMICKS – SALES: Most rug stores will have a “perpetual” sale on every rug, every day, of 50% to even 80% off; don’t fall for these gimmicks. A great feature of handcrafted rugs is that you can find a rug to fit almost any budget. Even a large room size rug, made entirely with fine wool, can be acquired for a very reasonable price so don’t fall for gimmicks thinking that you have to compromise on service and guarantees to get a good deal.
LIQUIDATIONS – AUCTIONS – GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALES
These are the worst venue to acquire your handmade rugs. You are forced to make quick impulsive decisions, usually without trying out the rug first, and the only guarantee you have is that the business you are buying it from will not be there to stand behind their product.
INFORMATION: This should be a very significant aspect in choosing a rug store. If the store does not have a knowledgeable staff, and are unwilling to convey enough information about the rugs, like their fiber content, country of origin, quality, and clear comparisons between different types, then you don’t want to deal with them. Some stores will give you very vague information rather than conveying specifics; walk away, they have something to hide.
GUARANTEE: Guarantees / Warranties are important in all products, but are imperative in handmade rugs, mainly because of two reasons; 1) Rugs are a very complicated product and it’s very hard for a consumer to ascertain the quality and value. 2) A lot of rugs made with low grade or dead wool are chemically washed to make them look nicer when they are new, but the first attempt to cleanup a spill and the chemical wash give in and you have a rug that looks awful in the spot cleaned area. Even worse, you may not find out about this problem until you get a rug cleaned professionally, and the whole rug loses its luster after being cleaned.
SERVICE: This is not just an important feature to have a nice buying experience, but also great testament to a well-run business with good policies. If the store is not providing you with great service while they are trying to sell you their rugs, they will never serve you well if you have a problem later.
Alyshaan Fine Rugs in Scottsdale Arizona are a third generation dealer with hundreds of testimonials and reviews. They never have a sale, always a reasonable price with the best guarantee in the industry on the largest inventory of handmade rugs in Arizona, and impeccable service.
By Saeed Aslam
