VIDEO - 5 Tips on How to Shop Online the Right Way
Hey everyone! Thanks so much for checking out this week’s video!
With all the extra time some of us are spending at home these days, I know there are at least a few of you who have been spending a little more time than usual window shopping and maybe even adding to your online shopping carts. But what are some ways you can reduce your chances of making mistakes with your online home décor purchase?
In today’s video, I am going to share with you 5 things you MUST think about before entering your credit card number.
#1 Measure and Measure Again
Number one is measure and then measure again. You have all heard me say this many times before, but it is for sure, the number one mistake people make when ordering furniture and décor online. Remember to measure widths, heights and depths. Taping items out on your floor will help somewhat – but what it doesn’t help you with is understanding the full volume or weight a piece will take up in your space. So make sure you give that some extra needed attention. A bit of a funny story for you…a while back I placed an order for décor pieces for a photo shoot and hastily added a cute vase to the order, but when it arrived it was literally only this big, not at all what I expected.
#2 Never Trust a Fabric Online
Number two is never trust fabrics online. Colour and texture are near impossible to rely on when looking at them online. You are typically looking at items placed under beautiful studio lighting, touched up for the suppliers website. The number of clients I have heard from who ordered items online that came completely with different colours than they expected is actually quite shocking. So, the absolute best thing you can do is order swatches. Most reputable companies will provide wood, metal and or fabric samples – sometimes free or for a small fee. It will be worth it every time.
#3 Consider Quality
Number three on my list is to consider the quality of the piece you are considering ordering. Quality is also very hard to determine when looking at pretty, perfectly set up photos that are designed to lure you to buy. So, spend a little extra time on this step and dig into the specifications of the product. Understand the wood species and fabric compositions before you buy. And, if they don’t provide any, don’t buy. Another tip that bears repeating is You Always Get What You Pay For. As long as you are informed ahead of time, you won’t be disappointed here.
#4 Warranty & Return Policies
Number four relates to checking into all the warranty and return policies. Quite often there are restocking fees even when returning is an option. And free returns isn’t truly free when you have to account for the pain in the butt costs and your time to deal with the return. Just make sure you are well aware of any potential hidden costs up front.
#5 Don’t Impulse Buy
And lastly, number five is my plea to do your best not to impulse buy. Take your time, do your research and make sure you are considering how the entire room will work together. I know it’s tempting, believe me, but you don’t want your home to look like a random bunch of impulse buys. You want it to look like it was thoughtfully curated just for you.
Now just to be super clear, I am not really a huge fan of online shopping for your home – simply because there are so many ways it can go wrong. But, I know lots of you love it and are doing it anyway – so I hope this list helps you even just a little bit.
Ok – that’s it! Your ready to go shop your hearts out.
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