Buyer’s Guide

Buyer’s Guide

What Should I Know About Buying Window Treatments?
Know who you are buying from. Most consumers don’t do enough research when choosing a window covering contractor. Unfortunately, 76% of window covering companies don’t last more than five years. Why is this number of failed businesses so high? It’s simple math. Most new start up businesses don’t understand the true cost of doing business. The cost of the product is just the starting point. Insurance, taxes, labor, accounting, licenses, automobile, shipping, and supplies are just some of the other expenses required to provide products and services in a professional manner. Find out how long the company you’re considering has been in business. If the company is brand new, will they still be around in a few years when your product needs to be serviced or repaired?

Understand your warranty.
When you need a repair is not the time to ask about the warranty on your product. The best way to understand your warranty is to see it in writing at the time of the sale. Although many salesmen will tell you that the product has a “lifetime warranty,” they fail to mention that the warranty is a limited lifetime warranty. Just know one thing: no warranty in the window covering industry is without limitations. Some have more limitations than others. This is another reason why it is important to know who you are buying from. When you have a problem with your product, you want to know that you purchased it from a company who can and will stand behind their product.

Who makes the product you are purchasing and what is their relationship with the dealer representing the product?
This may seem trivial, but it plays a vital role in your dealer’s ability to service you years after the sale. Most dealers change their major vendors every two to three years. Due to the lack of loyalty between both parties, service and repairs are frequently not up to par. The best scenario is a retail manufacturer. This is a company who makes the products they sell. The advantage to this set-up is that there are no questions about who will repair your product. If repairs by the retail manufacturer are not done properly and in a timely manner, it can hurt both sides of the business. Therefore, a retail manufacturer has an incentive to make sure repairs and service are done correctly and quickly.
All three of these factors play a role in helping you choose your dealer wisely. If you are ever confused, always know as much as you possibly can about your dealer’s history and experience in the window covering industry.