Nationally Advertised BIG-BOX Carpet Resellers
These
guys blanket the airwaves with repetitive TV commercials, radio ads,
billboards and bus stops! They will send a salesperson
to your home to try to close the sale in one visit. Never buy from
anyone without first searching the internet for complaints about these carpet companies.
I think home improvement warehouses should fall into this category because they
use private labels, they typically do not hire their own installers, they
require 100% payment money upfront at the time of purchase, and they do not
offer free in-home estimates. Should you have a carpet problem, they will
refer you to the sub-contracted installation company or the carpet
manufacturer for a remedy. In many cases, no one will accept any
responsibility for the problem and the consumer is left holding the bag. Not
Recommended.
Online 1-800 Carpet
Wholesalers
These are carpet peddlers who
will send you small carpet samples through the mail. They want you to
buy rolls of carpet sight unseen (other than a small swatch) There are no
refunds on discounted carpets so you really have to be fully aware of all the
fine print. You can save a ton of money if you buy from a reputable carpet
wholesaler as long as you know exactly what you are buying and how the entire
carpet buying process works. Some
carpet outlets stores are reputable and some are not. You
may have to arrange for your own carpet installation. Learn
more about Buying
Carpet Wholesale.
Franchised Carpet Resellers
These carpet peddlers are hooked
up with a large carpet distributor or co-op to increase their buying power
and decrease their shipping costs.
They often put on their own private labels to prevent you from comparison shopping
at other carpet local stores. It is much more difficult to get carpet
specifications from these dealers and it takes more time to comparison shop.
Even so, you can still negotiate a fair deal if you know what you are doing
and follow the advice in my carpet buying guide. You may end up paying a
little more with these flooring dealers but they usually have qualified
installers, top quality products and knowledgeable staff..
Shop
at Home Carpet Retailers
Many
people love the convenience of not having to travel from store to store and
prefer having samples brought to their home. It makes matching colors easier
as the ambient lighting is optimal in your own home. There are several shop
at home dealers that I do not recommend because they sell inferior products,
charge high prices and use pushy commissioned salespeople. However, in-home
carpet shopping is the wave of the future and there are many reputable
carpet dealers who offer in-home carpet shopping services that offer quality
products, have knowledgeable salespeople and reasonable prices. The
reputable shop at home dealers are hard to find today because the concept is
just getting started. I am searching nationwide for top notch "shop at
home" Carpet dealers and will include them in my Preferred Carpet
Dealer Directory when I do. Shop-at-home
carpet franchise opportunities.
A
Local Carpet Warehouse or Outlet Store
These local guys are doing their best to be
consumer friendly and offer low prices and feature rolls of
"in-stock" carpet. They tend to cater to local landlords and DIY
homeowners. They offer plenty of inexpensive, lower-quality or second-grade goods. They
may buy
carpet in sufficient quantity to get some good deals on better grades
of carpet in limited quantities styles and colors. Check their guarantee
carefully and get everything in writing before you sign on the dotted line.
Once you buy it, you own it. Bring your truck! You may have to arrange for
your own installation and pay them separately. How
to Hire a Qualified Carpet Installer
A
Carpet Layer with leftovers
Carpet installers always end up with leftovers from bigger jobs. It's
usually because the carpet salesperson over measured. When there is a bunch
of carpet leftover the installer may take it home and try to sell it. If
you find an installer who has some extra or leftover carpet or other flooring available
at a special price, you need to know that they have a limited supply of
that carpet. There is no manufacturer's warranty for you and no recourse
if you end up unhappy. Still, you can find some real bargains this way.
Check references, contractors license and business liability insurance to
make sure they are up to date. How
to Hire a Qualified Carpet Installer
A
Locally-Owned Family Run Carpet Retailer
With a few remnants,
a
neat
showroom and a good selection of carpet samples, this is my favorite
choice, hands-down!. These longstanding neighborhood retailers buy first-quality carpet directly
from the carpet manufacturer. I believe locally owned carpet dealers provide the best customer
service and are most friendly and knowledgeable. Should you ever have a
problem they will become personally involved and work with you until you are
completely satisfied. I have a huge list of "hand-picked" locally
owned carpet stores nationwide.
Take
a look at my list of preferred
carpet dealers across America. I have about 150 listed so far. They are
all hand-picked by me personally. They have to meet my standards and
guidelines before I will list them in my directory. You need to buy from a
reputable carpet dealer!
