How to Shop for Rugs Online

Shopping online for an area rug is scary and not for the faint-hearted. For many people, it is because they can’t feel the rug or see its true colours, and they mostly have to rely on the images and descriptions to select the correct rug. Here are some honest and practical insights to assist you in your search for the perfect area rug purchase.

When buying online, what should I consider?

These four things, in this order:

1. The size of rug you need for your space
2. Your rug budget
3. The style of rug you’re looking for
4. The colour of the rug you want

Why are some rugs so expensive?

Rugs are expensive for a few reasons, such as:

1. There is the cost of making the rug. People get paid for a fair day’s work relevant to their country of origin.
2. The cost of shipping the rug from the place of manufacture is expensive. Shipping rugs from places like Belgium, Iran, India, etc.
3. In the marketing of the rugs in New Zealand, it takes time and effort to have images and content uploaded to the various sales channels, and those costs have to be covered.

Why do some rug companies have discount sales all the time while others do not?

Each rug company operates its own discount policy, which they are entitled to. However, it’s best to be wary when a product has a 50–60% sale. One has to ask what the original retail price is or whether it is an inflated price to be considered a genuine discount.

Often, you will see rugs on sale online that have been that price for months. In fact, after a period of time, the discounted price becomes the normally recommended price.

This link to the Commerce Commision explains it clearly. https://comcom.govt.nz/consumers/dealing-with-typical-situations/buying-goods-and-services/pricing

Many companies selling area rugs online are clearly flouting the law with their perceived discounts. This has a knock-on effect. It becomes very hard for rug businesses trading in the brick-and-mortar realm (the physical stores) to justify their cost-versus-price ratio and their survival.

Check the material’s content.

Rugs are made of a lot of different materials. When shopping online, don’t just click on the rug with the pattern that suits your room. Investigate what the rug is made out of. Since you won’t have any guidance from a rug professional and you can’t run your fingers over it. What the rug is made of often denotes its price. Wool and silk are the most expensive natural fibres. While rayon and viscose are the cheap synthetics. It pays to research and understand the fibre properties of any rug purchase.

Dirty or imperfect rugs caused by transit issues

At Rugs For All, we deal with rugs on a daily basis, and we’re constantly having problems with the rugs coming in. Either they are damaged, they’ve got problems, or they have flaws. Often, the bags have been ripped in transit or dragged across a dirty floor. Many have been rolled improperly, where they become telescoped and won’t lay flat. It’s got lumps and bumps on it. Those are little things that you don’t think about when you’re shopping online. But we deal with it on a regular basis and know how to fix it.

Ask questions about your proposed rug purchase.

There are thousands of great rug stores online, but not all of them are trustworthy. As a rule of thumb, we suggest focusing on a website’s photos, the way they describe the rug, transparency, and responsiveness to determine its credibility. Does it give a physical address and a phone number? Are they based in New Zealand? You are entitled to ask the vendor for additional close-up photos if they are not already posted online.