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3 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW BEFORE
PURCHASING WINDOW COVERINGS!
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1. |
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? |
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2. |
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 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. |
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3. |
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. |
