I remember a time – before Amazon and Wayfair – when people simply couldn’t believe home fashions would ever be bought online. I can still hear my friend’s mom, “It’s crazy to think someone would buy a chair without sitting in it! How will they know if the length of the cushion is right for their legs? I just don’t see how this can work.”
Fast-forward and our lives are PRIME! Free, 2-day shipping rocks us to sleep at night and we’re all pursuing the life of our dreams in point-and-click style.
There are a few hold-outs, though, who refuse to buy textiles online, like area rugs. But for some, the benefits of buying an area rug online far outweighs the criticisms – especially considering the current assets on some of our favorite area rug websites. The image quality and videos of today’s online retailer almost let you touch and feel through your screen. It’s no longer necessary to run a hand across the face of a new rug. The hand model will do it for you. And when it comes to AR and VR integrations? Forget about it! It’s the next best thing to taking your new area rug home and trying it on your floor for free!
Here are a few good reasons why you should, in fact, buy your next area rug online:
.Coms make area rug shopping EASY
Let’s be honest – no one wants to spend hours, weeks and months driving across town, out of town and all around in the name of finding the perfect rug. Especially when you can click your way to a broader selection than you would ever find on the road! It’s the world wide web, remember? And the best part? You can do all of this from the comfort of your home after the kids go to bed, at lunch or at your desk when you’re pretending to crank out that data analysis for the boss. *yawn* As an added bonus, you save gas money and avoid traffic-associated road rage.
.Coms offer a tremendous variety of area rugs
The aforementioned “broader selection” is worth an extra mention here. Shopping for your next area rug online affords you the luxury of filtering. So, if you’re shopping for a blue rug – filter – that’s 5×8 – filter – and traditional in nature – filter – that’s acceptable for indoor or outdoor use – filter – you’re left with a handful of exquisite selections that meet your exact criteria. Another beautiful bonus? You can set your price parameters before you start shopping so you don’t fall in love with an Aston Martin on a Ford budget.
Improved manufacturing quality creates confident online buys
Modern manufacturing is nothing short of amazing. Especially when you touch and feel machine woven rugs. Tight, precise and stable – these area rugs are truly built to please. And not just from a sensory perspective! Yes, they’re pretty and soft, but practically speaking, machine woven area rugs stand up to your busy home (pets and kids included) holding their shape and color for years.
Online shopping offers instant insight into others’ experience with the rug
In a perfect world, your BFF would accompany you to every store and give her honest opinion and review of every rug you peruse. Alas, jobs. But, thanks to the magic of the interwebs, you have 18,739 BFFs! Rug reviews ensure the experience of ownership before you buy. Think about it – if Karen spilled gravy on the rug at Thanksgiving and it started to unravel, you know she would write about it. Likewise, if the color, texture and performance please, you’ll read about that, too! In other words, reviews are the equivalent of shopping with a bestie who already bought it, vacuumed it, spot treated it and told you all about it.
.Coms offer competitive area rug pricing
In addition to filtering for rugs within your budget, you’ll likely find that the online price is generally lower than what you’ll find in a brick-and-mortar store. Your online experience also comes with flash sales and discount codes to further sweeten the pot. By now, you’re likely savvy enough at online shopping to save a bundle and still get exactly what you want.
.Coms DELIVER
Saving the best for last, delivery is by far and away the biggest benefit of buying a rug online. Whether you live in a city and don’t have access to a car or you’re a single person who can’t physically handle getting an 80-pound rug from the store to the car and up X-flights of stairs – delivery is a win. And, with today’s demand for free shipping, many online retailers offer just that. Be sure to check your preferred retailer’s shipping policy prior to buying to avoid unwanted surprises at check-out.
This is why Orian Rugs partners with a host of wonderful online retailers who specialize in creating an outstanding customer experience for their guests. When you’re online, you’ll be able to see the details of rug patterns up close and enjoy a look at rug attributes, like pile height. And, with the magic of videography, you can even get a sense for how the rug fibers move to determine if the selection is right for your home and family. After all, if you live with someone who has mobility issues, you’re prioritizing the stability of a dense, low pile over a loose shag. Again – all searchable filters.
At the end of the day, people will likely camp within their comfort zone. But, just for a moment, open your mind to the idea that you could bring a truly unique area rug into your home with a few taps on your phone. And, quite likely, for less money than you expect to pay!