Finding perfect blinds for your home can be quite a challenge. On the one hand, there are a number of online companies that offer blinds at low, affordable prices,  and on the other hand, bricks and mortar retailers with prices that seem way too high in comparison. So what’s the difference? In this blog, I’m going to explain some of the key differences between these two window blind selling models, what determines such a great difference, and which purchasing option is better for you as a consumer.

EXPERTISE, SURVEYING AND FITTING

People buy from people. The number one difference is the advice you can get from an expert on what would be the best blind option for your window, and this kind of expertise is more likely to be provided by a bricks and mortar retailer. Whilst there’s a plethora of information you can research online, there’s nothing like speaking to someone and getting their opinion on your exact requirements. Every window or application is different, and although you can look something up online, you’re not going to get it exactly right for you. With many online retailers, there are many restrictions on sizes and options to ensure that online ordering is not too complicated. With bricks and mortar retailers you get what would be almost an interior design application, a tailor-made solution to accommodate your needs.

While getting your blinds from one of the online companies, the fitting is not provided. Your blinds get delivered and you’ll fit them yourself, which can be tricky. However, bricks and mortar retailers will provide both surveying and fitting, ensuring a perfect experience from start to finish, giving you confidence that the job is going to be done to a high standard and compliant with any relevant laws and regulations (i.e. child safety). Having professional fitters install your blinds also means that the job is done with the correct tools, and specialist equipment doesn’t come cheap. The fitters put a big investment in their equipment and training which gives them the ability for a perfect finish to your windows. We’ve all done a DIY job and messed up at the last hurdle, so let the professionals do their job and avoid problems with damaged reveals or askew brackets.

QUALITY, WARRANTY AND REPAIRS

Regardless of whether you order your blinds online or from a bricks and mortar retailer, your blinds should come covered by a warranty and their duration would be subject to a company policy. However, because a brick and mortar retailers provide fitting as standard the warranties also cover the fitting service. So, if anything goes wrong they will send their fitters to fix it. You can also get what we call our WowVow, which backs-up that if anything is wrong, you get to choose what you pay. On top of that, brick and mortar retailers provide invaluable after-sales service that would provide advice, spare components, and sending their specialists, all to ensure that any challenge you may have with your blinds is attended to and solved swiftly. Although some online retailers provide spares too, any repairs will have to be done by yourself.

What’s WowVow?

So, how it translates into money, and why buying blinds online is cheaper? The reason is that there are a lot of hidden costs, that you’d pay if you bought your blinds from a brick and mortar retailer, and with the online retailer, you’re obviously not paying for them. You pay for someone to come into your house and survey and giving you that advice comes at a cost, whereas online retailers may provide generic blogs or information on their website, but getting that personal service for your exact requirements comes at a cost, just the same as travel costs or expense to the equipment used for installing your blinds and its maintenance. Another thing is that bricks and mortar retailer is more focused on service and quality and will provide a higher quality product and better finish while online retailers will be making shortcuts to keep the price points at a very affordable level.

Concluding, there are extra costs that you’d pay for blinds ordered from a bricks and mortar retailer –  expertise, equipment, travel, warranties, and also the quality. All of them amount to the overall much higher cost of the product, however in return, you get peace of mind, quality, and high standard service from start to finish which I think are priceless.