Buying bathroom tiles online can save you money, time, effort and a lot of hard work, but this depends on doing a good job of it. Then, to help ensure you do exactly that here are 5 top tips for buying tiles on the internet.
These tips, specifically, deal with how to find and buy quality tiles and minimise the risk of getting ripped off, scammed or otherwise ending up unhappy with your purchase.
Meanwhile, for more tips on buying the right sort of tiles and ideas as to bathroom decor, head over to the HGTV website and give their 15 Simply Chic Bathroom Tile Design Ideas slide show a swipe through.
- By from the UK
Contain your online search for the perfect bathroom tiles to UK suppliers to avoid paying potentially extortionate import fees. Also, tiles being particularly fragile items, buying from the UK is likely to minimise the risk of having tiles arrive cracked or damaged.
It is also often far easier to resolve any issues, should you have any, when the tiles arrive when ordering from the UK. This is because UK suppliers will of course speak fluent English and have to operate their business according to the trading standards laws in place here in the UK, which you can learn more about via the Trading Standards website.
- Who to Buy From
Shops and showrooms that sell tiles aren’t trying to rip you off. Rather, they need to mark up the tiles they sell to make a profit. For those working to a budget though this can result in ending up with poor quality tiles or simply ones you didn’t want, unless you buy direct from the manufacturer or supplier of course. Fortunately, living in the internet age this is in 2016 made easy.
Shop via manufactures and tile supply companies such as Tile Yard Sale rather than simply referring to the online versions of high street stores if you are doing so in the hope of saving some money, which you can then use to afford a better quality of tile or simply broaden your options.
- Ask Questions
Just as you would when shopping for tiles in store, if you have questions when buying online it is imperative that you voice them.
Most online tile supply companies and manufacturers are more than happy to answer customer enquiries and queries and will do so promptly, after all their customers are their life blood.
For this reason, most suppliers’ websites also feature a contact page which is worth looking for when browsing an online tile store. Especially when buying an item you won’t get to see ‘in the flesh’ until it arrives on your door step, it is only reasonable that you will have more questions than when buying in store.
- What You See and What Your Get
The internet is full of stories in which online shoppers have bought just about everything only to receive it and subsequently request a refund citing that the colour etc. is not as shown online. But this is not always the fault of an online shop; the settings of your own monitor can and will determine to some extent what you see.
Hence, it is important when buying tiles to request a sample ahead of placing a full order. Not only will this enable you to see for sure what you can expect to receive and provide you with leverage to argue for refund should you receive anything but tiles which match up to a sample, it will also enable you to better assess the actual quality of the tiles ahead of buying.
- Be as Cautious of Online Reviews
Online reviews are definitely worth reading and paying attention to. That said, it is also important to be as discerning when reading reviews as when reading the information given and promises made by a seller or supplier.
Specifically, discount testimonials featured specifically on a seller’s own website; no supplier or store is likely to be unbiased or publish onsite reviews that give anything other than the highest praise. Further, some companies even offer sellers and reviewer discounts to review their products. Hence, even reviews provided on unbiased and unafilited review sites need to be read with caution.
On the flip side, one bad review can put a significant dint in the overage and average rating a supplier has on a review site which makes use of star and points systems to rate companies. Hence, do not simply go by rating. Rather read reviews and look for different reviewers over a long period of time praising and as well lamenting the same issues to get a better overall idea of whether a supplier is likely to provide a good service and product.
More Tips and Advice
And finally, a sixth tip, but one worth mentioning, always when possible pay for your tiles or just about anything you buy online securely.
This means when a business offers it always opting to process your payments via Paypal and never consent to pay via any kind of bank transfer.
For more information as to why and how to pay securely when shopping online, refer to the advice provided via the Get Safe Online website.