Shopping For Area Rugs Online vs Buying Rugs In Person

Shopping and Buying Area Rugs Online vs In Person Shopping

Before Shopping For Area Rugs Online or Buying Rugs In Person Read Our:

In-Depth and Comprehensive Rug Buying Guide | Rug Mistakes – Know What To Avoid When Buying An Area Rug

Should I be shopping for my area rugs online or should I buy my rugs in Person?

People are constantly asking if they should be buying and shopping for area rugs online or in person. The truth is that both rug shopping options will offer some benefits as well as some drawbacks. Let’s explore the different aspects of online rug shopping vs what to expect when buying rugs in person.

Here are some factors to consider if you want to shop online for your area rugs:

The benefits of buying area rugs online:

• Convenience: Shopping for rugs online allows you to browse and purchase rugs from the comfort of your own home, without having to travel to a physical store.
  • For people with busy lives and jam packed schedules, shopping for rugs at home with a gall of wine, after the kids are asleep can be a fun experience.
• Wider selection: Online rug stores may have a larger selection of rugs available compared to a physical store, as they can source rugs from all over the world.
  • The internet gives people the ability to see 100’s of different rugs and area rug styles from any number of dealers in less than an hour.
  • Online rug shopping gives you the ability to shop and source your rugs from any dealer in the world.
• Price Comparisons: Rug shopping online offers more price transparency than a physical store. Rug buyers can compare comparable pieces to find the best value.
  • One can “see” 1000’s of rugs, compare their prices, read customer reviews and educate themselves.

Search and shop online for: Antique Rugs | Vintage Rugs | Modern Rugs

The drawbacks to shopping for area rugs online:

• Feeling Quality / Texture: It can be difficult for some people to determine the quality and texture of a rug when purchasing online. Some will “need” to feel and touch the rugs before buying them.
  • A way to do away with any ambiguity is to ask for pictures from different angles and closeup images of the pile (for texture) and weave (for quality).
  • Another way is to make sure that the dealer offers in home trials. Seeing a rug in the space will give you the chance to love with it and make sure it is the right feel for you.
• The actual colors and look: The way rugs look in images, especially the coloration, will differ somewhat from how they will look in person.
  • That is why we always suggest you try the rug and see it in your space before finalizing the purchase.
• Returns: For some people, returning a rug purchased online can be a complicated process, as shipping can feel somewhat intimidating.
  • For return shipping you can review: How To Roll Up Rugs and Carpets For Shipping

For Trying Rugs In Your Home Read Our Purchase Policy

Here are some factors to consider if you want to shop for rugs in person:

Benefits of buying area rugs in person:

• Quality / Texture: Feeling a rug in person allows you to better judge its quality, texture, and colors.
  • Some people just need to see and feel a lot of rugs before settling on any rug option.
• Seeing the rug in person: Examining a rug in person can help you determine that actual colors of the rug as they may differ from how they look on your computer screen.
  • In person rug shopping removes all uncertainty surrounding the colors.
• Wear and patina: Shopping in person gives you the ability to inspect the rug for signs of wear tear, oxidation and aging.
  • Older rugs will have some expected aging / wear / patina. Seeing the rug in person will help you identify any potential issues or discoloring.
• Personalization: When purchasing in person, you can work with a salesperson to find a rug that fits your specific needs and tastes.
  • While you may be working with one sales person when you shop online for your rugs, working with someone in person will give you the ability to ask as many questions as you may have as you will have unfettered access to the rug expert.

However, there are also some drawbacks to shopping for area rugs in person:

• Limited selection: One can only see so many rugs in a physical store. Rugs take physical work and time to pull and layout for you to see.
  • Since in person rug shopping is time consuming, you will probably be limited to only a handful of dealers that you could visit at any point in time.
  • Most rug dealers will have their inventory online so you could scroll though 100’s of rugs online in a fraction of the time it would take to see just a handful in person.
• Dealing with Sales people: Lets be honest, most people don’t want to be sold something, they want to buy it.
  • Some rug sales people may be pushy / aggressive and as a result, some people feel pressured. Buying rugs online will do away with that type of pressure.
• Convenience: Visiting a physical store to browse and purchase rugs can be time-consuming, especially if the store is far away from your location.
  • Shopping for rugs in person limits your shopping based on the store hours. as well as where the store is located and how far it is form you.

Ultimately, whether you choose to buy your area rugs online or do you rug shopping in person will depend on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. It’s important to do your research and carefully consider the pros and cons of each buying approach option before moving forward within buying any type of area rug for your home.

You may also want to review: Buying Rugs Overseas While Traveling Abroad

Here are some newer additions to our collection of antique area rugs that you can shop in person or buy online from us:

This rug blog about shopping for area rugs online vs buying rugs in person was published by Nazmiyal Antique Rug Gallery in NYC