When shopping for flooring, how many times do you go to the stores looking to buy what is in stock or look at what is available? What is available is usually the commonly used, generic colors, popular colors, and most economical depending on where you go. If you are looking to buy something right away, your selection may be limited depending on if you go to the blue or orange box store, Floor & Décor, or a local flooring store. Lots of homeowners like the ability to go and get something now and return what they do not use. For those who are a little bit more selective, shopping around may be the best route.
Many times, I have been asked, " Can you get the same color as what they have at Lowes or Home Depot?" The answer will be "No". Most products that are in box stores are for box stores. Part of the reason they can match prices is because many of the products they carry are made just for them. They do not have to match it. They also are made to fit the price point for the box store. It may be a Shaw or Mohawk made product, but it is not made to the same specifications as what you buy in the local flooring store. Box stores sell products that are made for DIY crews and those who are sometimes restricted on the amount they can spend. In doing this, little things are changed in the product lines that can cause the product to not last as long as the similar product out of a local flooring store.
Another way that box stores have been able to lure in customers is their credit cards. How many times have you seen “24 months No Interest on Qualified Purchases”? Financing can be a big part as well. Even though you may be trained in paying everything off in the selected time period, some are not and will pay a lot in interest if they pass up the time frame given. You can check with you local flooring stores if they have financing options.
Box stores usually have more options online, but you don't have the physical samples to look at and compare with other colors. Taking a large sample home to look at against the wall colors and lighting can make you love or hate a flooring. Especially if a flooring has high color variations in the product, you need to see multiple pieces. One sample will not tell the whole story. A new box store that has come up with a solution to this is Floor & Décor. You have the large selection with inventory to pull from there at the store. The only inconvenience is that not every town has one nearby. Be aware also that many of the products that they have are private labeled as well. You can only find those brands in those stores. It is a growing retail store and can be found in larger cities across the country. It has a lot of products that are price point and design centered to what is in demand more frequently.
Local flooring stores have something that those stores do not have. Multiple options in design, colors, product lines, and durability can all be found in one way or another. Product lines found in local flooring stores do have the high selling colors and styles, but they also have access to more designer lines that you will not find in the big box stores. The flooring products that win awards for design are not found in box stores. Products with better durability and unique colors are more readily available. The price point goes up, but so does the options for more unique character in the flooring and style. When a customer comes looking for a product, a flooring store will usually have a large sample board to look at, plus samples can be ordered if needed. Not every collection can be found in a store, but if the store carries a certain brand such as Proximity Mills, Raskin, or Revolution Mills, they will have access to other product lines and can get samples for a customer. Customer service is key for a local flooring store to keep its doors open, so they want to help you find what you need as much as what you want.
There will always be the next box store to make it more convenient to sell you flooring. Good local flooring stores are looking to create satisfied customers that get the best flooring possible with good customer service. Helping a customer find the right product is what the flooring store continues to do. Our store reaches out to Rutherford, Polk, & Henderson County in NC, but we have also serviced parts of Upstate SC and up to Asheville. If you have a question on a product in a local store, we will try our best to help you. It is not just how the product will perform that counts, but what products will have the right color and style to fit into the room that is being designed. Having products that fit your individual lifestyle so that you get the years out of your flooring that you are supposed to get. Before going to the box store, try your local flooring stores first. Start with the best and work your way down. It will help you choose the right product knowing what you are spending your money on.
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