Shopping For Tiles Online
While purchasing anything online is convenient for many, you have to consider that this might not be the case with tiles. You have to consider the following guidelines seriously as you make large and expensive orders. Some considerations to think about include the following.
They are highly fragile
Tiles may break and you have to consider the shipment process if you will be ordering tiles from somewhere very far. Usually, tiles, per unit, are priced fairly online. While you are convinced that 500 pieces may still be worthy of its total price collectively, expect that shipping fees will go sky high by the time you hit check out. It may require you to pay more than you expected for the tiles. In the end, it may not even ensure that all of the tiles will reach you safely, as there could be an incident that could make 30 reach you broken into pieces. It does not matter if you are buying porcelain, ceramic, basic or premium tiles, there will always be a level of risk. Some tiles are more fragile and expensive however, so you must analyse the risk compared with the return.
Know what you need
Don’t just purchase tiles based on aesthetics alone. Whilst decor and design is important, familiarise yourself with the functionality and qualities of each tile. There are some that have more water absorption capacity than the others, meaning their sustainability and performance may be better. These types of tiles can be a lot more expensive. There’s an advantage in knowing how to mix and match these tiles considering both their look and their durability depending on where you’ll use them.
Expect the worse
If you are willing to take a risk by purchasing in bulk from huge online suppliers like Taobao, Alibaba, and Amazon, expect that you may have to deal with varied quality depending on your purchase. Also, expect that it may not be easy to return defective products if it says no returns in its terms of the agreement. Problems may arise with the whole shipping process as mentioned earlier. If you’re the type who doesn’t really pay attention to policies and terms and conditions, know that there are companies that impose a minimum number of pieces for a refund or replacement to occur. Let’s say, you ordered 500 ceramic tiles and the reasonable number in which they’d honour a return policy is if you could send at least 300 back to them. Both the shipping to you and from you is risky already. Let’s say you sent 300 tiles, but only 280 unbroken pieces reached them, they may not grant you any exchange or refund because it did not meet the requirement.
Know where you get your supplies
There are famous premium tile sellers that may charge your basic tile purchase a lot higher than usual because of the reputation and branding they have. They impose high prices on supposed affordable basic types of tiles because they are trusted. While premium tile suppliers reign with an expected high-end price range, it’s still inappropriate to sell with an overwhelming difference just because of the name that comes with it.
In light of this article, you remain the decision-maker at the end of the day. Research and do not settle for what’s easy. Platforms for online purchases have been designed to fast track your decision-making process with the ease of pressing buttons. Be reminded once again, that it’s difficult when dealing with tiles as it is a higher risk purchase. Enlisting an interior designer may help to limit risk.
To summarise, balance out these factors when purchasing tiles online. You must consider how it’s going to be delivered to you, whether it will be of appropriate quality, whether it be on time and if it is at its best price.
