Decorate Today at American Blind and Wallpaper Factory
Written: Nov 16 '02
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Preamble
If you've been following my reviews for the past couple of months, then you know that we're in the midst of remodeling our house. Part of the headache (and sometimes fun) of doing this is that some things in your house that you might have taken for granted - blinds, lamps, curtains, borders, pictures - don't fit in anymore with your new decor.
What's a gal to do? Go shopping of course!
What Is American Blind and Wallpaper Factory?
Well, it is so much more than blinds and wallpaper. In fact, those are the more boring products on the site. American Blind and Wallpaper Factory sells brand name blinds and wallpaper, rugs, home accents, paint, curtains and bedding, lighting fixtures, and custom framed art.
That's a lot of stuff! If you haven't figured it out, they're basically one stop shopping for your decorating needs.
Besides having an online store, they also have brick and mortar showrooms located in Michigan - one in Plymouth and the other in Sterling Heights.
Why I Went To American Blind And Wallpaper Factory
Well, I didn't. I was talking with a friend of mine about my remodeling and the fact that with a new wood floor, I was having difficulty finding an area rug that looked nice and fit with my decor. Almost every web site I visited either had nice rugs that cost thousands of dollars or they had a handful of rugs that had no personality. That's when she suggested going to a web site called Decoratetoday.com.
So What Did You Find?
Wow! I was pretty overwhelmed by what they had to offer. Luckily, their design colors were really soothing - seafoam green (hey! I'm from the 80's!) and a muted yellow along with lots of white space.
Not only did they have rugs, but they also sold blinds, wallpaper (and borders), custom framed art, lighting, and paint. Wow! I knew that now that I had found this site, I was destined to be on it for hours.
Navigation was quite easy. Tool bars on top, tool bars to the side. I never got lost.
Product Selection
Wowsers! The rug section alone took me a couple of hours to get through. And no, it wasn't because they had a dysfunctional web site, it was because they had so many to offer, that I thought I would be missing something if I didn't look at all of them!
As far as rugs go, they run the gamet from traditional to modern, from country to novelty. Sizes range from 2 x 3 all the way up to 10 x 13. Shapes? Got them all. Fabrics? All of those too :).
When you pulled up a particular rug, they show you a pretty nice sized picture of the rug - but hey - you can enlarge the image. Along with that, they give you a list of what sizes are offered, how much they cost, what the rug is made out of, how long it takes to ship, and how much it costs to ship.
So I found the rug of my dreams and American Blind and Wallpaper Factory was nice enough to recommend the appropriate padding for it. I had to take a peek at the lighting and framed art because those were also two things that I was struggling with.
Oh my! Just like with the rugs, I spent another couple of hours looking through their selection of lighting and framed art. And yes, I did find exactly what I wanted.
Um...I know what I want, I just can't find it
If you need some help, American Blind and Wallpaper Factory has a live customer service rep at your finger tips through chat. Click on that feature and ask your question. Or if you're not the chatty kind, email the 'personal shopper' for some feedback. I did this regarding a border I was considering for my kitchen.
Details of the Financial Transaction
American Blind and Wallpaper Factory accepts their own credit card, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, & American Express. In addition, they allow you to pay by check, doing an online transaction from your bank account.
Get this...Shipping is free through UPS! Yes, absolutely free! What a cool feature. Most items are shipped within 5 business days (7 for custom blinds). I ordered four things and all were received within 6 business days.
As each order is shipped, you are notified via email and given a tracking number to follow.
I was thrilled with the way each item was securely packaged. There was glass involved with two of them so you never know what kind of condition those will arrive in.
Returns are accepted within 30 days but this time, you get to pay for the shipping.
I've never seen this from another online retailer but American Blind and Wallpaper Factory guarantees that you will always receive a lifetime, lowest price. So what happens if you find a lower price on the same product (as long as it's not discontinued or a close-out)? Bring it to their attention and they'll refund you 110% of the difference.
What Makes American Blind and Wallpaper Factory The Place To Shop Online?
One thing that always greatly impresses me is when I find an online store who reaches out to their customers and asks for feedback on their site, their products, heck - anything! There's a letter (and swell picture) from the President of American Blind and Wallpaper Factory and if you want to send him your suggestion, he gladly welcomes it. In another area, there is a feedback form you can fill out which probably ends up going to someone who handles specific things around customer service, web design, marketing, etc...
So to recap, the reasons you need to shop at American Blind and Wallpaper
1) Wide variety of products
2) Some of the lowest prices around
3) FREE SHIPPING!!!
4) Easy to get around the web site
5) Quality, quality, quality
6) Constant communication from customer service on the status of your order
7) Management that reaches out to their customers
So what are you waiting for?!
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Kristina Frazier-Henry
Location: Indiana
Reviews written: 1345
Trusted by: 1155 members
About Me: Cannot breathe. Missing Barbara.
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