Read this before you shop online for home décor

Do a Quality Check

Now this is perhaps the most tricky part of online shopping. Since you are only seeing the product virtually, you can’t be exactly sure of how good the quality really is. For many, the price is a marker so the higher it is, the better the quality. But that isn’t always true. Even reputed sites can sell low quality products at times. Recommends Chaudhary, “Have some basic knowledge of materials before buying any product and read its description extensively. For instance, if you are buying a bedsheet, make sure you are aware of what’s a thread count and how much is needed for a good quality product. Read about the material, size, etc carefully for every product. Use Google to do your basic research especially for buying furniture. You need some basic knowledge of wood or fabric, before making an informed decision.”

Check their Return Policy

There’s only so much you can decipher by looking at a product online. At times, even after multiple checks, the product doesn’t match our expectations and isn’t our money’s worth. In such cases, it is important to know beforehand about the return policy of the brand or website you buy it from. 

“It is great to have a backup plan in case a product or a furniture piece does not meet your standards. The tricky thing about most websites is they have a lengthy return policy. Ahead of buying furniture or décor or furnishings, take the time to read up on the website or the company’s return policy so that you can be rest assured that if anything goes wrong, you have a plan B in place. Also, do check the warranty or guarantee available on the products and try purchasing them using your credit card to get points and offers available,” advises architect Amit Gulati, founder at Design21.

For big purchases like furniture that are not just expensive but also take up a lot of space at home, make sure you check them as soon as they arrive for any defects or broken parts. If they do, you can initiate a return at the earliest. Also note, some websites only offer store credit which means you won’t get your money refunded but you can purchase something else of that value from them. It is essential to know these before you buy so you don’t feel cheated after the purchase.