Hey Modern Nesters!
Beyonce has the beehive…alright, I know I am not Beyonce but give me a little latitude.
This week we are going to talk about online shopping. The internet is great and opens you up to so many products you would not be able to source locally and all from the comfort of your own home. But buyer beware. Just like online dating, the items look great in the photos but when you get them in your home, it is a whole other story. What looks like beautiful walnut wood grain is a piece of MDF with a vinyl wood sticker on top of it. YUCK!
Here are the advantages of online shopping
Great Prices
Ease of Sourcing
Unlimited options
Disadvantages
Hard to get a sense of the scale of items
Quality of manufacturing
Color of finishes.
Here are some of suggestions to minimize the cons of online shopping
1. Check their return policy
· What are the return shipping costs?
· I bought a duvet on Etsy from Ukraine and it was super affordable. I could return it but the shipping back there was more than the duvet itself.
· A way to avoid some of these issues.
· See if you can order a sample of the finishes or the fabric that comes with the item you are purchasing
2. Read the description carefully
· Pictures can be deceiving
· For instance, in the photo the metal finish on the chandelier looks black
· But it is really oil rubbed bronze which is a brown black
3. Look at the dimensions - Goldilocks took 3 tries to get it just right. Here is a way to avoid that pitfall.
· When you see the item all by itself on the screen, it looks huge and then you get it home and it the wrong size.
· Look at the measurements and compare them to existing items in your home.
4. Rugs
· These can be sourced affordably online but the colors can vary widely
· Many online stores will send a sample for a nominal cost
· If not, buy the smallest size rug as a sample.
· It is a lot easier to return and shipping costs are minimized.
5. Buying Vintage Items online
· Many times all sales are final.
· “Excellent Vintage Condition” is what I say in my online dating profile but there are still some cracks in the façade.
· If you want perfection – vintage items may not be the right solution for you.
I am not saying not to buy things online but be smart about it.
Have you had any online issues when buying stuff online? Feel free to share them here and help your fellow Modern Nesters. I am going to try to make Modern Nesters work like Gretchen Weiners tried to make “Fetch” happen.
Until next week.
M