The Dangers of Buying Tiles Online

When looking to buy tiles for any project, often our first action is to go online. However, there are many dangers to buying tiles online and in many cases customers would benefit from visiting local showrooms. We’ve put together some tips below to help you avoid just a few of the most common mistakes when purchasing tiles online.

Buying online can be a slower process

When buying online you have to order sample tiles to get a true feel of the texture and colour of the tile of your interest. It is important to get a sample as you could end up with tiles you don’t like, which will prove to be expensive to return. A much quicker and more simple way to do this would be to visit your local Tile & Stone Gallery showroom, choose the tiles you would like and select a suitable delivery time all within the day. Our tile experts are on hand to advise and make suggestions to ensure your experience is as easy and enjoyable as possible throughout your purchasing process.

Batch differences

Even after receiving a sample, when shopping online, due to stock turnover you may still receive tiles from a different batch. As a result of this, the tiles you receive may vary in size, shade and quality. However, when shopping in our showrooms, you and your Tile & Stone Gallery tile specialist can ensure that the tiles you take home are from the same batch and are of uniform quality, shade and size.

Can’t touch and feel

Different tiles have different finishes and textures that you can’t fully appreciate and experience online. However, in a showroom you can touch and feel the tiles to make sure they completely meet your requirements and needs.

Better value in-store

Some tiles may be advertised online as having massive discounts but often can be found in showrooms at lower prices. In addition, showroom workers can advise on trader discounts and special offers. While value is of importance, it is also key to remember that tile work will often last a long time and it is important to ensure that tiles of good quality are used in order to withstand the test of time.

Breakages

What do you do when you receive broken tiles from an online retailer? Are you responsible for breakages? Can you get replacements quick enough? Do you have to pay for replacements? With us, we check our tiles before they leave our warehouse and showrooms, replace any that need replacing before you receive them.

Feedback

In a showroom you can easily talk to a professional for advice or if there are any issues. Our Tile and Stone Gallery tile professionals have a wealth of tiling experience and can advice you on the best and most appropriate options for your tiling needs.

We hope our advice proves helpful in making your tile purchasing decisions. While there are benefits to buying online it is also very important to keep in mind all of the potential dangers, these dangers outweigh the benefits for most individuals needs and many customers would benefit from visiting their local Tile & Stone Gallery showroom. If you still have questions, feel free to get in touch or visit one of our showrooms and talk to our staff who will be happy to help. If you’re looking for the inspiration needed to make your dream home come true, visit our Inspiration page. If you’ve finished your project, we would love to see some photos, share them with us on Instagram at @tileandstoneuk.