CarpetsAppear keen but not committed. Say you are considering changing your carpet and wanted to establish what offers there were with various specialists. Tell them your key factors are a good match for the room and great value for money. Say you are considering changing your carpet and wanted to establish what offers there were with various specialists. Tell them your key factors are a good match for the room and great value for money.
Say you are considering changing your carpet and wanted to establish what offers there were with various specialists. Tell them your key factors are a good match for the room and great value for money.
Take it home. Ask for free samples and view the carpet in the room you are going to lay it – it is amazing how different it looks outside the showroom.
Take advantage of free measuring services. Obtain a few quotes, comparing costs and the stores estimate on the area of carpet needed. Ensure the costs are itemised and everything is included to compare like-for-like – carpet price, fitting costs, gripper rods and underlay are some of the main ones. Tell them you will let them know whether you intend to use them or not in the next week or so.
Compare carpets. So many carpets that look similar and yet different in price and quality. Your ideal carpet may be £27 per square metre (with additional costs that then add up to £35 per square metre) but a cheaper one that looks similar is £16 per square metre (totalling £23 per square metre).
Give them a reason to improve the deal. Most salespeople would rather lower the price (as long as they are still making a profit) than see you go to a competitor. Tell them you like their carpet, however a similar one sold by x works out at £1150, whereas theirs is £1750. £600 is too much of a differential, and you are swayed towards the cheaper one primarily because of price. You did promise to let them know either way and this is the conclusion you have come to.
You may be able to leave it there and be offered an improved price automatically, however if you need to make it more obvious you could try adding ‘if the price were a lot closer you would re-consider.’ Always have a price in mind that you are happy to pay.
Look for other money-saving routes. Your current gripper rods may be fine. Agreeing to take this cost off could save you further money.
If it is a small room to be carpeted, many shops have off-cuts/remnants which are an ‘end of roll’ carpet. These are often offered at considerable discounts; enquire at your local stockist.
Written by Marc Lockley, this article was first published on August 2, 2010. Marc's opinions are his own and for general information only. Always seek independent, professional, financial advice.
Marc writes for the Guardian and is the author of 'How To Pay Less For More: the consumer's guide to negotiating the best deals - whatever you are buying'. You can buy it at Saga's online bookshop at a special discount price – click here.