Big Box Stores vs. Local Flooring Stores: Which is Better?

It is often surprising for our customers when they compare our prices to those from a large chain store. A local flooring retailer such as ours can not only compete, but also provide better value. Here are a few things to keep in mind when buying new flooring for your home or business.

Quality

You'll notice that for most name-brand items at the grocery store, there's a generic or store brand option. Store-branded items are typically not made by that retailer - they're made by another, larger company and sold under the retailer's label. In order to offer this item at a lower price, the store brand item is likely made with different or lower quality ingredients. The store-brand or generic name may be used to avoid association with the lower quality item, even though it might be manufactured alongside the name-brand version.

Flooring is similarly affected by this scenario. Large flooring brands that make hardwood, laminate, vinyl and carpet are making alternate versions for big-box stores, while their top-quality, name-brand product lines can be found in stores like Floor Co.  

So, while you may find flooring cheaper in a big box store, you will likely be purchasing flooring that is of lesser quality, that will not last

Flashy Sales Gimmicks

Loss leader pricing is a marketing strategy that involves selecting one or more retail products to be sold below cost – at a loss to the retailer – in order to get customers in the door. The loss leaders are the products being sold at such low prices as an enticement to buyers to step foot in the store. If they offer your flooring at a discount, consider where they might be making up for this loss? 

You’ve probably heard of installation deals such as, “free or $49 for whole home carpet installation." There's something to be said about deals that seem too good to be true. It is often a fine print requirement that you must purchase a certain amount (at a regular or inflated price). The padding and underlayment are often cheap and you end up paying an additional fee at the end. Buyer beware! 

Service

One point of contact throughout your entire experience is a great benefit of a local business like FLOORCO. Our team of experts will work with you from beginning to end, including installation. Our flooring professionals have decades of experience and provide honest advice. Our installation contractors have been working with us for many years and are an important part of our team.

You can trust the team at FLOOR CO. with the professional installation of new flooring in your home or business. Our Portland, Tennessee showroom features a variety of flooring selections such as hardwood flooring, luxury vinyl plank, laminate, carpet and tile. We look forward to the opportunity to serve you.