There are big differences between locally owned stores and the big box stores. If expertise, professional installation, product selection, customer service, merchandising, building relationships and price are important factors in buying your new floor, you?re going to find the following very interesting.
Today's shopping options are almost as varied as the number of flooring products, and choosing can be overwhelming. Many stores sell flooring, but few offer all the benefits of shopping local.
Luckily, your best option is often right around the corner at your locally owned flooring store.
Shop Local and Benefit Your Community
When you shop local, more of your hard-earned money stays in your community. Studies have shown that as much as 60% of the money earned in local businesses stay in your community. Local workers spend their money at local business and stimulate local economies. On the other hand, big box stores send most of the money back to shareholders. Local store owners generate more local taxes, provide more support for local nonprofit groups, create more jobs for local citizens and do more to encourage local entrepreneurship.
Knowledgeable Flooring Experts
Independent flooring retailers focus mainly?if not only?on flooring. Flooring is their way of life, so they are true experts who thoroughly understand the benefits and challenges of every flooring type available. If you have questions about flooring, they likely have the answers.
Quantum Floors specializes in 3 types of flooring - engineered hardwood, premium laminate and waterproof luxury vinyl. Because of that, we are experts in what we offer and our installers are experts in installing it.
Conversely, the big box stores don?t offer that expertise. The employee helping you in the flooring section was likely helping another customer in the lighting section minutes earlier. Their business model doesn?t allow for their employees to become experts in an area.
Competitive Pricing
A common misconception is that big box stores offer the lowest prices. Nothing could be further from the truth. The business model of the big box guys is to raise prices as they gain more share in their given market. Another trick the big box guys use is to offer the flooring for a very low price but then sell you the other items needed (underlayment, setting materials, trim pieces, finishing pieces and installation) at inflated prices, thereby negating that low price on the flooring.
Shopping at a specialty flooring store does not mean you?ll pay more for the same product. Local retailers tend to focus on quality rather than volume, so they often carry a wider selection of higher-grade products, but they also provide less expensive options for price-conscious shoppers. Keep in mind that local retailers regularly offer great discounts and promotions.
Customer Service
The best part of shopping local is often enhanced customer service. Local stores depend heavily on repeat sales and customer referrals, so they work harder to meet and exceed your expectations. Many provide additional services such as in-home measuring, design assistance, free samples and professional installation for a highly personalized shopping experience. The big box stores offer few, or none of these services and use third-party contractors to install the products they sell.
Quantum Floors prides itself on its white-glove customer service as evidenced by the hundreds of verified 5-star reviews ?we have received. When you visit our showrooms, you?ll likely deal with the same person each time. If you come in to look at samples one day and go back a week later with additional questions, you can often visit with the same person. This provides more personalized service and an increased desire for the employees to meet each customers? needs.
Product Selection
Although many local flooring stores are smaller in square feet, most offer an even larger selection than their national counterparts. The big box stores focus on a small selection that give them the most profit. Often, these are odd-lots, discontinued product, factory seconds or cheap Asian imports.
National chains focus on volume, selling a few items in each category rather than offering a wide range. And local shops usually have access to even more products than those displayed. If you don?t see what you?re looking for, be sure to ask.
The Quantum Floors Experience
There are big differences between locally owned stores and the big box stores. If expertise, professional installation, product selection, customer service, merchandising, building relationships and price are important factors in buying your new floor, we think Quantum Floors is the best place to start in South Florida. Visit one of our designer showrooms today. An extraordinary shopping experience awaits.
Download our free white paper on local vs. big box stores for even more information. Click here for your free download.
