Buying Your Blinds

Sneaky Customer Trick #3

Balking at a leaving a deposit

When you are buying custom window treatments or any custom product, expect to put down a deposit. This money funds the retailer’s purchase from a manufacturer of your window treatments. Simple concept.

Customer: “Why should I give you a deposit? How do I know you won’t run off with it?”

Me: “Well, I do have a track record of satisfied customers. But, by the way, how do I know you’ll return my calls and accept the product if I don’t take one?”

I did not close that sale and I doubt that anyone else did.

Another customer asked me to forego the deposit since she was waiting for funds to come in but wanted to get her order going. She assured me that she would pay for her whole house worth of blinds in full on installation.

Me: “I’m sorry but the policy is I must take the deposit.”

Customer: “But I’ll sign a contract and then I’ll be legally obligated.”

Me: (I paused here trying to suppress a chuckle) ”Yes, you would be obligated but if, through no fault of your own, you did not get the money, I would still be left unpaid. So I would have to chase you for it or take you to small claims court.”

Making numerous phone calls and possibly losing a day in court are not profitable ways to spend my time.

If you don't have the money, don't order the blinds!

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Window Treatment Descriptions

Horizontal Blinds – Window covering with louver/slats/vanes running left-to-right or parallel to the horizon. Also known as Venetian blinds. Sub-categories includes Wood, Faux Wood, Vinyl, Aluminum(mini, micro).

Vertical Blinds – Window covering with louver/slats/vanes running top-to-bottom or perpendicular to the horizon.

Shadings – These are hybrid roller shades with internal, tilting fabric louvers. Originally released as the Hunter Douglas Silhouette but now available from many brands.

Banded Shades – Also known as Zebra shades. They are rollers with alternating strips of varying opacity which can overlap for full privacy.

Vertical Sheers – A hybrid of a traditional vertical blind and sheer drapery.

Roller Shades – A traditional product familiar to many as a cheap vinyl covering from a home center or hardware store but custom rollers are available in a dizzying array of fabrics.

Solar Shades – A sub-category of roller shade featuring ‘screen’ like fabric of varying transparency expressed as a percentage ‘openness factor’.

Pleated Shades – A simple, traditional fabric shade formed by creasing fabric in increments from 3/4″ – 2″. The predecessor of the cellular shade.

Cellular (Cell) Shades – Also known as honeycomb and accordion shade. Based on pleated shades but have two or more layers creating a thermal barrier which is an effective insulator. Popular with a ‘top-down/bottom-up’ feature which provides direct light while maintaining partial privacy.

Vertical Cellular – A cell shade with cells (pleat lines) running top to bottom. Ideal alternative to vertical blinds for sliding patio doors.

Roman Shades – A decorative traditional fabric shade available in several styles.

Austrian Shades – A traditional fabric shade typically made with sheer fabrics. Privacy comes through the ‘gathering’ effect. They are not particularly practical but are valued for the decorative street view they provide.

Woven Wood – A rustic sub-category of Roman shade available in natural wood and grass woven materials.

Louver Drape – Another sliding door option, these are generally woven wood shades with a drape-like appearance drawing side-to-side.

Panel Track – Also known as a sliding panel. Typically used for sliding patio doors, these feature 2 or more fabric, solar or woven wood panels which stack in parallel, one over another. Great companion to matching roller, solar or woven shades. A clean, modern look but partially obstructs the view outside.