Buying Kitchen Cabinets On-line: Key features to look for
Buying Kitchen Cabinets on-line can look like an overwhelming project. By finding the correct sites, you can easily save thousands on your new kitchen, but you need to know signs to look for to know that you are getting the best deal on your kitchen cabinets. For some reason people have a fear of buying cabinets on-line because they can not see or touch the cabinets in a showroom.. while that can be a drawback, it is also the reason that they can offer cabinets at a much lower price. By not having the actual brick and mortar store, the reduced overhead costs are passed onto the customer. If you have reservations about buying online, make sure that they have an SSL Certificate, a good PayPal rating (if they use that as a payment option), and a valid EIN number. Dont be afraid to ask for referalls if you dont see any on the site. The signs of a good kitchen cabinet site is positive feedback from previous customers.
Before starting your search, it is important to know what you are looking for. Choosing the right keywords to search for, can help make your kitchen cabinet buying process much easier. By simply typing in "Kitchen Cabinets" into your search will produce thousands of sites that can make your shopping process a 3 month endeavor just weeding through the various websites. By simply changing your search to "RTA Kitchen Cabinets" will reduce the results to a couple of hundred sites. By narrowing that down even further to "Marquis Cinnamon Kitchen Cabinets" will reduce the search results to a couple of dozen sites that will cater to your needs. So while you may want to start your search as broad as possible, once you have an idea of what you are looking for, try narrowing down your search as much as possible. One mistake that first time shoppers make is to only go to the first couple of websites that pop up. In many cases, websites are paying for those slots and some have figured out a way to manipulate their ranking so they may not offer what you are looking for. Some of the best deals are going to be found by searching on some of the other pages. A good rule of thumb is to atleast check out the first 30-40 listings that pop up on your search. This will give you a good feel for price ranges and styles.
Speaking of price, one of the red flags that always catches my eye is the pricing. The advantages to shopping on-line is that you can easily find and compare items, so if a website isnt willing to advertise their price that is always a red flag to me. It is important to factor in shipping when calculating your total cost. Some websites mark their cabinets up and try to sell you with free shipping, others keep their prices low and give you a shipping rate for your order. A quality site will actually calculate the shipping at or before the time you place your order. The problem with sites that require you to call or have to calculate the shipping after you order is that they will usually be giving you a good price on the cabinets so that they can make money off the shipping.
When it comes to selecting a style or finish for your cabinets, some websites try to confuse you by coming up with creative or different names for the same cabinets that other websites are selling. When you start looking at RTA cabinets, they are usually coming from the same source in China, so adding a unique name or description is their way of charging a higher price. Since most of the cabinets come from the same source, it is important to find a company that is actually the importer. This will ensure that you are getting the best possible price. Even when it comes to custom cabinets or brand name cabinets, it is important to buy from the source whenever possible.
It is also important to find a site that supplies as much information as possible about the cabinets. By simply listing prices and giving a generic description, it usually means that they are just re-selling them. By finding sites that provides factual information about the design, construction, and assembly of the kitchen cabinets, you can reduce the number of follow up questions you will.
Location is also important. Shipping can add a lot to the costs of your cabinets. If you can find an importer or manufacturer that is in close proximity to your house, it will save you a lot of money on the transportation of the product. It is also important to find out exactly where the cabinets are coming from.... just because a company may be located in Wisconsin or Minnesota doesnt mean that your cabinets will be coming from there. A lot of websites use a 3rd party distributor to ship their cabinets for them and they may be located in another state.
So when you are getting ready to buy your new kitchen cabinets, dont be afraid of shopping on-line. By narrowing your search, comparing prices, and asking the right questions you can ensure a successful shopping experience.
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