Every homeowner, at one time or another, will have the need to shop for blinds or shades for their home and careful consideration ought to be paid to selecting what type of retailer will be chosen as well as the quality of the product and the corresponding price. As with any product, there are several types of retailers who deal in shades or vertical blinds.



The different types of blind/shades retailers include in-home designers, national home centers, vertical blinds retail storefronts and Internet retailers. They all bring a different way of doing business and while your preference may vary, consideration should be given to all in order to choose which fits your specific needs best.

National box stores, with their unlimited advertising budgets, have captured the imagination of the American consumer and provide a one-stop shop for thousand of products which create a “convenience" for the shopper yet it is this very fact which demonstrates a lack of focus to certain products which require a keen sense of expertise. Window treatment products are best offered to the average consumer by trained, experienced personnel which can assure that the final result will be a blind or shade that will not only enhance the appearance of the specific room but also accomplishes certain goals such as light control, reduction of radiant heat, etc. These centers usually emphasize fast delivery and lower prices thus sacrificing quality, a fact demonstrated by the display of ready made products over custom made products that insure correct fit and specific color and design. Should a homeowner require measurement services, additional charges will apply.

On the other hand, home design consultants are a great source of idea for those homeowners who are in the market for wood blinds or vertical blinds and their decision as to the type, style and color of the window treatment is of high concern. Normally their advice is marketed as free but the cost of the blinds or shades will be much higher and the installation cost will be added to this cost. Usually the blinds and/or shades shown to the consumer are those which bring the highest profit margin to the designer thus the consumer is not exposed to all that is available.

Storefront window treatment retailers are often a decent choice for the average consumer. As a norm, the staff of this type of retailer is well trained regarding product knowledge and will almost always offer free home measurement services. As commissioned employees, the emphasis is always placed in the promotion of the high profit shades or blinds oftentimes at the expense of what the consumer really needs. There is sometimes, however, an emphasis for easy sale vertical blinds.

One last option is the Internet blind and shade retailer who counts on your knowing exactly what your needs are and who is generally willing to provide this knowledge by simply surfing their Website which is partially dedicated to this effort with articles about measuring, installing, specific product features and benefits and so on. It is important to choose the Internet retailer who emphasizes the good of the consumer over profit in the hope of increasing “word of mouth" recognition of the website and the only way to do it is to excel in their profession. Internet retailers will display all their vertical blinds and other products online and allow their customers to choose and purchase without exerting undue pressure and steering the process to a specific product. The “comment box" allows the consumer to interact with the Internet retailer and get all the answers to specific questions. Additional benefits to the consumer are lower prices for quality blinds and shades due to the lower overhead.

In summary, the comfort of your home can be an integral part of the process of acquiring blinds and/or shades. Your computer screen will fully rival the services provided by national home centers, in-home designers and storefront retailers with none of the disadvantages previously mentioned. The range of styles and colors in all product categories such as vertical blinds, miniblinds, wood blinds, roller shades, bamboo shades or roman shades is unimaginably large and without limitations when shopped over the Internet. So sit back, relax and get ready to be treated as you want and deserve to be. Enjoy!