COVID 19 has changed how we do business, while many people already took advantage of shopping online, more people now order home supplies online than ever before. Online shopping has grown in popularity as technology has improved and the offerings have expanded.
Many major retailers enjoy a booming business thanks to all the people that order home supplies online. COVID 19 has ramped up the number of people that prefer to order home supplies online and stay out of the brick and mortar stores.
Everything is Available Online
What can you find online? The right question is what can you not find online? Everything from landscaping supplies to fine china and intimate wear is available online. Typically, if you can find it in a store somewhere then a quick search will help you to find it online.
Over 37 million people in the US shop online including many of whom order home supplies online. Over half of those shoppers report that they shop online for the savings. Most consumers have made it a habit to shop online because of the convenience as well.
A kitchen remodeling project can be planned out with budgeting certainty when you order home supplies online. For example, you can easily get a quote for countertops, cabinetry, flooring, paint, appliances, and every other supply that you need to redo your kitchen online and keep a tally sheet of expenses.
Of course, while you order home supplies online, you also have easy access to finding craftspeople to do your installs. Need local cabinet refinishers to redo the kitchen cabinets? No problem, while you shop online for your supplies you can also shop online for cabinet refinishers, compare reviews and costs, and make decisions.
Shopping online has made pulling all your home improvement projects together so much easier. Thanks to easy online ordering, reviews, and the ability to compare quickly products, projects get done faster. Most homeowners enjoy the idea of not having to stand in line at the local home improvement store, especially now that COVID 19 has made standing in a line risky.
The Best Way to Save When You Order Home Supplies Online
Since savings is the main motivator for many online shoppers, there are a few tips you can follow when you order home supplies online to make sure you are getting the best deal including:
- Sign up. Typically when you land on a website to order home supplies online, there will be a pop up that asks if you would like savings or if you would like to be kept in the loop about sales. Often, simply by putting in your email at this pop-up, you can save up to 10%. It takes a couple of seconds to do and you can realize some great savings.
- Compare before you buy. Before you click that order button be sure that you are getting the lowest price possible. There are apps that you can download that will instantly alert you if there are better deals elsewhere. Sometimes the savings can be significant from one vendor to another. For example, when trying to find the best deals for a garage door repair service for your broken garage door, you can shop around online looking at different websites and reviews to figure out which place will give you the best work for the best price.
- Look for added value. Sometimes a lower price at one vendor can mean that you are going to pay for shipping which will inflate the cost drastically. Look for added value like free shipping to keep costs down.
There are millions of vendors right online that are ready to compete for your business. Let’s say your home remodeling project is including some much-needed landscaping and after some research, you have decided that hydro grass is what will work best for your lawn. Gathering some price quotes for hydro grass, then using that information to get a better price can help you to find yourself in the middle of a bidding war between a few vendors.
You can collect quotes quickly online from a wide range of vendors, then present them quotes to other vendors and invite them to beat the pricing. This approach is an easy way to ensure that you are getting your best possible pricing.
You can negotiate before you order home supplies online, except you are not negotiating in person, you are doing it online. Many vendors have a “will beat any price guarantee”. Many consumers do not take full advantage of this. Look at the “policy” page and see if the vendor your considering is willing to beat out their competition on pricing.
There are so many ways to save when you order home supplies online. Sometimes the savings can be found in the most unlikely places.
Where You Order Home Supplies Online Really Matters
While it is important to ensure that you shop with a trusted highly reputable source online, do not discount, the small businesses that also have an online presence. In some cases, the small little known vendor is the best place to find things like custom door products.
Most every single big-box discount home improvement store has an online presence, but their inventory is geared to the masses. That means finding custom products can be difficult. In cases where you are looking for custom metal railings or other custom items, you are better off looking for that small niche vendor that offers exactly what you need at an affordable price.
Big names in home improvement supplies typically charge through the nose for anything custom while the small business that happens to specialize in custom crafts can offer savings. You must shop around to find the best deal.
Of course, many consumers, want to support their local small businesses, and when you order home supplies online from a local small business you are also supporting your own community’s economy. While you cannot typically find all the home supplies you need online locally, it is always a good practice to shop with small businesses online when you can, as long as the value is there.
Worried About Quality?
Even with the COVID 19 crisis affecting how we shop, there are still some consumers that worry about placing that order for home supplies online. Some consumers feel like they need to see something in person before they make a decision.
The fact is it is a lot easier to order home supplies online and be assured of the quality because of consumer reviews. For example, you are searching for trailers for sale, but you are not sure what size trailer you need, or what manufacturer is best. An online search for trailers will answer many of your concerns.
Consumers love to shop online and they enjoy reviewing the products that they bought online. Most reputable websites have a consumer rating system and ask consumers to leave reviews to help other consumers make informed decisions.
Of course, you also can do all the research you need to do about sizing, materials used in the build, and more right online. You can certainly not do any of that by visiting a store. Additionally, if you had to drive to every store that sold trailers, or soft sided coolers to determine which one was best, it would take a while to do your comparisons.
Online shopping makes it easy to do all your research and comparison in less than an hour. Of course, once you hit the order button your merchandise is delivered right to your door. It is a fast easy way to make buying decisions with confidence.
The same level of quality goods that you can find by going to the store you can find right online, and you can do all the research that you need to do right from home. Once you order home supplies online and get used to the idea that you do not need to see or feel something before you buy it, it will become your new normal to order home supplies online.
Projects Come Together Faster
Let’s say your home improvement project is focused on getting your roof in top condition. Did you know that you can order all your roofing supplies online including things like gutter strainers? Why would you shop online for roofing supplies? Why would you not?
You can fill your cart right online with all the supplies that you need, click the checkout button, and have your order delivered right to your door. Here is why it is a smarter way to shop for roofing supplies:
- You do not have to go to the store and waste time waiting in line.
- You can ensure that you stick to your list of supplies. A lot of times when you head to the store you wind up with a basket full of things you do not need. You can wind up with a lot of stuff that you do not need.
- You can ensure that you get every supply that you need. It is easier to focus on what you need when you do not have the distraction of other shoppers.
There is nothing worse than forgetting something that you need to complete a project. When you order home supplies online you make your list order it all and then have it conveniently delivered. You do not have to worry about getting down off the ladder and running back to the store because you forgot something.
There is no guesswork as to when you can start your project. Order home supplies online, and know exactly what date the delivery will be. You do not have to worry about making time to go to the store. It is an expedient way of ordering supplies on your time. You can shop day or night online. You do not have to plan for a trip before you can get started on your project. You can shop after work for a Saturday delivery and get your project started on time.
Added Values
Most vendors online are more than happy to offer added value services to help lure the consumer to their site. For example, firewood supplies are not something you would think about ordering online, but what if you could get free delivery, or you got a bonus for ordering certain supplies? That would likely persuade you, and vendors know that.
Many online vendors offer those added values that sweeten the deal. A lot of consumers since the COVID 19 outbreak have taken to ordering their home supplies online, then doing a curbside pickup to avoid having to go into the actual store.
Vendors that are new to online ordering will offer a percentage off the final price for ordering online. Many vendors that did not offer free delivery are offering it now just to up the eCommerce interest in their business.
Added value when you order home supplies online can include things like special internet pricing for goods that are only offered online. In other cases, the goods are offered online and in the store but the pricing can be different. Businesses save money when they do not have to keep large amounts of inventory in their stores, they encourage online shopping and pass those savings on to the consumer.
When you order your home supplies online you can find BOGO (buy one get one) deals that you cannot necessarily find in the stores. Another huge selling point to order home supplies online is the fact that you are never limited when it comes to inventory.
Have you ever had a project where you need a specific amount of supply or material but the brick and mortar supplier is just short of that amount? If you order home supplies online you never have to worry about finding enough inventory. If one vendor does not have enough stock on hand, you simply order the balance of what you need from another.
Don’t Miss Out
Whether it is COVID 19 that is moving toward online shopping or you are just looking for a better way to save, order your home supplies online. You can take advantage of the convenience, savings, and ease by shopping for your home supplies online for your next project.
Order home supplies online and make every project more cost-effective, efficient, and easier. Of course, it will also help to keep you and your family safer from COVID 19 threats.
