industrial sewing thread

industrial sewing thread

Things Which Matter When Buying Retractable Awnings Online

Shopping online is predictably safe now. Any reputable shopping site takes care to use secure connections, meaning all of the information that you send to the site is scrambled. The tech side of security is obvious:

Â· SSL (Secure Socket Layer)-encrypted websites (frequently indicated by a small locked keypad and a yellow background to the address bar)

Â· Secure payment options, such as PayPal or Google Checkout

The technology of safe online shopping can be verified easily through security sites like Verisign or GeoTrust. The other side of buying anything online, though, depends on the credibility of the company youâ€™re dealing with.

A retractable awning company that focuses on online sales will have some kind of web presence. A general web search will return some basic public information about the company in newspaper stories or press releases. Not everything comes back in a web search, so be able to take advantage of other public resources, like membership lists:

Â· Look for membership in professional organizations. The biggest for retractable awnings is the Industrial Fabric Association International, and they publish a members directory at http://www.ifai.com.

Â· Check for mentions or participation on related websites. Posts on message boards, blogs, and forums usually arenâ€™t returned on a web search, but they indicate the reputation and focus of the company. For awnings, try gardening and construction message boards; thereâ€™s even an awning-specific message board at Awnings4U.com.

Â· See if they have a Better Business Bureau profile. The BBB has a simple search site, http://search.bbb.org/, which will allow you to search for any member company by name, industry, and contact information and return their company profile, including years in business and BBB rating.

Â· Find out if they participate on rating sites like iKarma.com, shopping sites like Kaboodle.com, and directory sites like http://www.aecinfo.com or http://www.shuttershades.com/. It takes effort to create profiles on multiple sites, and exerting that effort indicates business commitment (and also provides an unregulated avenue to getting customer feedback). One great site is http://www.merchantcircle.com/corporate/, which has an easy interface where you can search for a business by phone number.

Also, give an eye to their website. Most honest companies comply with organizations like TrustE, the Better Business Bureau, and other Internet and business standards organizations and provide certain clear policies on the website:

Â· Warranties. Good companies back up their work. For awnings, the minimum warranty for budget frames is six years; for high-quality frames, it is 25 years. Additionally, high-quality retractable awning companies warranty their fabric for five years and warranty the sewing thread for a lifetime against seam separation. Anything less is less than desirable.

Â· Return policies. Return policies should be explicitly stated and strictly followed by the company. While a good company should have good shipping policies (and check to what they are) being able to return a damaged or defective product â€“ or even one that wasnâ€™t quite what you wanted â€“ is the sign of a serious online company.

Â· Contact information. A lot of companies manipulate the anonymity of the Internet.

Â· Privacy statements. This is more than fine print. The privacy statements show how the company will handle your personal information, including credit card numbers, email, phone numbers, and shopping patterns. Honest online stores will guard your information; check an organization like TrustE for websites which are licensed and compliant with data privacy policies.

When you (metaphorically) hand over hundreds of dollars for a beautiful, functional retractable awning, you are gambling your trust that the store receiving that money will respond. A few minutesâ€™ searching will show whether that trust is warranted.

A few extra minutes on their product descriptions will also show whether the retractable awning youâ€™re buying is worth it. Glossy pictures and clever catalog notes can make a retractable awning seem charming â€“ but thatâ€™s not the same as product quality. What they leave out of a description is as important was whatâ€™s there, so make certain that you can find and guarantee product quality:

Â· Where is the awning made?

The quality of a retractable awning can be almost perfectly determined by where it was manufactured. Flimsy, poor-quality awnings tend to be made in China, and many retractable awning companies use cheap Chinese awnings for residential lines because of the lower price. Middle of the road awnings are usually made in North America. Premier awnings, both in stylish design and industrial/commercial durability, are made in Europe.

Â· Are the materials certified?

Internationally recognized standards organizations such as EuroLab and TÃœV test and approve retractable awning lines for long-term wear and quality. A retractable awning which is Eurolab or TÃœV certified is of the highest quality.

Â· What kind of materials do they use?

The best fabric is solution-dyed acrylic, which usually wonâ€™t fade for 12 to 15 years and resists mildew, rotting, and UV damage. The best frame material is aluminum finished in an electrostatic powdercoat. Other fabrics (canvas or vinyl), frames (PVC or wood), and finishes (enamel or paint) are low quality and less durable.

Â· Do they offer accessories?

Retractable awnings with motors are used four times more often than manual retractable awnings. Motors, remote controls, and sensors (wind, sun, rain, motion) all make retractable awnings easier to use and protect the awning. Better quality companies offer better and more accessories.

At its heart, shopping online is about having an easy experience â€“ low pressure, the ability to browse, easy comparisons of different styles, companies, and prices, plus great selections and savings of 35%. Do a quick Internet search on the retractable awning company youâ€™re looking at. Check out their policies and their public footprint. Make sure your money is safely spent.

About the Author

Retractable Awnings offers quality awnings and patio covers, which are both reliable and easy to use .http://www.retractableawnings.com

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