My search for discount blinds helped me discover the pros and cons of buying window treatments online versus in-store. While stores can offer installation and in-home consultation, online retailers are a better value and can actually provide a similar customer experience with free samples and customer service over the phone.

Shopping for discount blinds can be tricky, because many people are looking for a good deal but also want to buy window treatments that they really like. Even for people on a budget, window treatments are an important purchase because they can set the tone for a living environment, reflect unique design styles, and even add value to a home. Deciding where to buy discount blinds – online or in-store – is an important decision, as both options provide different experiences with different benefits.

When I was looking for discount blinds, I stopped into a nearby blind retail store in hopes of finding a good deal on roller blinds or wooden venetian blinds. After consulting with a sales representative and discussing pricing options, I was floored. The window treatments came with installation and measurement services, but they were way out of my price range. On top of that, the sales guy reminded me of someone in an infomercial, spouting numbers at me faster than I could absorb them and repeatedly remarking over what a great deal he was offering me. I felt pressured and overwhelmed, and got out of there as fast as I could.

I saw in the newspaper that a nearby department store offered free in-home consultation, so I had a representative come to my home to discuss my options. The representative was friendly, knowledgeable, and offered some really good suggestions. She pointed out colors of roller blinds that would compliment my home, and helped me decide which slat size for wooden venetian blinds would look best in my large windows. All of the options, however, were still too expensive.

Frustrated, I made my way to Lowes. Finally, I found a store with blinds I could afford. Their selection, on the other hand, was pretty limited. They didn’t have a lot of roller blind colors and I couldn’t find any wooden venetian blinds I liked that would fit my window. Home Depot offered a similar selection in the same sizes. While the home improvement stores were the closest any stores came to fitting my budget, I couldn’t find the correct size or style.

Having seen both extremes of the in-store blinds options, I decided to go online and see what I could find. I came across an online blinds retailer that had exactly what I wanted for a lot less than the stores. The website even let me input my window measurements for custom blinds that fit my window. I was a little nervous that the colors wouldn’t match my walls and furniture, so I ordered some free samples before I bought the blinds. The website offered a service to locate someone near my home to install the windows for me, but I installed them myself without any trouble. Ordering online turned out to be an easy experience (a whole lot easier than shuttling from store to store!) and allowed me to get blinds for a great price.