- "There is nothing in the
world that some man cannot make a little worse
and sell a little cheaper.
- He who considers
price only is
that man's lawful prey."
- John Ruskin
English author & lecturer (1819-1900)
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So,
You Get What You Pay For — Right?
Well, Not Necessarily!
Some people will write off
problems with these lower quality products by saying, "You get what you pay for." But
really you don't. These companies that market cheaply
made inferior quality blinds set their prices to be a certain
amount below Hunter Douglas prices, but their quality control
and manufacturing standards are based on, well, nothing.
Look at the pictures to the
right, for example. Click on each picture for a larger
view. These inferior grade blinds were installed on completely
interior windows with absolutely no exposure to the sun or any
other natural elements for about one year. As you can see, the
slats are warped, horribly. The blinds can't even be fully
closed. The gap between the headrail and the first slat
is quite large and not covered at all by the valance.
This customer paid about $10 per blind less for these than a
typical selling price for a Hunter Douglas EverWood™
blind. Is that getting what they paid for? I would
say not. Wouldn't most consumers pay the difference if
they truly knew the difference in quality is so far
apart? There might be a few hold outs, but most
will.
If blinds are
misrepresented as being "the same as Hunter Douglas"
or "made from the same parts as Hunter Douglas," my
question to whoever is selling them would have to be,
"Why, then, don't they SAY Hunter Douglas?"
With so many new brands —and
brands you never heard of before out there. Why risk
it? The safest way for dealers and consumers is to stay
with the old, trusted and reliable brand, Hunter
Douglas.
So What IS The Difference?
Hunter Douglas has
two excellent lines of faux wood products, EverWood™ and
WoodMates™. The first thing you'll notice about Hunter
Douglas faux woods, is that they have fewer ladders than
competing blinds. EverWood ladders are spaced about
18" apart. For WoodMates, the spacing is 16".
Some of the inferior products use thinner slats and require
ladders every 12 inches or so —and even then they fail to
support the slats properly.
EverWood™
First introduced in the fall of 1998, EverWood offers the
warmth and beauty of wood. But the slats have the cost and
function advantage of being manufactured from a composite of
engineered polymers and real North American hardwood.
Because the slats are manufactured rather than milled from
wood, they are consistent in appearance. There are no wood
flaws or dye lot variations. The slats resist fading,
warping, and cracking — even in humid conditions. This makes
them suitable for climates where natural wood blinds are not
be recommended, such as bathrooms and beach houses.
EverWood slats are easy to clean. They are completely
washable. They are offered with a Limited Lifetime
Warranty.
WoodMates™
Like EverWood, WoodMates offer a similar look to wood blinds
at a much lower price. But, WoodMates are
comprised entirely of engineered polymers. They are intended
to appeal to consumers who are on a tight budget but still
want a quality product. WoodMates blinds are offered
with a five year warranty.
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"Brand
X" won't close well.
"Brand
X" warped slats.
"Brand X" has
gaps.
"A
cheap
price is a shortcut
to being cheated."
Confucius
Ancient Chinese Philosopher
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