An Article by Heather Kramer, B.E. (Buyer Extraordinaire)

More and more carpets, rugs and textiles are becoming available on the internet at much reduced prices. This is good. It makes beautiful things more available and more affordable.  But there are problems.  Without going into the shop, how can you tell what color it truly is?  How can you tell how it feels or if it is damaged?  Even when you do go into a shop, you stand the chance of paying a little more than you should for something beautiful.  I've done this many times because I am someone who is easily lured by beauty.  All that ever stops me is my low budget.  With great joy I discovered the offerings on E-bay and other internet sites.  But I also found that, sadly, the deception that can sometimes occur in a regular store is easily increased and perpetuated on a site or in an auction where all you see is a picture of the item. 

As stated earlier, I've had plenty of experience with this myself. I've purchased many items from auctions and web sites. Some were better than I had hoped for. Too many, however, ended up being an entirely different shade of red (as in, orange), or had more damage than originally disclosed. Also, when you can't see a piece close up, you can't check for holes, painted warps, moth damage, and so forth. The requirement is usually that you pay before the carpet is shipped. So, when you open up the package, and it's not at all what you were anticipating, you're stuck!  

Now,  I know that old carpets are going to have damage. As a weaver and a dyer, I know what deterioration in a carpet can be like and what restoration is like. I also know that hand made pieces are rarely straight, and often have variations in color. In tribal pieces, the weaver often goes a little crazy and throws in bright dashes of color to make it more attractive to her own eye (usually fuchsia, orange or turquoise). In some pieces, the damage itself becomes part of the beauty of the piece. In other pieces, you ignore the damage because what's left is impressively old or is still beautiful.  I've been known to buy crooked pieces and pieces with all kinds of damage just because I like the colors or because I know that I can hide the damage under the coffee table and show the beautiful part. But before I pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for something, I would like to know if the color is orange or red. Or how many moths had a lunch from it. Or if the color will fade if I try to wash it. Or even how clean it is. It is for others who think like I do that I write this article and give these pointers.  

I've had a lot of experience with buying textiles, so first let me give you some points which fit any purchase, on or off of the internet:

1. Buy from a responsible dealer with a good reputation.  Ah, but what does that mean? How long have they been in business?  How big is the business?  Do they have an actual store, or just a virtual one?  It doesn't matter if they have whole warehouses of carpets if all of them are ugly and poorly made.  All you need is a few, nice rugs!  Some dealers might be building a reputation.  Keep this in mind!

2. Check out the return policy.  Make sure they have one.  Some dealers will let you take a carpet and try it out in your home to see how it looks before you buy.  Why not try it, if it's an option?  See the section below on internet purchase return policies.

      3. Ask questions.  Ask lots of questions.

4. Ask for a history.  A painting is worth a thousand words, and a carpet, especially an older carpet, is worth a book!  New carpets have a place of origin.  Older carpets always have a history- they show it in the colors, wear or remnants of the previous owner.  See if the seller knows the history.  It's always interesting to see what they'll say.

5. Know what to expect from new carpets.  A new carpet should be new and have no damage. It should be washed before it's sent to market. It should be trimmed and properly finished. Sometimes new carpets are crooked. This is to be expected from something hand made, but should also be disclosed. Sometimes new carpets are washed so that they look older. This is fine, but wouldn't it be nice to know? Sometimes new carpets are faded out in the sun so that they look older and more faded.  This, also, is fine, but wouldn't it be nice to know?

6. Know what to expect from old carpets.  Older carpets are going to have odd variations in color. Some will be crooked-especially tribal or village weaves. The colors will be more faded. Sometimes they will have repairs. Sometimes they will have insect damage or broken warps. Sometimes they will have been hung on a wall with glue which cannot be removed.  Sometimes they have stains. Sometimes the pile has been worn off. Sometimes they are threadbare.

7. How old is it?  How old is it really?  No, really, how old is it?  Please keep in mind that with today's modern technology and chemical washes, there are many ways to make a carpet look older than it is.  It can be chemically washed, acid washed, or laid out in the sun for months until the colors have faded to an acceptable shade.  Don't pay more for a carpet just because someone says it's old unless it's got qualities you've never imagined or magical powers.  But if you like it and it speaks to you, well, there's nothing like a good old quality carpet!  I'm not saying don't buy old carpets.  I'm saying don't pay too much for something just because it's old.  Here's another news flash- the really really old carpets are all in museums in climate controlled viewing cases.  If the carpet was really as old as they say it is, it, too would probably be in the museum.  Use common sense.  50 to 100 years is believable.  40 to 30 is more believable.  If you're in Sotheby's or Christie's, believe them.  If it's on the internet or in a small town in the U.S., be a little skeptical.

Second, let me give you some points for buying on the internet:

1. Buy from a reputable dealer.  Buy from a dealer who answers your questions and emails.  I can't emphasize this enough!  Pick the dealer before you pick the carpet or textile!  Choose someone who will work with you and who is eager to have your business not just once, but repeatedly.  There are a lot of dealers out there.   Chances are, if you like the first rug or textile you buy from them, you'll be back for more.  So choose someone who will offer you quality pieces for a fair price.  A dealer can fake a picture of a store front or a store front, but it's very difficult to fake genuine customer service.  Hand made carpets should be sold by someone who knows their personalities and who is willing to get to know you, your tastes and your personality.  You might have to take a chance when purchasing the first piece, as you would, also, in a retail carpet store, but after that, you should have a good idea of who a dealer is and how trustworthy they are.

2. Buy from someone with a return policy. Any dealer or individual doing business on the web should be able to provide you with one. Before you buy, make sure you know what the conditions of return are.  Also check on whether you are required to pay shipping costs or not.  It's normal for a dealer to require you to pay shipping costs when returning an item.  It's also normal for these shipping costs to be based on weight.  

3. Check for references.  Look at feedback files on E-bay.  Ask the dealer if he has any of these types of things posted anywhere on the web.  But be aware that references can be faked.  Feedback files on E-bay are a little more secure. 

4. Get out the measuring tape. Make sure you know how big the piece is.  When a seller puts pictures on the web, the piece can look any size.  Whether it's a large carpet or a small bag, the sizes of the pictures can look the same.  

5. If it matters to you, ask about the accuracy of the photos with regard to color, shape, condition, etc. I can take a picture of a carpet which has all kinds of damage and odd colors, scan it into a photo editor, and create a beautiful and amazing picture of a carpet with fine details and no damage and desirable colors.  I can change the size and shape so that the piece looks entirely different.  Also, the resolution of pictures on the web doesn't usually show the details or trouble spots.

6. Ask for history. Where did the carpet come from?  Does the seller know?  Is this a dealer who knows his carpets personally or are they just objects for resale to him?  If it's an older carpet, where did he find it?  If it's a new carpet, does he know where it was made? In Iran right now Qom designs are being woven in Kerman. Nain designs are being woven in Qochan. Isfahan designs are woven in Yazd. And so forth. The designs themselves are rarely from the places where they are woven anymore. This affects the quality. If you're buying a Nain carpet and spending the extra money, don't you want a Nain carpet which was woven in Nain and exhibits all of the qualities of carpets associated with that area? (Nain carpets are finely woven, beautifully rendered design pieces.) 

7. Other things to ask about if they are not mentioned:  insect damage, dye problems, warp tension problems, stain problems, smells.

Finally, you can be cautious and careful and still get cheated sometimes.  Or you might not like what you thought you would.  Or the carpet you buy might not look quite right in your living room.  But, here's the thing.  The chances are in your favor.  The carpet buying experience is always thrilling!  Carpets and hand made textiles are all so unique, you can hardly go wrong.  We aren't talking about t-shirts and socks, here!  We're talking about hand crafted works of art! Chances are good that you can click away without paying attention, and find many beautiful pieces for your home.  The point, really, is to enjoy it!  Enjoy finding it, buying it, and then enjoy it for years to come in your home!  That's what textiles are all about. I have pieces I'm very proud of and which I refuse to walk on.  I also have carpets I tromp on every day.  I believe in carpets!  But I also believe that you should know what you are getting before you buy, instead of after.  I also confess that the reason I know all these points is because of all the mistakes I've made in my purchases.  But with textiles, you can still walk on your mistakes or hide them on the floor of the laundry room to keep the washer from shaking too much.