Flooring Scams

Flooring Scams

Bait & Switch
      
The carpet industry practically invented this one. 
All carpet manufacturers have sample books or "deck boards" as they are referred to . These books may have one large carpet sample on the front, and all of the colors in smaller samples inside the book. Some books may have two, three or even four large samples on the front.

When there is more than one sample on the front of the book, each one is usually a different thickness or "quality". Usually these qualities differ only in thickness, and sometimes there is not much difference that you can see or feel. But there is always a difference in cost.
flooring Scams
Flooring Scams
Flooring Scams
The scam is simple. Let's say a carpet sample book has three samples on the front - A, B and C. C is the thickest one. You are so excited about buying your new carpet that you don't thoroughly read the contract. What happened is, you picked out C. The salesman wrote B on the contract, but charged you for C. He was fully aware of what he was doing.

Or, he will write C on the contract, but send out B, gambling that you probably won't notice the difference.

It gets even worse when you add in the fact that many carpet retailers, private label the carpet styles, so it is impossible for you to shop the price or to really know exactly what you are getting. Ever try to shop the price of a mattress? If you have, then you know exactly what we are talking about. 
Whole House Scam

This involves attracting you to the store by offering “whole house” carpet installation for one low price; usually less than one hundred dollars. Don’t be taken in. Logic will let you conclude that the dealer is making up the labor cost loss by over pricing the cost of the carpet, pad, and extras; talented craftsmen do not work for free or minimum wage. Also, when you read the “fine print” of these programs, there are heavy extra charges. This type of advertising is more often seen in the big box stores. For example, the store makes the customer purchase their “special pad” up to $8/sq. yd. This eight dollars includes installation of the pad also. Maybe this is how they justify charging so much their pad. 
 
whole house flooring scam
Also, in the “disclosure statement”, the customer is responsible for removing the doors. This service is included in most carpet installs by the majority of carpet dealers. This means that the “$97 Install” really is JUST FOR THE CARPET. Furthermore, there is a heavy charge for moving furniture, pull up, baseboards, and disposal of old carpet and pad, and in some cases, even more extras for metals and thresholds. Combine this with the fact that store must hire installers from companies that pay their installers the lowest wages, and you can see that the store may even be making money on their labor.
Another Bait (Loss Leader)

In the carpet business the bait & switch works like this: A dealer advertises a carpet completely installed for only $13.99/sq yd including padding. The dealer may lie in the ad and even say the regular price was $39.99/sqyd installed. If you really think about it, you know this is just too good to be true. However there will be enough people who will believe this ad and visit the advertiser. The dealer just accomplished his goal of getting you in his store. 
Flooring Scams
You ask to see the $13.99 installed carpet, and he shows you this carpet that you wouldn’t install in your garage. You ask about the quality and you are told that its not very good, but what did you expect for only $13.99 installed. The dealer now shows you some other “quality” carpets for considerably more money. THAT’S IT. BAIT AND SWITCH.  These dealers tend to advertise loss leaders in order to get you in their store. There is a fine line between “bait and switch” and loss leaders. Many loss leaders use the ad that states “Three rooms of carpet completely installed for one LOW PRICE!”
Over Measuring
     
This is one of the most widely used scams in the carpet industry. The salesman measures the area to be carpeted. He shows you this big thick plush carpet and tells you he can give it to you for only $10.00 per square yard, installed over a padding so thick, you 'll be able to sell your bed and sleep on the floor. 

He then tells you that you have 160 square yards, and the total job will cost you $1600, complete. You tell him you will get some other prices and you will get back to him. You go around shopping, only to find that all the carpets that resemble the carpet he's showed you are $15 or more per square yard, and you think he must be giving you a great deal!
Flooring Scmas


In actuality, you only really need 80 square yards of carpet. He's really charging you $20 per square yard.

We are exaggerating slightly. It's unlikely that someone would tell you that you have twice as many yards as you really do, but you get the general idea of how it works. In most cases, if you end up buying carpet from one of these retailers, they will not write the total yardage quantity on the contract, so that if you ever discover their scam in the future, they can simply deny what they sold you.
Flooring Scams
Wholesale Scam

We all know a friend of a friend who can get for us almost anything at a cheap price. All of us truly know
there is no free lunch.
I’d be cautious of anyone selling you anything at a price that appears too good to be true.
If your most important part of the carpet buying process is price, you are doomed to be taken. 
*Special thanks to the Carpet Guru for his knowledge and expertise in the flooring industry. 
Share by: