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Much of our buying these days is done online, although there are some things which people are still reluctant to purchase over the web.

Tiles sometimes fall under this category, with people wanting to actually physically see the tiles themselves before purchasing.

However, there are some great deals available if you head online, so we’ve put together this quick guide to buying tiles online.

Samples

First things first, it’s important that you find a tile supplier who will be happy to send you samples.

While there’ll usually be plenty of pictures online, until you actually see the tiles in person, it’s very difficult to get a sense of the look, size and feel of them, but thankfully, most online suppliers should be happy to send you a few samples free of charge.

Once you’ve got your samples you can also get a better idea of how many tiles you’re going to need.

Always Buy More Than You Need

Once you’ve worked out the amount of tiles you think that you’re going to need (you can use a tile calculator such as this one), it’s always a good idea to buy an extra 5 or 10%!

This is for a couple of reasons. First of all, some of the tiles could get damaged in transit on their way to you.

Secondly, it’s always a good idea to have some replacements on hand in case your tiles get damaged further down the line.

According to London Tile Shop, one of the best places to buy cheap tiles: “Having like for like replacements on hand if any tiles do need replacing is always a good idea because even if you were to go and buy the same tiles again, because they’re not from the same batch, they won’t match up exactly.”

Better Prices

If you are reluctant to buy tiles online, it’s worth knowing that you’ll probably be getting a much better deal than you would do from a bricks and mortar store.

Because online stores don’t have to deal with middlemen, they buy directly from their suppliers, and they also don’t have any overheads to worry about, so they can pass those savings directly onto their customers.

Check the Return/Warranty Policy

When buying anything online, it’s always important to check their warranty and return policies.

If a site doesn’t allow you to return tiles or offer any type of warranty, it’s probably a good idea to play it safe, and look elsewhere.

This is especially important when buying online, as you never really know what the tiles will be like until they turn up, so it’s important that you have the option to send them back if you wish.

Check for Reviews

It’s understandable that you might be a little bit sceptical when purchasing tiles online, so it’s always a good idea to check some of the reviews that have been left by other customers.

While it is usually wise to take online reviews with a pinch of salt, they can be useful to give a broad idea for the reputation of a company, so be sure to give them a browse.