“If anything can go wrong, it will.” Take these famous words by Murphy when you go shopping for your next area rug. While you are on the hot trail for good deals, do not ignore the warning flags because if something sounds too perfect to be true, it probably has some hidden defects that escaped your attention. Put on a cynic's face when you go area rug buying. Check out the list to know which warning flags you should particularly be on the look out for. • BRIGHT COLORS. Vibrant splashes of color here and there are adorable; these make great eye candy and can function as instant conversation starters. However, these should also get you thinking about the quality and the color lifespan of the area rug you are about to buy. Will the colors fade after several cleanings? Will the rug stain if water and other liquid are spilled on to it? What fine details are the bright colors attempting to cover up or down play? • BULK DEALS. Bargains that promise of greater quantities for your money are worth believing with a grain of salt. Remember that the best area rugs are known for their quality, not for the quantity in circulation in most shops. The most obvious downside of bulk deals is that the commercialism of similar-looking pieces renders your purchases generic and no longer unique. Bulk deals are often presented in tandem with inexpensive price deals. • ROCK-BOTTOM PRICE TAGS. Some fakes are expensive. However, most of them sell at stereotypically rock-bottom prices. In many cases, inexpensive deals are indicative of a number of red flags: mass production which could compromise the quality of the workmanship, shorter shelf life due to the haphazard production process, and greater volume of sales to compensate for the cheap price tag. Be warned however: Although many high-quality rugs sport hefty price tags, imitations can too. Do not use price tags as the sole basis for determining whether a piece is authentic or not. • URGENT TIME FRAME. Be wary of closing out sales, midnight sales and other limited offer promotions. You can only guess the seller's ulterior motives behind such sense of urgency. To the extreme, you will even wonder why, in the first place, there is a need to hurry the sales. Are the rugs smuggled? Will they soon outlive their warranty? Is the rug manufacturer facing some business crisis? Will the sense of urgency pressure you to avail of the offer without asking the usual questions? When you are out there to buy something that your funds can afford and when the authenticity of area rugs is not your primary concern, do not let this list terrify or dishearten you. Note that although these red flags are present, they do not necessarily mean that you are about to make a purchase that will leave you with regrets. Do not forget to do your own homework though and do not forget to shoot the right questions. | 
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