Selection van offers in-the-home choice of carpet and vinyl

Press, 10 May 1982, Page 19

Selection van offers in-the-home choice of carpet and vinyl

The concept of buying from samples considered in the comfort of one's own home is growing in popularity. particularly for home furnishing items. The service provided by Phone-a-Carpet has been in operation for about 15 months, but has only recently changed to that name from “Dial-a-CarpeL" which was too much like the name of a similar soft-furnishing service.

Home buying is a convenient and time-saving method of selecting what suits one’s home and works in best with other items already chosen. Prospective customers can summon the Phone-a-Carpet selection van to their door by dialling one of two telephone numbers: 324-345 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. or 66-985 at

other times. Country people can ring collect provided thev use the first number — 342-345.

The van is “on the go" six day’s a week, Monday to Saturday, including evenings, and will travel at no charge anywhere in the Canterbury region where the roads are passable for such a large vehicle. With an interior size of more than 5m by nearly 3m the van is large enough to display a huge range of samples for the customer to choose from.

In fact, a complete range of carpets from all the major New Zealand manufacturers is available through Phone-a-Carpet, drawing on $560,000 worth of stock, according to the firm’s manager, Mr Frank McWatt.

When the customer has decided on a carpet type, samples can be taken into the home to be seen alongside other furnishings. Since daylight and artificial light, bright light and subdued light all have different effects on colours, the customer is invited to keep samples for several days, to be able to find which one is best for the room under all lighting conditions. Besides carpet, there is an extensive range of vinyl samples, a selection of which can also be left in the home to allow a leisurely choice. Cork tiles and seagrass mattings are available, too. Mr McWatt has had 20 years in the flooring trade, in both manufacturing and retail, so is well qualified to advise on what type of car-

pet is best suited. to the various areas of the home. He does the measuring-up himself and the time is minimal between an order being placed and the floor-covering being laid by expert trades-

men working on behalf of Phone-a-Carpet. Hire purchase is offered with a low deposit and easy weekly payments. The carpet and. vinyls are bought from the manufac-

turers at the best rates, and '. selling only from the van keeps overheads to a minimum, so customers are able: to make considerable savings as well as enjoy the advantages of on-the-spot choice.