Brandon Oriental Rugs Blog

A Lesson On What Not To Do In Furnishing A Room (Despite ALL Pretense of Credentials and Authority to the Contrary)

2012-01-23T22:52:00.000-08:00

This picture above is from Rug News Magazine ( http://rugnewsdesign.com/blog/2011/09/14/designers-notebook-laura-casey-charlotte-nc/ ) and provides the first of what -- unfortunately -- will likely be numerous lessons here on the Brandon Oriental Rugs blog of "What Not To Do" in interior design, especially as it relates to bad choice or poor use of area rugs. The example above comes from an "ASID Affiliated" designer in North Carolina, and clearly demonstrates how to junk up a room.
The fat-chair and sofa combo jammed in the corner on the right side looks like an attempt to sell the maximum number of pieces of furniture to the client, and has very little to do with good design practice. The glass top table asymmetrically positioned is also somewhat bizarre and purposeless. Next, compare the little bitsy chair to the left of the fireplace with that big green battleship-size piece of seating on the left side of the room: that exponential difference in scale is a real no-no (unless this house belongs to the Three Bears.)

I don't see any people in this room, and it's likely for good reason. Sitting in there for more than a minute or two could really put stress on a person's mental health. There's no integration of elements. The eye can rest nowhere.
In fairness, any individual element in the room could be a starting point for a comfortably designed space, but done this way (altogether too much) it's a mess. The room really runs up the score if the goal is to be anti-aesthetic.

(I hear the ASID is trying to force states to pass licensing measures requiring design practitioners to pass licensing exams and meet certain education and experience standards in order to conduct business. If the mess in the picture above, wrought by one of their members, is considered a passing grade, no one need fear the challenge. However, if it is exemplary of the standard to which all will be expected to conform, then EVERY interior design professional -- regardless of professional affiliation -- should object to the efforts of the ASID to make itself arbiter of who can earn a living by -- as we see above -- "throwing a room together".)
Quality matters. Good and bad quality both manifest themselves, but in different ways. (Declines in cultural standards have led many to believe -- wrongfully -- that "it's all good.") Good quality is evident in the words we use when we appreciate its presence: beauty, harmony, integrity, excellence. These are appealing impressions it makes upon our minds and spirits. It can't be faked. Attempts by misled, agenda driven individuals to put a stamp of "quality" -- as in "good quality" -- upon things which possess or convey bad quality doesn't fool anyone who appreciates good quality and the benefits it inherently brings.

Brandon Oriental Rugs 2011 Fourth Quarter Gallery Sampler featuring fine hand-knotted rugs and hand-woven tapestries and demonstrating the variety of styles, colors, and shapes available in quality handmade rugs

2011-11-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Current Ad - Current Offer: Hold on Reality (things that REALLY matter when shopping for handmade rugs, and services related to fine oriental rugs)

2011-09-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

New Looks By Request

2011-09-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

Some pieces located recently on behalf of clients with special limitations regarding size, color or price . Call us if you have something special in mind, or are looking for "the last piece in the puzzle" to complete a room.

REAL Savings Coupon To Make The Right Choice Even Better

2011-09-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

CURRENT OFFER (Thru October 31, 2011) Clip the coupon or mention the offer code and SAVE the cost of padding, delivery and state sales tax when you acquire your rugs from Brandon Oriental Rugs.

This offer represents REAL SAVINGS (not arbitrary discounts from manufactured tag prices) on Brandon's "Every Day As Good As It Gets" Price. You've always felt good about the values at Brandon Oriental Rugs. Now, for a limited time, you can feel even better.

Now is the time for home improvements. Now is the best time to save on the improvement that will be worth more and more in the future: fine handmade rugs.

Life Affirmation. Sensible Choice. Self-Expression. Character Study. Fabulous Fashion. Stylish Home. Beauty IS Truth. A Good Thing. NICE Fit. WOW!

2011-08-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

       The following rooms are beautifully complete, integral wholes, by virtue of many choices tastefully expressed.
     As different as they are in individual expression, they share a single foundational element: a REAL handmade oriental rug.
     There is NO disputing taste -- especially good taste visibly expressed.
     We invite you to savor some choice examples:

Entry Hall

Family Room

Living Room

Elegantly Fancy Living Room

Elegantly Simple Living Room

Traditional Dining Room

Dining In The Round

Kitchen

Study/Office

Sunroom/Conservatory

Bedroom

REAL VALUE: ABSTRACTLY EXPRESSED (FAIR TRADE, TRUE WORTH, FADS AND FACTS)

2011-06-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Our current ad ruminates on the issue of artistic merit. Without prejudice to taste, technique, or a multitude of other tangible and intangible factors that can affect the price of a particular objet d'art, we personally would argue strenuously that the disparity in pricing between Mark Rothko's "Untitled #17" and the equally unique, anonymously produced "Handmade Persian Rug" is too broad and, if realistic for the painting, grossly unfair to the rug.
As a suggested "equalizer", we could propose a "Look for Less Challenge", and invite all takers to attempt individually to create a reasonable copy of Mr. Rothko's opus along with the more humbly estimated rug. We suggest that such an effort would confirm the incredible value in the rug -- if the price of the Rothko piece (fetched at auction) is a true estimate of value.

IMAGINE

2011-06-26T22:41:00.000-07:00

The following link is to a scan of two articles printed just a few pages apart in the May 14-15 Saturday and Sunday Wall Street Journal.

Page One of the .pdf reviews art auction results totalling $1 billion over two weeks for impressionist and abstract works from various artists. Many new records were set.

Page Two of the .pdf (which actually appeared a few pages prior in the WSJ) is captioned "Not a Millionaire In Sight" and shows an "Untouchable" Indian woman crossing a precarious footbridge over an open sewer filled with human waste to her "home" on the other side.

Without judgement or prejudice for or against either depiction of fortune, the juxtaposition of extravagant indulgence with abject destitution -- apparently unintended by the WSJ editors -- is poignant.

IMAGINE.pdf

Summer Stock Sale (Reduced Prices) at Brandon Oriental Rugs Means Cool Savings on the Hottest Rugs For Your Home and Office -- COUPON

2011-06-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

**** Begin at the beginning with that new home or
special room you're fixing up this summer.

Let Brandon Oriental Rugs help you
save time, effort, and cost
acquiring the fine handmade rug(s) you'll
need to make it all come together. ****

**** A major rug importer has asked for Brandon's

assistance in selling off part of its

vast rug collection presently in our inventory.

This makes possible the first time ever
"SALE" here at Brandon Oriental Rugs. ****

**** Significant price reductions on

in-stock rugs only (those with design

numbers ending in "D" or "X")

SAVE 20% OFF tag price.
Does not apply to rugs acquired through
Rug-SearchTM service ****

**** For those who still don't know:

Brandon does NOT falsely mark-up our rugs

to offer discounted "SALE" prices;

the price on our tags is based on quality;

our prices are complete (everything included);

and our prices are non-negotiable --
same price for all regardless of whether
you drive a Bentley or a Yugo, regardless of whether you live in a one-room-efficiency
or a mansion in the Hamptons. ****

**** This is a REAL SALE ****

**** These are REAL SAVINGS ****

**** It's REALLY for a LIMITED TIME ****

**** That's a REAL OPPORTUNITY for you ****

Brandon Oriental Rugs Helps You Appreciate The Meaning of Magic

2011-06-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?

Rug Cleaning - Brandon Oriental Rugs - Rug Care

2011-06-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Brandon's Rug Cleaners Frequently Perform Miracles

The following picture of a cleaning customer's rug was taken at the the time of pick-up. (Frankly, we had low expectations that the cleaning process would provide much improvement in the appearance of the rug based on the poor care it had suffered in the customer's home -- and we told her so.)

Despite our lack of encouragement, the customer requested us to make an attempt to clean it.

The next picture shows the result of our service's basic rug wash. No heroics were performed, but the rug looks as good as new.

We can't promise miracles in every instance -- because we don't know what has happened to your rug in the time it has been in your home -- but there is almost always an appreciable improvement in appearance when you elect to have an old, heavily soiled rug professionally cleaned.

Call us (215-794-2300) to arrange a time to evaluate your rug(s), and to discuss our terms. (Sorry, no e-correspondence on this.)

For spot-cleaning instructions, visit our website: www.BrandonRugs.com/
www.brandonrugs.com/page8.html
www.brandonrugs.com/guide1.jpg

Spring 2011 Tour and New Rug Design Selections at Brandon Oriental Rugs Bucks County, PA

2011-04-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

This particular video stresses Brandon's commitment to timeless values of design, quality, artisanship, luxury (the hallmarks of Real Handmade Rugs). Taste is indisputably personal, but there is NO disputing good taste.
REAL handmade rugs don't disappoint. Cheap stand-ins won't fail to disappoint.

Luxury While It's Still Affordable

2011-04-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

Was, Is, Will Be Sale

Since the government can't forsake

any of its pet projects, the cost of

everything you want and need

in life is going up.

For those in a position to contemplate

a luxury acquisition for the home or office,

today is the yesterday you'll wish

you'd seized tomorrow.

Brandon Oriental Rugs

3454 York Road (Route 263)

Furlong, PA

215-794-2300

(brandonrugs.com)

Materials to Combat Fraudulent Going-Out-Of-Business Sales

2011-02-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

The following documents are available for study and use by communities and businesses adversely impacted by the ongoing nuisance of fraudulent "Going-Out-Of-Business" (GOB) Sales and related scams ("Retirement Sale"; "Lost Our Lease Sale"; "Relocating Sometime In The Future Sale"; etc.). While specifically applicable in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, they might have exemplary use in other jurisdictions. Included here are some correspondence by my own company directed to local government which reveals some of the challenges faced in stopping the illegal activities of GOB operators, particularly the necessity for ongoing, determined action to bring about the protections to the consumer, community, and other businesses envisioned in the governing statutes and local ordinances.

Pennsylvania Law Governing "Fire Sales"

Proof That PTK Knows About the Law It Is Breaking

Proof That PTK Operates As A Scofflaw: Notice to PTK from Solebury Twp
(N.B.: PTK ignored its responsibilities as outlined by Solebury Township in this legal notice, and continues to operate in violation of the law -- which should be a matter of public record.)

Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office to File a Consumer Complaint for Violation of Consumer Protection Laws

Pennsylvania Bureau of Consumer Protection Mandate

Pennsylvania Consumer Protection Guide: page 25 - GOB Regulation

A Complaint by My Business to PA Attorney General Regarding Violation of GOB Law

Consumer Guide to Fraudulent Going Out Of Business Sales

Hilarious (But Honest) Analysis of GOB Sales

Article on Problem GOB Operator Elsewhere In Country

Article Concerning Nature of an Unregulated GOB

Brandonrugs.Blogspot.com Concerning PTK Oriental Rugs' GOB Announcement

Going-Out-Of-Business IS a Business

WSJ.com:_In Texas, There's No Business Like ''Going Out of Business''

Cherry Hill Rugs GOB Forever_2009-2010

Lancaster Oriental Rugs Going Out Of Business SCAM -2008

Quotes From Consumers Regarding GOB "Sales"

Can You Get A Deal At A GOB "Sale" ?

Rug Buyer's Guide: 1 - Tufted Rugs and Their Problems For Consumers, The Shocking Truth

2011-02-23T00:54:00.000-08:00

The following are long and short versions of the first video in a series of videos by Brandon Oriental Rugs (located in Bucks County Pennsylvania) to help educate rug buyers and rug owners about the different types of handmade area rugs; and their use and care in the home and office.

In this first production, "the shocking truth" about tufted rugs is revealed. Serious design flaws in tufted rugs -- sometimes called "handmade rugs" by manufacturers and marketers inclined to stretch the truth -- make them prone to rapid deterioration compared with REAL Handmade rugs. Diagrams, photos, and a live demonstration of a tufted rug being pulled apart are presented to bolster the case that this is a product with problems for the end user and ultimately for the environment (which we all have a stake in protecting.) (Incredibly, the makers of tufted rugs dare to label them "green products" even though they're a garbage disposal problem like that other rubber product: tires.) Well known carpet manufacturers and rug importers like Nourison, Safavieh, Momeini, Couristan, Capel, Shaw, Oriental Weavers (Sphinx), KAS, Kalaty and others produce these rugs in India and China (along with some domestric production in the United States) in tremendous volume. Branded products made by them like Martha Stewart Rugs, Nourison 2000 rugs, Pier One rugs, etc saturate the area rug market, and confuse novice rug buyers with product that looks similar to more costly (and much better made) hand-knotted rugs but provides considerably less long term value than the better rugs they mimic.

The REAL benefits of REAL handmade rugs is the background story that is hopefully apparent in this first "Rug Buyers's Guide" video by Brandonrugs.com and will be further revealed in subsequent videos in the series. You're invited to check back often, and visit BrandonRugs.blogspot.com for more frequently updated articles and product information regarding REAL handmade rugs. More material on the problematic tufted rug can be found at Brandon Oriental Rugs website http://www.brandonrugs.com/page21.html .

How Is A "SALE" Really Measured ?

2011-02-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

The following ad (one of many in a similar vein by Brandon Oriental Rugs) deals with -- and plays with -- contrasting marketing styles of companies and their choices regarding how they promote themselves.

Many companies by their promotions choose to say -- in effect -- "Come see us. We'll give you a BIG discount compared to what we can really, or usually do, charge for what we offer." What they don't say, is that the discount is taken from a number that's usually made-up, manufactured from a formula that allows the discount to be offered.

For example: a company wants to sell a product at price= $X, claiming it is 70% OFF the "regular price". But, "regular price" doesn't exist until it's made up from the targeted selling price. So if you want to sell at $300, and want to broadcast that the "SALE" price is 70% OFF of the "regular price", you create the "regular price" by multiplying $300 by 3.33333333 (or so) which equals the awesome, "who could hope to afford it", regular price of $1,000. $300 looks SO good compared to that "regular" $1,000 that folks can't wait to spend $300. It's a conditioned response, and marketers play the market with it constantly.

Other companies (and Brandon Oriental Rugs has been one since our founding) have decided that they are not going to use the model above of "decoy luring prey to the trap through smoke and mirrors." These companies (and Brandon Oriental Rugs has been one since our founding) realize that they have something REAL to offer their customers. They are offering products with tangible value and benefits that can satisfy the unique wants and needs of the customer (including price) based on REAL Quality points that enable comparisons between products and vendors. They are not selling a targeted price-point or manufactured discounts, or other "made-to-look-real" gimmicks to the public (e.g.: "Liquidation Sale"; "Going-Out-Of-Business Sale"; "Retirement Sale"; "First Day of the Month When It's a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday Sale"; "The Prior Sale Extended for the Remainder of the Month Sale"; etc..)

It's important to realize AND remember that the Quality Price Model provides the customer with purchase prices every bit as good as or, usually, better than the Discount Price model. The difference is that it's rational not impulsive; it's providing pricing related to tangible benefits which can be compared, and not arising from some whim of the marketing department trying to manufacture demand by relating unrelated things. Really, what does a day on the calendar have to do with the the underlying reasons for why things cost what they do? Truly, businesses using the Quality Price Model know that President's Day, or Memorial Day, or Mothers Day, or Fathers Day or the Fourth of July or Thanksgiving or Pick-A-Day or the Final Day is coming when the discount stores will be trumpeting incredible percentages off of their so-called regular prices. So the Quality Price Model businesses (and Brandon Oriental Rugs has been one since our founding) make sure that their prices are as good as it gets everyday, all of the time; that way no competitor's manufactured discount event can ever represent a better value to the potential customer.

More Going-Out-Of-Business (GOB) "Drama" on Philly's Mainline

2011-02-04T16:29:00.000-08:00

The following article appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday January 16, 2011. It recounts, blow-by-blow, the shenanigans of two erstwhile rug merchants from Philadelphia's Mainline as they go about trying to bury one another while shamelessly ignoring the perceptions of onetime patrons, the statutes of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the ordinances of Radnor Township.

Rugwar ( https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XTitTU0T3k8t5HdQXsLElj5JhT_Rgdk2EhT4oR4YNds/edit?hl=en )

If some TV producers had known about this in advance, it might have been great stuff for a Reality Show. Actually, that might be the only way to make the once lucrative GOB-scam (by which some rug dealers made ample, albeit dishonest, livings in the 1990's) a ubiquitous model again for shameless, irresponsible marketing . Caveat Emptor!

When "GREEN" Really Isn't

2011-01-29T11:52:00.000-08:00

The attached .pdf document: The “Six Sins of GreenwashingTM”: A Study of Environmental Claims in North American Consumer Markets -- A ‘Green Paper’ by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc. (November 2007) , will be of interest to consumers who are being bombarded with all kinds of claims regarding "green products", "environmental stewardship", and "earth friendly" initiatives by businesses.

Green·wash (grēn'wŏsh', -wôsh') – verb: the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.

SIX GREEN SINS https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B67JKbHQ0fggNGFlMzYyNDUtMjBkZS00YjgzLThjYTgtNTFhNWRiMzViYTYz&hl=en )

While much of this "GREEN"-stuff is earnestly worthwhile, and will have some beneficial impact going forward, much is also designed merely to tag along with the current fashion of marketing to a "top priority" topic in the collective unconscious. As always, individual consumers of a particular product must determine the veracity and significance of particular claims targeted at them by marketers. Brandon Oriental Rugs thinks this document is helpful in this regard by revealing the kinds of evaluations we all must make when the subject of "GREEN" is offered as justification for a particular decision we are about to make.

As an example, in our own rug industry, so-called "handmade" Tufted rugs, are being labeled "GREEN" by importers, wholesalers, and retailers who have been caught up in the quick-fix they provide to labor issues (especially rising wages) in the rug making countries. The primary justification for the "GREEN" label is that the rubber used to hold these things together is "natural latex rubber" from "real rubber trees" (no pseudo-rubber trees allowed). Wow! What isn't addressed is the fact that these "natural rubber" products don't last very long, have almost no recyclable components, and will be landfill cloggers (like another rubber product: tires).

For those to whom "GREEN" is a major concern -- and polls show it's most of us nowadays -- it does us good to remember, "Question everything".

And something you might be questioning: "Just how much interest is there REALLY in "Green Products" and "Green Marketing?"

The following announcement recently published by a "TREND WATCHER" answers that question based on research they've done.

Green Fatigue ( https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KDACClRAaAC5vBGp2DwN2H4g0KcQX4VPJwFvmgMKhC0/edit?hl=en )
It shows that -- aside from a narrow demographic -- the value of "GREEN" in consumer decisions is being eclipsed by more immediate concerns. Since marketing is usually focused on what's foremost in consumer consciousness, this information indicates that, barring coercive goverenment policy, wealth conservation will trump eco-conservation in buying decisions.

(Acknowledging the above trends, buyers of fine handmade rugs actually satisfy most priorities (both "Green-conserving" AND "Greenback-conserving) as their hierarchies of needs are met in pursuit of their rug acquisitions.) (CK)

Brandon Oriental Rugs Introduction & Quick Tour of the Store Video

2010-12-02T23:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWlABXR45lQ

Room-size Persian Rugs (Additions)

2010-11-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

Fine Persian Baktiary (Iran) 13'4" X 9'10"

Detail of Above

Fine Persian Varamin Rug (Old) (Iran) 12'10" X 9'9"

Detail of Above

Fine Persian Moud Rug 13'3"X 9'7"

Fine Persian Yalameh Rug (Iran) 13'8" X 9'11"

Fine Persian Sarouk Rug (Iran) 13'9"" X 9'1"

Peculiar Times: Iranian Rug Embargo Redux

2010-11-17T09:26:00.000-08:00

Recently, the US Congress approved and President Obama signed into law an act imposing a trade embargo on Iranian products, including hand-knotted rugs, and other woven textiles.

No rugs of Iranian manufacture may be brought into the United States while this act is effective (contingency based upon Iranian observance of UN directives regarding its atomic energy programs.)

The impact of this restriction on trade will -- if the history of the embargo of 1984-1999 is exemplary -- be significant, and noticeable within a short time. Prices will be non-negotiable (or less easily negotiated), and will increase two to four times from present levels over the next six to eighteen months. Variables controlling the price picture will be perception of change in the diplomatic standoff (not positive at present) and level of demand for Persian rugs (already increasing due to reduced supply from other rug-producing nations.)

One other challenge for rug-buyers (from the example of the prior embargo) will be an unfortunate inclination on the part of some suppliers to misrepresent the provenance of particular rugs (especially regarding age) for the sake of inflating prices. Last go round, I can't count how many times I was told by suppliers that brand-new looking rugs were in fact forty to seventy-five years old (and worth immeasurably more as a result.) (This is kinda like tagging a rug at a price ten times higher than its actual sale price, but in this case you don't get the sale price.)

"Strange days, indeed."

SURVIVAL MATTERS

2010-11-17T08:34:00.000-08:00

We recently cleaned the rug featured in the ad below for our customer, and heard her relate the story of her neighbor's purchase from some other rug dealer of what turned out to be a low quality rug which has since been placed in the trash.

When you're making a significant purchase of fine furnishings for your home, your expectation is that the acquisition(s) will possess qualities of durability and permanence. Ability to survive day-to-day use in your home really does matter. And the expectation can and will be realized when you make quality decisions.
Avoid impulse purchases motivated by perceptions (often misled) of massive savings at some "SALE" event. Buy what you really want when you're comfortable; not in response to high-pressure, limited-time offer, now-or-never "SALE" tactics.

"Good things are seldom cheap, and cheap things are seldom good." "Too good to be true seldom is."

REAL savings are realized when you take the time to do comparative studies based on quality (choosing the quality your specific need and taste requires), then finding and paying the best price in the market for that quality.

CURRENT AD RUG SALE REALITY

2010-11-06T23:16:00.000-07:00

Our ad, "Symbolic Logic", is just another way of saying what we've been saying for over fifteen years.
It doesn't take a "sale" event to get the best price on REAL handmade rugs.
It really is as good as you can find it anytime with Brandon's "Quality Pricing".
Stop waiting for a "SALE" and settling for what you can find "ON SALE".
Get the best possible savings everyday and get exactly what you want with Brandon's service.

Wall Street Journal Recognizes Potential For Rug Collector's Market Developing

2010-07-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

In a two page article published Friday June 18, 2010 ( http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704198004575310643634857392.html#project%3DSLIDESHOW08%26s%3DSB10001424052748704289504575312930546723568%26articleTabs%3Darticle ) the Wall Street Journal recognized that there is expanding interest and demand for handmade rugs in the United States and elsewhere.

In an article informative to both novices and experts, Kelly Crow reviews the history of fine rugs; recent international auction results (including the record $9.6 million paid at Christies this spring for the rug above);

points of interest for potential buyers; and stories of collectors engaged in passionate quests to locate special pieces to expand or complete their collections.

CHALLENGES / OPPORTUNITIES FOR RUG-COLLECTORS, DESIGNERS, AND THOSE SEEKING TO ACQUIRE REAL HANDMADE RUGS

2010-07-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

The upheaval in the global economy due to war and threats of war (failed diplomacy), natural and man-made disasters, and resource reallocation (energy, labor, capital) have had a definite impact on the market for and marketing of handmade oriental rugs. A number of these global issues merit the attention and appreciation of rug-collectors when making decisions about potential acquisitions (what and when to buy).

1) Threat of a new embargo on trade with Iran [this "threat" has now been realized]

While the lack of a coherent foreign policy in the Obama administration (at least from the standpoint of one that clearly benefits the United States) makes prediction of when, or if, a new trade embargo with Iran will be imposed, the buzz among rug importers IS that an embargo is certain. Along with that assessment is the assurance that (unlike the leaky embargo of the 1980's and 1990's which saw large shipments of Iranian rugs entering the USA from Canada and elsewhere) the embargo will be airtight.

What this means is that inventories can't be replaced, and rug dealers will take a protective strategy with existing inventories. Prices which are at historical lows presently won't be going lower, and likely will start going higher (soon and quickly). If the model of the last embargo is an indication, prices will likely quadruple on any rug within a year or two of any embargo declaration.

Speculators can definitely benefit short-term from the uncertainties. Fence-sitters will definitely pay for delays in purchases. Collectors; those with an appreciation for Iranian rugs of any kind; and designers looking to garner the lasting appreciation of clients spared the regret of missed opportunities in the acquisition of fine rugs should all begin developing plans to seize the day before it is night.

2) "The Pinch" (A Perfect Storm)

The embargo on trade with Iran mentioned above [which now is in effect] is just one facet of many converging factors which pose significant challenges for the oriental rug business, and for those interested in acquiring the products offered by handmade rug businesses. A brief enumeration of these challenges follows:

* Monetary policy in the USA threatens inflation. Devaluation of greenbacks increases the cost of foreign goods purchased with them.

* Related to monetary policy, but also impacted by numerous other factors, the cost of oil has significantly increased transport costs from the Middle East and Asia to the USA.

* Economic development in the rug-making countries (especially India) has depleted the labor pool of skilled weavers as those individuals seek more lucrative opportunities.

* Loss of large numbers of weavers to other industries has had the concomitant effects of diminished rug production and supply; inability to meet demand for new product or to satisfy demand in a timely manner; and higher wages for remaining workers. This also means higher prices for handmade rugs in the USA.

* The economic downturn in the USA (and the directly related problem of credit-worthiness) has adversely impacted international trade in rugs due to more stringent credit requirements. While most rug-importers are credit worthy, the banks that extend credit are unable or unwilling to extend it due to the system shock they've suffered in recent years. Liberal payment arrangements between producers and importers that were the norm prior to the economic meltdown are no longer possible. Uncertainty of repayment has made producers more insistent on full payment in advance. This had made rug importers reluctant to order anything other than sure-sellers, or rugs for which they have advance orders. Either way, significantly fewer rugs are being produced than were being made prior to the crisis.

* Rug-weavers lost to other industries are NOT likely to return to rug making (ARE NOT returning to rug-making) as the economy recovers.

All of the above -- and spin-off effects -- promise increasing scarcity of handmade rugs into the future. The same factors promise a seller's market for those sellers that survive with product to sell into that scarcity.

"Good enough" Almost Never Is

2010-02-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

"Good Enough" certainly isn't when we're talking about "tufted" area rugs.

These handmade-rug look-alike's (unfortunately confused by the unwary buyer with REAL handmade rugs) are "attractively priced" compared with the price of a REAL hand-knotted rug. But their cheaper price masks their long-term costs.

*   They have much shorter useful lifespans (five years average) compared with REAL rugs (generations).
*   They're sometimes promoted as a "Green" product, but the landfills won't welcome all of the tufted rugs that will be clogging them in a short time.
*   They can damage some pre-finished floors.
*   They are difficult to clean, and when cleaned often no longer will lie flat on the floor.
*   Vacuuming soon gives them a fuzzy, "cheap garment" appearance.
*   They have an unpleasant odor (high rubber content). [Kinda strange though that with all the rubber in them, these "rubber rugs" don't bounce.]

This is definitely a product where "good enough" really is not.

To learn more about "tufted rugs" -- now heavily promoted by many rug dealers and department stores in an attempt to chase scarce dollars with cheap goods-- please visit our website link : http://www.brandonrugs.com/page26.html. Also see our videos on "The Shocking Truth About Tufted Rugs" which can be viewed elsewhere on this blog at http://brandonrugs.blogspot.com/2011/02/rug-buyers-guide-1-tufted-rugs-and.html .

FEBRUARY 2010 SPECIAL OFFER

2010-02-02T15:57:00.000-08:00

JANUARY SPECIAL ON PERSIAN RUGS EXTENDED UNTIL MARCH 21, 2010

VISIT ORIGINAL LINK BELOW:

http://brandonrugs.blogspot.com/2010/01/january-2010-specials.html

MORE SELECTIONS AVAILABLE

PERSIAN GABBEH KILIM

PERSIAN BAKTIARI

PESIAN HAMADAN

PERSIAN BAKTIARI

PERSIAN KASHAN

PERSIAN PANEL BAKTIARI (CHAHAR MAHAL)

PERSIAN JOSHAGHAN

PERSIAN TABRIZ

PERSIAN MASHAD (KASHMAR)

CALL OR WRITE FOR SIZES AND PRICES

(PRICES ARE 30% OFF 2009 PRICES UNTIL MARCH 21, 2010)

CURRENT AD

2010-02-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

BRANDON ORIENTAL RUGS WEBSITE

2010-01-05T16:39:00.000-08:00

If you've arrived at
Brandon Oriental Rug's
blogsite from an internet search,
please visit our website:
www.brandonrugs.com
to find out more about us.

JANUARY 2010 SPECIALS

2010-01-05T15:39:00.000-08:00

JANUARY 2010 SPECIAL
PERSIAN RUGS (MADE IN IRAN)

30% OFF 2009 PRICES

Savings on Select Types and Pieces

(ALL Heriz, Kashan, Bactiary, Mashad, Hamadan, Gashgai, Qum)

GASGHAI Rug (Iran)

8'2: X 5'5"

WAS $1,100 NOW $770

(Pa. residents add 6% Sales Tax/ Padding Sold separately)

HERIZ Rug (Iran)
13'0" X 10'0"
WAS $3,950 NOW $2,765
(Pa. residents add 6% Sales Tax/ Padding Sold separately)

MEMEH Rug (Iran)

5'0" X 3'7"

WAS $1,250 NOW $875

(Pa. residents add 6% Sales Tax/ Padding Sold separately)

MANY OTHERS AVAILABLE

(ALL GOOD CONDITION)

CALL, VISIT, OR E-MAIL

WITH YOUR REQUESTS

OR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

CURRENT AD

2010-01-05T15:17:00.000-08:00