24/10/2026
Sometimes doing the right thing means making less money. And we’re absolutely fine with that.
We wanted to share something that happened this week because we think it sums up what The Little Carpet Shop is all about.
We recently measured a customer’s lounge and dining room. After discussing various flooring options, they decided on a high-quality 80% wool twist carpet they’d seen at another flooring retailer.
We sourced the carpet and quoted £2,090, fully fitted with underlay, grippers, door plates and everything required to complete the job.
The customer was happy. In fact, our price was already better than they’d been quoted elsewhere, and they were ready to go ahead.
We could quite easily have taken their order there and then.
But we didn’t.
Instead, we explained that while there was absolutely nothing wrong with their choice, we knew of other manufacturers offering wool carpets of equal, and sometimes better, quality at considerably more competitive prices.
We suggested they at least consider some alternatives before committing to spending over £2,000.
They agreed, so we arranged to drop off some samples of other 80% wool twist carpets in similar colours.
They eventually chose an alternative from Cormar Carpets, with a slightly heavier pile weight and some improved specifications.
The new quote, for exactly the same job? £1,408.
That’s a saving of £682.
Now, we appreciate that when somebody quotes you £2,090 for a carpet and then comes back with £1,408, you might understandably wonder what you’re sacrificing in quality.
So we actually rang the customer to reassure them.
We explained that the difference in price didn’t mean they were getting an inferior product. Different manufacturers have different buying power, production costs and pricing structures. Some specialise in particular products, while others command a premium because of the brand name attached to them.
And that’s not exclusive to carpets. It happens with LVT, laminate, vinyl and plenty of other products.
Interestingly, the customer had already done their own research and discovered that the alternative carpet compared extremely favourably, including a heavier pile weight and a higher tog rating.
They’d found a carpet they were just as happy with, if not happier, and saved themselves £682 in the process.
And that’s exactly why we made the suggestion in the first place.
We’re a business. Of course we need to make money. We’ve got wages, bills, overheads and families to support, just like everybody else.
But we don’t believe that running a successful business means taking as much money from every customer as you possibly can.
We believe it means looking after the people who look after us.
And there’s another part to this story that makes it particularly meaningful to us.
When I originally visited this customer’s house to measure, I recognised it.
Years ago, before we’d opened The Little Carpet Shop, I’d actually fitted their hall, stairs and landing while working on behalf of another flooring retailer.
On that occasion, they’d recently had some decorating done and had understandably asked us to take extra care.
Unfortunately, one of my apprentices accidentally chipped some paintwork. He panicked, didn’t tell me, and the customers discovered it after we’d left.
As soon as we found out, we apologised, held our hands up and offered to either arrange the repair ourselves or cover the cost of having it put right.
There was no arguing, no making excuses and no trying to wriggle out of responsibility.
Mistakes happen. Nobody’s perfect. What matters is how you deal with them.
The customers were incredibly understanding at the time, and when I reminded them of the incident during my recent visit, they remembered it too.
And here we are, years later, with those same people choosing to trust us with their home again.
That means a lot.
Because ultimately, people deal with people.
We’re a small, family-run business. We want customers who come back to us, who recommend us to their friends and family, and who know that when we give them advice, it’s because we genuinely believe it’s in their best interests.
Sometimes that means recommending a more expensive product because it’s genuinely worth the extra money.
And sometimes it means telling somebody they don’t need to spend as much as they thought.
We’re not interested in making a quick sale at the expense of somebody’s trust.
We’d much rather earn a customer for life than make an extra few hundred pounds on one job.
Some business owners might disagree with that approach.
But it’s how we’ve always believed people should be treated, and it’s how we intend to keep doing things.
The Little Carpet Shop
Good flooring. Fair prices. Honest advice. And treating people how we’d want to be treated ourselves.
