Festoon lights are those long, droopy bulb strands that create a super cool ambiance. Experts like Fusion Lighting Australia say that you see festoon lights at restaurants, weddings, parties, and patios. They’re popular for decorating both indoors and outdoors. When you order festoon lighting online it has some advantages, but also a few downsides to look out for.
Pro: Convenience of Shopping Online
Obviously, the biggest pro of ordering festoon lights online is that you can shop from the comfort of home. No need to drive around to hardware or party stores looking for the perfect festoon lights. Online has way more options to browse through at any hour.
You can check out festoon lights on tons of websites to find the right length, bulb shape, lighting color, and number of bulbs you want. No wasted time running to stores hoping they have what you need in stock. Shopping online for festoon lights is crazy convenient.
Pro: Lower Prices Online
Another benefit of buying festoon lights online is the prices are usually cheaper than at brick and mortar stores. Online retailers don’t have the same high overhead costs of a physical storefront, so they can offer lower prices. There are also more sellers competing for sales online, which helps keep prices competitive.
Searching sites for sales and coupons can score you serious savings too. If you need a lot of festoon lights for a big event, online wholesale pricing can really cut costs. Overall, shop smart online and get festoon lights for less.
Pro: Bigger Selection Online
When you shop online for festoon lights, there are way more options to pick from versus what’s locally available. Hundreds of online sellers mean thousands of festoon light products to consider. You can find exactly the right size, bulb shape, colors, cord length, etc.
Hard to find specialty festoon lights, like black wire or extra long strands, are readily available from online stores. More selection and customization choices when buying festoon lights online for sure.
Con: Can’t Test Lights In Person
A drawback of ordering festoon lights online is that you can’t see them illuminated in person or test the bulbs beforehand. You have to trust product pictures and descriptions. Once the festoon lights arrive, flaws like dead bulbs or wiring issues will be obvious, but then it’s too late.
If you’re buying local, you can plug in festoon lights at the store to make sure they work properly before purchasing. So lack of hands-on testing is a negative of buying lights online unseen. Always check return policies first.
Con: Waiting for Delivery
When you buy festoon lights online, you have to wait for delivery which can take days or even weeks. Retail stores let you take them home same-day for instant gratification. Having to wait on shipping when you need the lights ASAP for an upcoming event can be annoying.
Rush processing and shipping costs extra too. So buying online means either budgeting extra for faster shipping, or just being patient until your festoon lights arrive. The wait for delivery is a hassle.
Con: Hassle of Returning Defective Lights
If you do get sent broken or faulty festoon lights you ordered online, it’s kind of a pain returning them by mail. You’ll likely have to repackage them up, print a return label, drop them at the post office, and wait for a refund. Much easier to just drive back to a local store.
Some online sellers might make you pay return shipping too, an added cost. So getting stuck with defective festoon lights ends up being more wasteful when ordering online. Inspect shipments right away to send back issues ASAP.
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Conclusion
Buying festoon lights online has big perks like an easy shopping experience, lower prices, and bigger selection. But downsides exist too like lack of in-person testing, wait times for delivery, and hassles returning defective items. Consider the pros and cons to decide if ordering festoon lights online is right for your needs and event plans.