LampsPlus versus Horchow

I am a HUGE internet shopper, I have been doing it for years, way before it became the “in” thing to do.  I have bought things off the internet from small ticket items to over the top super expensive items.  Internet shopping has become one of my strong traits as an interior designer, I have gotten really good at it {nothing like tooting my own horn!}.   I spend a lot, and I mean a lot of time shopping around on the internet.  I don’t always buy things, but I look and keep the site in my bookmarks for future reference. I know where to go to find things, kind of like a 6th sense.  I still enjoy seeing items in person, but that takes time, gas, and finding the right store to go and then you have the constraints of store hours.  With the internet, I can hit 20 sites {or more} in a couple of hours, any time, night or day, versus the 2 to 5 shops I would be able to see in  person.

Two of my “go to” online stores for lighting are Lamps Plus and Horchow. I have purchased many, many times from both these companies over the years.

Like these beautiful scroll wall lights from Horchow

and the bronze shaded wall lights { the mirrors are from them as well}

And this bronze and crystal chandelier {I bought two}

But I also love my purchases I have gotten from LampsPlus just as well.  Like these silver wall sconces

Or the crystal bathroom lights that hang over the large mirror

Back in the day there were only a handful of companies that had internet shopping, and shipping was very expensive.  But today is a totally different ball game.  You can comparison shop any item and get the best price all from the comfort of your own home.    And recently I have been noticing a lot of similar lighting items at LampsPlus and Horchow, but at two different price ranges.

Take for instance this light fixture at Horchow that I fell in love with.  They were having a sale of 20% off and free shipping, I almost bought them.  But I decided to check Lamps Plus to see if they carried them as well.  And yep they did.

What I love about LampsPlus is their prices are always reasonable, their web site is super easy to navigate, most items are in stock {which isn’t always the case at Horchow}  and all their items have free shipping.  Plus they have reviews from customers on their products, another plus in my book.  Horchow’s items are very nicely styled and have the high end look that draws you in.  LampsPlus, well, you have to look through a lot of items to find what you are looking for, but the price difference is always worth it. Like these wall scones I saw at Horchow.  I just typed in “scroll sconce” on LampsPlus and there they were, $180 cheaper. 

I love Horchow and all the beautiful things they have on their site, but I think they need to re-think their prices.   It would be different if the items I find elsewhere were knock offs, but they aren’t.  The quality in my buying experience from LampsPlus is no different than what I have bought from Horchow.  It is a level playing field out there now and I think companies need to pay attention to this new comparison shopping we now have at our finger tips, because I know I do.  With all the social media out there, like Facebook or Pinterest, it is super easy to share great finds.  I pin great deals all the time.  Companies must have noticed this right?  I think we are more well informed shoppers than in the past thanks to the internet.  So, have you found varying prices at different web sites?

PS..check out my settee I picked up from the upholster yesterday on my Facebook page.  I am SO happy with how it turned out!  I can’t wait to bring it out to the “fun” room