When I first entered the industry, I also believed price was king. The moment a customer walked in, I’d quote a low price, and the order would come. But after all these years, I’ve seen it clearly: customers won by low prices leave faster than they arrive, while those who buy high-priced products are the ones who keep coming back. That got me thinking.
Today, no fluff — as a veteran factory owner, let me talk about the ins and outs of the window furnishing hardware business.
Low prices — the only advantage is the price.
That sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. A curtain — you sell it for 99, someone else sells it for 59, and the customer will definitely pick the cheaper one. That’s how it starts. But then what? The fabric is so thin light shines through, the track is so flimsy it bends after being pulled twice, and the installer shows up demanding an extra “visit fee.” The customer does the math and realizes they didn’t save anything at all — instead they ended up frustrated, wasting both money and a lot of time.
Customers attracted by low prices often don’t have high demands for quality, but they have extremely high demands for “getting a bargain.” The moment you raise your price even slightly, they immediately switch suppliers. The more you do this kind of business, the worse your reputation becomes, and the fewer long-term partnerships you keep — eventually, the relationship just falls apart.
High quality — except for being expensive, everything else is an advantage.
I know a owner who makes high-end solid wood blinds. A single set sells for two or three thousand, and customers still line up waiting for delivery. Why? Because after ten years it still doesn’t warp, and when sunlight hits it, the wood grain looks as warm and beautiful as a painting. Customers brag to their friends: “My curtains have been up for eight years and still look brand new.” Then their friends go buy them too — wave after wave of repeat customers.
High-quality products hurt your wallet when you buy them, but they bring you peace of mind when you use them. Deep down, customers know exactly how the scales tip — expensive things, apart from being expensive, have no other faults; cheap things, apart from being cheap, are faulty in every way.
Only high-quality products earn repeat customers.
Window furnishing hardware has a peculiar trait: after a customer installs curtains, they won’t buy again for three to five years. So where do repeat customers come from? From their relatives, friends, and colleagues. As for us manufacturers, it’s the curtain shops we work with who keep coming back to order the same product — because of the quality, they’ve made up their minds about it.
When a customer uses good curtains and feels proud of them, they’ll actively recommend them. These “word-of-mouth orders” have an astonishingly high closing rate. And low-price customers? They’re too embarrassed to recommend you to others — afraid of being blamed. So they rarely refer anyone.
Beyond good quality, we also need good service — that’s how repeat customers multiply.
Service isn’t just about pouring tea and being polite. It’s asking one extra question during measurement — “What material are your walls?” It’s taking a moment during installation to help the customer remove the old track. It’s a follow-up call six months later — “Is your curtain track still running smoothly?” For us as manufacturers, it’s about improving and coordinating whenever there’s a product issue, and strengthening the problem-solving capabilities of curtain shops and soft furnishing studios.
I’ve seen a distributor whose customer’s child covered the curtains in watercolor pen marks. Without a second thought, he mailed a new piece of fabric. Later, that customer introduced him to the entire homeowners’ group.
High quality + good service — that’s how business grows steadily.
In the window furnishing and curtain track business, there’s no getting rich overnight. Today, one more satisfied customer. Tomorrow, one more referral. The day after, one more new customer who sought you out by reputation. It’s like rolling a snowball — slow at first, but once it gets going, nothing can stop it. Your business becomes smoother and smoother.
Those old shops that have been around for over a decade don’t rely on the lowest prices — they rely on the most consistent quality and the warmest service. Customers aren’t fools; they know in their hearts who genuinely treats them well. Word of mouth spreads, and your business comes to you.
Years of experience have taught me this: stop staring at the shop next door that’s twenty yuan cheaper than you. Instead, put your heart into fabrics, craftsmanship, and service — into quality. Time will tell you: walk steadily, and you’ll walk far.
These are my reflections from years as a window furnishing and home supplier. I offer them to fellow industry professionals for reference and learning.