5 Reasons You Should Open Event Decor Orders On Arrival

For the four years I have been running My Event Decor, it continues to surprise me how many customers do not immediately check their purchases upon delivery.

Many suppliers including My Event Decor, require you to check orders on arrival as part of their terms and conditions.

Pretend you're taking part in an unboxing video and check your purchases as soon as you get them. Here's 5 reasons why.

1. You may need more items 
It's incredibly common for events to grow in size as they get closer to the date, with organisers needing more tables, and therefore more decorative elements.

My very first customer from a Sydney event management company ordered 150 x gold mercury tealight holders for her event. These were delivered two weeks before her corporate dinner but she only opened the boxes the day before and discovered she thought she had ordered 500, not 150. There was no time to obtain more. 

2. They might be damaged
The shipping process is tough on packages. Couriers throw boxes in the back of trucks and on trolleys. Your item is at the mercy of how well it has been wrapped.

Part of our refunds and returns policy is that you must check your order on arrival and advise us of any damage or error within 48 hours. 

Why? If we've bought something that's damaged from a manufacturer or artisan, they require US to alert them promptly to get a replacement or refund. If we don't hear from you in time, it gets much harder to come to an agreeable conclusion with the manufacturer.

And if you don't tell us quickly, all three parties run out of time to get it sorted before your event.

For example, a recent customer ordered long communal linen tablecloths and lycra cocktail bar tablecloths for her VIP event but didn't open the plastic-wrapped packages 10 days prior to her contacting me. At some point in the manufacturing process one of the tablecloths accidentally was damaged. Had she alerted us immediately, we could have provided a replacement in time.

3. They might not be the right size
Are you an accurate judge of size and proportions? Do you use a ruler or tape measure to gauge the dimensions of a product? You really need to.

Even when your event supply company specifies the dimensions of your item, it may not be as large (or as small) as you imagined. A customer discovered that she had a very different idea of how high a 10cm high posy vase was: in reality it was not going to provide enough impact on her centrepieces. 

4. They might not be the right colour or type
Online screens can show different colours. Or your event may need shatterproof glasses for an outdoor event rather than real glass.

Human error occurs and even manufacturers can accidentally send a mixture of colours in the same order. 

One customer was told in vague terms by her stylist to order gold vase centrepieces, without specifying if they should be shiny, burnished or matt - let alone yellow gold or mustard gold centrepieces! And in another example, a customer had a very different idea of what shade rose pink was from our candle range online.

5. You may need time or help to put it together
Don't leave it until the last moment to unbox items which may need to be put together - you may not have enough time. For example, not all battery-powered candles are sent with batteries so you'll need time to purchase, unwrap and insert AA or AAA batteries.

Some products such as chandeliers are sent in kit form for protection and to help lower shipping costs. You'll need time to put the pieces together. Our sister website My House Decor's bar cart trolleys require construction once they've arrived. While one person can build any of the carts, it is always easier and faster with two people working together.

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