FAQs

General

I’d like to talk with you more—how can I get in touch with you?

You can get ahold of us in one of three ways: to email hello@gagegoods.com, through this website’s Contact Me, or through a message to our Instagram account (username GageGoods).

How does shipping work?

We’ve worked out shipping agreements with all major carriers and these help us keep shipping costs low. Thanks to our agreement, usually the cheapest option for us is priority mail (!!), but occasionally we ship ground. You will receive an email notification when a label has been made for your shipment. Allow some time for handling: while I like to think we’ve got the process down to a science, we’re nevertheless a one-man operation.

What is your refund policy?

We will refund the cost of your rug, towel, or pillow cover, less shipping, if you change your mind within 48 hours of your receipt of the good. Goods must be returned in the same state they were sent. The buyer is responsible for return postage, and will be reimbursed once we have determined that the rug was returned in the same state it was sent.

I’m a retailer interested in carrying some of your products. Do you do sourcing or wholesale for brick-and-mortar businesses?

We do. Gage Goods is committed to sharing the culture, history, and stories behind the goods we sell. If you’re a brick-and-mortar business and engaged in the same endeavor, we’d be happy to partner with you. Contact us with a note detailing both the nature of your business and the products you’re interested in.

Rugs

Where do you get your rugs?

Some we purchased while abroad, some were bought abroad and sent by trusted rug sellers in Turkey and Azerbaijan, and some are estate sale pieces that have already been in the United States. At this point we only carry rugs that originated in Persia, Turkey, or Azerbaijan. While we source from a number of different places we are normally able to determine a rug’s city, if not workshop, of origin. We also provide buyers with a document containing information about their rug.

How are your rugs priced?

Honestly. Each rug is a work of art, and as such doesn’t easily translate into a dollar value. This is exactly what makes buying a rug so intimidating: there’s a big information gap between the buyer and the seller. As I got into this business I researched how other sellers price, and the more time I spent learning how my colleagues in the industry price, the more disillusioned I became. Most internet sellers of handmade rugs take advantage of their buyers by advertising their wares at exorbitantly high prices and then offering “one-time-only” sales at drastic discounts. While their buyers might not know how much a rug should be going for, they nevertheless feel they’re getting a really good deal if a $40,000 rug is discounted to $3,500. Brick and mortar rug stores will often employ a similar tactic, many hosting regular “going out of business” sales to unwitting customers who sometimes fail to notice that the rug shop has been “going out of business” for years on end.

            I decided to take a different route with this store. I’ve seen my handmade rugs turn the undifferentiated space of countless rooms into warm, unique, homey places. I want that experience to be available to as many people as possible. For that reason, the prices you see listed here, in the Gage Goods shop, are priced at minimum. You can be confident that by buying from Gage Goods, you’re getting the best prices possible for examined, high-quality, authentic rugs.

Can I rent a rug?

Yes! After selling lots of rugs to relators, house restorers, and staging companies, we’ve come up with a system for long and short term rug rental. Email hello@gagegoods.com describing your rental needs and we’ll work out a plan that fits your needs.

I would like to get a better idea of how a rug looks. How can I do that?

We usually have more pictures of rugs than those listed online: send us an email and we’ll provide (or take!) additional pictures, photograph the rugs in a different setting or against different pieces of furniture, or in different lighting. If you’re in (or can make it to) the greater South Bend area, we’re happy to open up the warehouse and host a showing for you.

How do you photograph your rugs?

All the rugs listed now were photographed during the day in rooms with ample natural daylight. Our photography space is lit by west-facing windows. We’ve tried to include pictures of the rugs during different days, and we try to include the rugs from as many different angles as we can, since the perceived color of a rug often changes depending on one’s angle relative to the rug’s grain. We never apply color filters or edit the colors in a rug, but there can sometimes appear to be differences between photos due to the natural variation in light from one day to the next, or because we’ve used two different cameras.

 What do I need to know about rug maintenance?

Rugs are rare among art pieces: they are as hardy as they are beautiful. Many of the rugs we’ve handled have been in regular use for nearly a century and show only minor signs of wear: we like to joke that we’re selling folks objects that their grandkids will fight over. That said, there are three ways you can extend the life of your rug: by keeping it out of direct sunlight; by regularly vacuuming it to ensure that grit doesn’t get worked into the foundation threads, and by regularly rotating your rug, to ensure an even pattern of wear.