FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The rugs:

• - Can I rely on the photographs and the colours of the rugs on the computer screen; do they match the real thing?

  • Can I rely on the photographs and the colours of the rugs on the computer screen; do they match the real thing?

    All our articles have been photographed with adapted lighting. The pictures have been taken with a professional high-resolution camera, so the result is as near as possible to reality. However, according to the type and quality of the computer screen the colours may be slightly different. 

• - What type of rug needs a non-slip underlay?

  • What type of rug needs a non-slip underlay?

    Smooth floors: Non-slip underlay is suitable for supple or thin rugs. Moreover, because of its non-slip effect it will also protect the back of the rug from irregularities in the floor (sharp sides of joints in tiling) and will prolong the life of the rug.

    

    Fitted carpet or floor covering: to avoid ripples and keep light rugs in place.

    

• - How should an oriental rug be stored?

  • How should an oriental rug be stored?

    In the first place it has to be clean and very dry before it can be stored. 

    Vacuum the rug thoroughly all over and finish vacuuming in the direction of the pile. Roll the rug in the direction of the pile to prevent  crumpling of the strands of wool.

    Tie up the rug so that it does not unroll. Protect the rolled rug by packing it completely in a cotton sheet so that it can still breathe and evaporate any humidity still present. Oriental rugs are made of natural materials, without any harmful substances, and may attract moths if you do not protect them properly. Therefore ensure that the ends of the rug are completely covered to prevent these parasites invading it. Store oriental carpets horizontally in a dry and cool room, ideally raised on wooden supports to prevent any condensation from the floor; avoid cellars or attics. Do not forget to vacuum your oriental rug thoroughly every 2 to 3 months.

• - How can I be sure that a rug was not made by children?

  • How can I be sure that a rug was not made by children?

    

     

    For many years now there have been numerous improvements. Well before organisations such as “Rugmark” and CARE & FAIR were founded to protect children in the countries where rugs are made, we ensured that the organisation’s goal is to eliminate illegal child labour in the carpet producing areas of India, Nepal and Pakistan. At the same time it is an important aim of C & F to improve social standards of the weavers and their families. These organisations are committed to a social programme, for example setting up schools and hospitals, since it has been acknowledged for a long time that a boycott of Indian and Nepalese rugs is no good for anybody. Knowledge of the socio-cultural conditions in these countries constitutes the basis for the extensive consultation and educational programmes for children and young people. All members are confident and proud to be able to support families to earn their living with dignity. 

    CARE & FAIR, of which we are a member, takes on childcare centres, schools, educational workshops and day centres to ensure basic care for weavers in Nepal, India and Pakistan.

    We only import articles made in proper working conditions. 

• - In which direction should I place the rug (dark side or light side)?

  • In which direction should I place the rug (dark side or light side)?

    To make a rug stand out in a room it is also important to try it out and place it in the two directions, since a difference in orientation creates a really surprising effect. 

    After tying a knot the weaver cuts the strand of wool used some centimetres from the knot and pulls it down. Then when the row of knots is finished, it is beaten with a heavy comb to obtain tight knotting. Thus the pile of the rug automatically bends down on the weaving loom.   

     

    It is in fact a characteristic of knotted rugs to have a totally different look according to the angle of view and the angle of light on the curve of the pile; darker against the pile, brighter in the direction of the pile. 

• - Why are there fringes on a rug?

  • Why are there fringes on a rug?

    

     

    The fringes are the loose ends of the warp strands. The warp consists of vertical and parallel strands, generally made out of cotton, stretched between the two ends of the weaving loom.  

• - Can I cut the fringes on my rug?

  • Can I cut the fringes on my rug?

    You can cut the fringes of your rug, but ensure that you leave at least one cm so as not to cut too near the tied end, since this tied end keeps the last row of knots in place. Below is a rug with and without tied end.

     

      With tied end

      Without tied end, or after the fringes behind the tied end have been cut. 

• - Why are there colour variations in the rug, is it a fault?

  • Why are there colour variations in the rug, is it a fault?

    Persian rugs often show what, according to the viewpoint, may seem either a fault or a quality. In any case it is a strange specific feature: the hue of some motifs or of the background sometimes varies from one spot to the other, and it may even happen that it changes altogether. This change in colour, called abrash, is mainly found in older rugs. The presence of abrash demonstrates that the rug was dyed by hand. When dyeing is done in the traditional way it is actually difficult to achieve the same colour in two successive dye baths. 

    

• - Why is my rug not square?

  • Why is my rug not square?

    Hand-made knotted or woven Oriental rugs are traditional products completely made by hand. It takes 4 to 6 months on average to make a hand-knotted rug.  Especially the rugs of nomads or villagers are not square since the tension exerted on the warp yarns may vary with temperature changes and the difference in surrounding humidity. Frequently several people in the family work on the same rug together, and as a result there are variations at the moment the knots are tightened. The outcome of these differences in tension at the moment of tightening every row of knots is that the rug is not square. It obviously leads to this much sought-after charm in antique Oriental rugs.

    

• - Is it normal that my rug gives of fluff? For how long will my rug shed wool?

  • Is it normal that my rug gives of fluff? For how long will my rug shed wool?

    In the first months of use most of the thick rugs tend to lose their excess wool. This is completely normal. However, in rugs of a lesser wool quality the wool is spun with short fibres, and therefore twine less easily with each other. The phenomenon fades out completely the more you walk on your rug. It only happens in the first months of use. An Oriental rug of good wool quality sheds virtually no fluff. 

• - Can I lay a rug if there is underfloor heating?

  • Can I lay a rug if there is underfloor heating?

    It is no reason for concern about heat transfer whatsoever. If the room is cold it takes a bit more time to get the temperature up if the rug covers virtually the entire room. 

• - Can I buy in complete confidence?

  • Can I buy in complete confidence?

    Three generations of traders specialised in Oriental rugs provides the proof of soundness which our customers have consolidated over decades, and this signifies real trust. We have also chosen a trustworthy partner for 100% secured transactions: Ogone, the Internet payment operator. 

• - What are the advantages of a woollen rug?

  • What are the advantages of a woollen rug?

    A woollen rug offers undeniable qualities:

    • Excellent and natural material, superior to synthetic fibres, which will enliven your décor.

    • Thermal insulation: warm in winter and cool in summer.

    • Regulates humidity: absorbs and restores the ambient humidity.

    • Soundproof, reduces noise.

    • Good resistance to humidity and fire (naturally fireproof).

    • Renewable and non-polluting material.

    • Easy to clean and highly resistant to stains.

    • Strong, an excellent durable choice for areas with frequent footfall. Wool offers minimum wear with maximum life. 

    • Excellent elasticity: does not show pleat marks, furniture leg marks, etc. Wool is a flexible material that takes up its shape again after crumpling and crushing. 

    • Soft and shock-absorbing, a real benefit for our joints.

    knowing more...

    

• - How often should I vacuum a rug?

  • How often should I vacuum a rug?

    It makes sense to vacuum your rug once a week, because a rug which is not looked after can actually become allergenic.

• - Are rugs allergenic?

  • Are rugs allergenic?

    In any case less than a smooth floor! As soon as you walk about on a wooden or tiled floor, dust is very easily moved about and ends up floating in the air. 

    A rug actually tends to be hypoallergenic. The risk of allergies is less since dust easily clings to the woollen yarns. So regular vacuuming is enough to remove the dust that is embedded in the rug. 

    In contrast, a rug which is not looked after may contain dust mites and become allergenic. It makes sense to vacuum your rug at least once a week. 

• - What should I do if the rug’s pile loses one or more knots?

  • What should I do if the rug’s pile loses one or more knots?

    There are yarns of wool that were missed when the scissors went through during clipping (levelling of the pile). Because these yarns of wool were flattened during clipping, they simply straightened up again. Just hold the yarn tight between two fingers and cut it to the length of the pile.

    

• - Why are there leather straps along the edges on the back of some rugs?

  • Why are there leather straps along the edges on the back of some rugs?

    This occurs often on tightly woven rugs and/or when the weft has not been cut on the edges of the rug. The sides of rugs with a non-cut weft on the edges are far more hard-wearing. On this side the overstitching will not easily come undone.

    When the weft is not cut at the ends, all the tension exerted on each weft strand on the outer edges of the rug tends to make the rug bend as soon as it is lifted from the loom. This bending at the edges is remedied by manually sewing on rigid straps along the entire length of the rug. These bands or straps keep the edges of the rug well flat and thus prevent the rug folding in on itself.

    

Buying:

• - Do you have a shop where I can see the rugs before buying?

  • Do you have a shop where I can see the rugs before buying?

    Yes, our shop is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There you can see, touch, and physically compare your favourite Oriental rug. If it is to your liking,  you can take it with you straightaway.

    MENGAL-Orient

    10, Place Léopold

    B-5000 NAMUR

    BELGIUM

      

• - How do I buy a rug on your website?

  • How do I buy a rug on your website?

    When you have chosen your article, you can click on the button “add to basket”. The article will be reserved for 3 hours; after this time the article will be put up for sale again and be available for everyone on our website. 

     

    In your basket you can click on the button “continue your purchases” or select the green button “validate my order”.

    Your order will be validated in five steps:

    Identification: create your account or connect with the aid of your e-mail address and password.

    Address:  enter your delivery address and invoice address.

    Delivery: select your delivery option (bpost, UPS, or collection from the shop).

    Payment: select your payment method (VISA, MasterCard, Maestro, Bancontact, Belfius DirectNet, ING Home’Pay, CBC, KBC, PayPal, Ideal, giropay, Sofortüberweisung, bank transfer). 

    Confirmation and recap of the order. It will also automatically be sent to your e-mail address.

• - I want to buy a rug, but I have trouble in finalising the purchase online, can I order by phone?

  • I want to buy a rug, but I have trouble in finalising the purchase online, can I order by phone?

    You can order by phone and by e-mail or post, and you will receive confirmation of your order by telephone with the details as well as the amount to be paid by bank transfer. For obvious security reasons, payment with cards is not possible by telephone. 

• - Can I take a rug on trial to see if it fits in with my décor?

  • Can I take a rug on trial to see if it fits in with my décor?

    Yes, if you are not sure, you can try out one or two Oriental rugs before deciding. In this case you have to come to the shop before you can collect them personally. As far as possible we could come and present the rugs at your home. 

    Via our website: you can buy a rug on our website on trial. If it does not suit you, you have the possibility to return the rug within 15 days from the date of delivery. 

Payment and transaction security:

• - Which payment options do you offer online?

  • Which payment options do you offer online?

    These payment options are secured and processed by Ogone for debit cards:

    

     

    These payment options are secured and processed by Ogone for credit  cards:

    

     

    Possibility of secured payment via PayPal:

    

• - Is payment well secured on your website?

  • Is payment well secured on your website?

    The Ogone platform is an integrated technical portal between customers, retailers and purchasers of the different payment methods. All payment solutions are equipped with security and fraud-prevention tools.  When you get to the payment page, the site is protected through encoding of the effective data. Look for the lock icon and verify that the URL starts with https//.

• - What is 3D Secure?

  • What is 3D Secure?

    More security for your online payments by bank card:

    3D Secure is a secured payment procedure on the Internet imposed and made obligatory by the banks. This system, installed since October 2008, permits identification of the bearer of the card in order to prevent fraud, especially after theft of a bank card. It prevents the use of stolen bank cards. 

3D Secure only deals with payments by bank card. When you perform a purchase on the Internet you are redirected to the website of your bank after you have given the information about your bank card. So the procedure is specific to each bank.

These are the various steps in the payment procedure:
1/ You perform your purchase online.

2/ During payment you indicate the details of your bank card.

3/ This information is transmitted to your bank. The latter then asks you to authenticate yourself with one of the 3 codes below, according to your particular bank:

    

    your personal code

     

    

    your date of birth

     

    

    the code the bank sends you for every transaction via SMS

    

4/ Your bank verifies whether authentication has been performed and then carries out the usual checks to conclude the transaction before redirecting you to the retailer’s website.


    The different procedures according to your bank :
- Crédit Mutuel, Crédit Agricole, LCL and Axa Banque: you have to validate your payment by means of a “security code” for one-off use sent via SMS to a mobile number you have given to your bank during the purchase.
- Banque Postale, Banque Populaire, BNP Paribas, Société Générale and Caisse d’Épargne: you have to indicate your date of birth.
- CIC and Groupama: you have to authenticate yourself with the aid of your “personal keys card” which you can ask for at your bank if it has not already sent it to you. 

• - What methods of payment do you offer in the shop?

  • What methods of payment do you offer in the shop?

    In the shop the following electronic payment methods are accepted:

    Bancontact/Mister Cash, Maestro, MasterCard, V Pay, Visa, and American Express.

    You can also pay cash. 

    

• - Do your prices include VAT?

  • Do your prices include VAT?

    The prices indicated are calculated including “Value Added Tax”. At the customer’s request a hard-copy invoice will be sent showing the VAT of 21%.

Ordering:

• - How can I have access to my orders?

  • How can I have access to my orders?

    When you have identified yourself in your personal “My Account” space, you will find the following menus:

    My personal details

    My addresses

    My ordering history

    My wish list

• - I am a professional with a VAT number; can I get an invoice without VAT?

  • I am a professional with a VAT number; can I get an invoice without VAT?

    Absolutely, companies whose VAT number is valid in a member state of the European Union http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/, are exempt from VAT. The VAT will be deducted in the basket as soon as you are registered and connected with a valid VAT number. A hard-copy invoice will be sent to you with an intra-Community VAT rate of zero% from the moment a valid payment has been made. 

    If you have a Belgian VAT number, a hard-copy invoice will be sent to you showing the VAT of 21% from the moment a valid payment has been made. 

• - I live in Switzerland or outside of the EU; how can I order?

  • I live in Switzerland or outside of the EU; how can I order?

    Import tax and VAT of your country has to be paid on delivery. 

Transport and delivery:

• - What are the delivery times and options?

  • What are the delivery times and options?

    The delivery times are visible on the sheet for each product. Normally it is 1 to 7 working days within the European Union from the moment a valid payment has been made. 

    The delivery time applies to orders transmitted before 3 p.m. on working days. 

    For orders transmitted at the weekend or after 3 p.m., delivery time is calculated from the next working day. 

    The order is completed as soon as we have received full payment. If you pay by card, we receive payment immediately. A manual bank transfer can take up to one or two more days.  

    Delivery times are only given as indicative information. If they exceed 30 days to be counted from the order, the sales contract can be cancelled and the buyer will be refunded. 

• - What are the costs of transport?

  • What are the costs of transport?

    Free-of-charge delivery within the EU via “bpost” : delivery service with signature + online follow-up. If you are absent on delivery, the deliverer will leave a message stating that you can collect the parcel from the post office within 14 days.

    Free-of-charge delivery within the EU via “UPS” ,  delivery service with signature + online follow-up. If you are absent on delivery, the UPS driver will try to deliver up to three times.
     

    You also have the opportunity to deliver your package to a "UPS ™ Access Point" near you in case you think you can not receive your package at your home.
    How does it work ?
    With weekend and evening hours, UPS Access Point locations are compatible with your schedules. We offer great flexibility:
    - Choose a convenient delivery location during online checkout
    - Receive notifications via email or SMS when your packages are ready for collection

     

    For Switzerland:

    Dispatch via “DSV” or via “UPS” , € 46 (under € 360 ex VAT) and free of charge if it is more than € 360 ex VAT, delivery and export formalities included. Swiss import tax and VAT over and above to be paid at delivery.  

• - I may not be at home for the delivery; what happens?

  • I may not be at home for the delivery; what happens?

    In this case you can opt for delivery via “UPS” ,  delivery service with signature + online follow-up. If you are absent on delivery, the UPS driver will try to deliver up to three times.
     

    You also have the opportunity to deliver your package to a "UPS ™ Access Point" near you in case you think you can not receive your package at your home.
    How does it work ?
    With weekend and evening hours, UPS Access Point locations are compatible with your schedules. We offer great flexibility:
    - Choose a convenient delivery location during online checkout
    - Receive notifications via email or SMS when your packages are ready for collection
     
• - How are the parcels prepared for dispatch without damage?

  • How are the parcels prepared for dispatch without damage?

    The rugs are either folded or rolled up and packed in thick plastic. Then they are put in a box or rolled in a second layer of thick plastic. This guarantees optimum protection during transport.

• - Is it possible to see the follow-up of my order online?

  • Is it possible to see the follow-up of my order online?

    Of course, any follow-up of your order can be found in your personal “My Account” – “My ordering history” space.

    You can also follow-up your parcel on the carrier’s website. A link with the follow-up number of the carrier will be sent to you by e-mail when the parcel has been dispatched. 

• - What should I do if I receive a damaged parcel?

  • What should I do if I receive a damaged parcel?

    When receiving the parcel and before signing for receipt, you should first ascertain on the spot whether the parcel is damaged and whether you think the rug is in good condition. If this is not the case, the carrier has to be notified immediately of any visible damage to the rug, or a claim by an explanatory letter has to be forwarded to the carrier within three days of delivery. 

Returns:

• - The rug does not fit in with my furnishings; can I return it?

  • The rug does not fit in with my furnishings; can I return it?

    Purchasers, non-professional natural persons, dispose of a cooling-off period of 30 days, to be counted from delivery of their order, to return the product to the vendor for replacement or refund without any penalty.

    When the return is accepted, we will proceed to refunding, if possible by means of the same payment method you used.

• - What is the procedure to be followed to return a rug and get a refund?

  • What is the procedure to be followed to return a rug and get a refund?

    In case of return, you first have to contact us to obtain a resending label which has to be attached to the parcel. We cover the full resending costs of parcels returned with a dispatch label made by MENGAL-Orient. It states a telephone number for the carrier in order to enable planning the collection between you and the carrier. It is your responsibility to ensure that the goods are returned to us in their original condition. Therefore you have to make sure that the goods are packed in the appropriate way. Return only becomes effective when we have checked the condition of the goods. 

• - Who takes care of the costs in case of a return?

  • Who takes care of the costs in case of a return?

    In the European Union, the return costs are for the account of Mengal-Orient

Other questions:

• - What should I do if I have lost my password?

  • What should I do if I have lost my password?

    To find your password again just click “connection” and then “forgot my password?”. Enter the e-mail address with which you created your account and then click “recover”. You will receive an e-mail giving you your password.

• - Are my details secured?

  • Are my details secured?

    Absolute security of your details is an essential point for Mengal-Orient. In no case whatsoever will we transmit your details to third parties without your approval. 

    Your full details, and very particularly your personal details as well as your bank details, are encoded with the aid of the SSL Protocol (Secure Socket Layer). Therefore you can be sure that any information provided cannot be read or manipulated by third parties. The data on credit cards are protected by means of  3D Secure technology.

    If you want to cancel your account, all details about you will also be cleared. 

• - How should the promotional codes be used?

  • How should the promotional codes be used?

    Click on ‘shopping basket’ above right of the window to post the list of articles you want to order. Under the list of the articles you selected you will find the ‘Promo Code’ field in which you have to enter the code you received. Then click on the ‘Apply’ button. The amount that is equivalent to the promo code will appear under the total. Subsequently validate your order and follow the steps to complete your purchase. 

• - How can I pass on my experience to other Mengal-Orient web surfers?

  • How can I pass on my experience to other Mengal-Orient web surfers?

    We send an e-mail to all our customers 10 days after their order to obtain their opinion. Your opinion is very important for us since we like to see that our customers are satisfied and want to know which points we can improve. These opinions are also very important for our future customers.