We've sold thousands of sets online since we've been in business, so we've learned a few things about our customers.
Most parents who've purchased a swing set from us over the internet are doing so for the following four reasons:
- All of the "big box" stores did not have swing set displays, and there were no local swing set dealers nearby.
- Parents wanted to do as much research as they could online (if not ALL research.) We live in a very busy world (especially in NJ!) so coordinating a time to go into a store was a chore.
- They looked at local swingset stores and were not happy with the experience they had or the swingset selections provided.
- They found the NJ Swingsets website extremely helpful and wanted to purchase from us knowing that they would be taken care of through the entire process.
We've created a checklist to help YOU make a more informed decision before making this purchase.
This checklist will also help make your online swingset purchase and installation go as smoothly as possible.
If you have any questions along the way, feel free to reach out using the chat box on our website or give us a call at 201-670-4000!
And now for your checklist:
CHECK YOUR YARD SPACE - or have your yard checked by a professional installer. As a rule of thumb, you should have 6' of free space around all four sides of the set. So a 20'x20' swing set would have a 32'x32' area to safely hold your swingset. If your yard space is in question - you can reach out to us for assistance, or find a local swing set installer to help out with the process.
CHECK YOUR YARD SLOPE - The slope in your yard should not be more than 4" to 6" variance from the left to the right side of the swing set, or from the front to the back of the swing set. That means that the ground where the front of your swing set is to be placed should not be higher or lower by 4 to 6 inches than the ground where the back of the swing set is to be placed. If your yard slope is in question, of the grade of your yard is questionable, you can reach out to us for assistance, or find a local, professional swingset installer to help out with the process. If an installer comes to your yard and finds an excessive slope, he may charge extra fees to level your set as it requires extra time to do so.
DO YOUR RESEARCH - There are all types of families with all types of requirements. There are also all types of swingsets with all types of features. Finding the swing that is best for you and your family can be a lot of work! We try to make this process as easy as possible for you. Click here to see our "Swingset Buying Tips" blog section.
IF YOUR ARE DOING THE SWINGSET INSTALLATION YOURSELF... - Great! Definitely take a look at your desired swingset's installation manual. The manual will tell you what tools you need, how long the installation will take, and give you an overall idea of what to expect. Many customers, after seeing the manual, opt to hire a professional installer after looking at the work involved! More tips on self installations can be found under the "Installation" section here: https://njswingsets.com/blogs/swing-set-buying-tips/i-just-bought-a-wooden-swing-set-now-what
IF YOU ARE HIRING A PROFESSIONAL INSTALLER... - If you'd like to hire a professional installer in your area, we have three places we use: NJ Swingsets Preferred Installers, Gorilla Playsets Preferred Installers, and using local search websites to find an installer in your area. Keep in mind, if an installer is listed on our website, we have used them many times and we trust them to do a great job! All others we cannot vouch for. Please be cautious using contractors that DO NOT specialize in swing set installation.
KNOW HIDDEN OR ADDITIONAL COSTS -When you view a swing set on our website, the price you see is the price of of the swingset shipped to your curb. All delivery and freight charges are INCLUDED. The ONLY additional cost would be NJ sales tax if your billing and/or shipping address is in NJ. Installation is NOT included in these costs. Other websites may have lower costs, but when you factor in delivery charges, they may shoot the cost up even higher.
KNOW HOW SHIPPING A SWINGSET WORKS -The biggest drawback of ordering a swingset online is having a large freight shipment delivered via LTL freight. Freight shipments, unfortunately, are not like Amazon Prime - delivered in two days with rare issues. There can be quite a few problems with freight such as lost deliveries, extended delays, and smashed or broken parts. Not to mention, a freight carrier is only responsible for leaving freight at your curb. That means you may have to break apart pallets and have several adults carry heavy boxes into your backyard. You would then have to have the boxes sit there until your swing set is installed. Please see the "Delivery" and "Common Problems" sections of our blog post for more information: https://njswingsets.com/blogs/swing-set-buying-tips/i-just-bought-a-wooden-swing-set-now-what.
KNOW ABOUT BROKEN/MISSING PARTS -Another drawback to ordering a set online is broken or missing parts when you receive your set. In some cases, the freight company will smash a box and parts will be damaged. In other cases a box may get lost. When you receive your delivery, make sure all boxes and parts are intact and present. Keep in mind, once you find broken or missing pieces, it will take at least a week or two to obtain broken or missing parts. During the busy season, at times it may take longer. Keep this into consideration when hiring an outside installer. You may have to reschedule, otherwise he may charge fees to come back to complete the install. We have seen installations complete months after an order has been placed due to these issues. Please see the "Delivery" and "Common Problems" sections of our blog post for more information: https://njswingsets.com/blogs/swing-set-buying-tips/i-just-bought-a-wooden-swing-set-now-what.
KNOW ABOUT INSTALLATION ISSUES -We will not go into installation issues from hiring an inexperienced installer (there are countless experiences here). Installation issues occur when your set doesn't fit, when your yard is not as level as you thought, or when there are broken/missing parts. In any of these cases, an installer may have to charge you extra to complete the install. Is it best to read through our "Installation" and "Common Problems" sections here: https://njswingsets.com/blogs/swing-set-buying-tips/i-just-bought-a-wooden-swing-set-now-what.
So there you have it!
These are some of the main things to do and be aware of when ordering a swing set online. As you can see, it can at times be overwhelming, especially for busy moms and dads!
For these reasons, we always recommend seeing your local swingset store! Not only are you supporting a local business, they can take care of all the work and issues you may encounter.
If you still prefer purchasing a swing set online, consider letting NJ Swingsets help guide you through the process. We love helping out! Give us your best questions.
Contact us using the chatbox at the bottom of the website, or give us a call anytime at 201-670-4000.
Best of luck and take care!