The Clever Trick That'll Help You Spot Cheap Curtains When Shopping Online

Long gone are the days when we would walk through the aisles of stores, feeling fabrics between our fingers, looking at products in different lights. And it's not necessarily bad. Online, we have access to a nearly unlimited catalogue of options, which is great for designing a perfectly curated home. Plus, we can browse from the comfort of our couch at any time of the day and night. Online shops are a good place to find affordable curtains, but it can be disappointing. Ugly fabrics, cheap finishes, awkward designs; it's hard to know what you're getting when you're not seeing it before paying. To avoid disasters, we have a little trick. 

Price alone isn't a good way to check for quality, because some budget-friendly curtains look more expensive than they are. Instead, the trick to spot cheap curtains when shopping online is to be cautious with product photos. More specifically, be wary of listings that only show styled product photos and no close-ups. By this, we mean wide-angle photos in a beautifully styled room, where the curtains can only be seen in one light and from afar. With these photos, it can be difficult to assess exactly how good the quality of the fabric is. This doesn't mean that you can, with absolute certainty, rule that the curtains are cheaply made. But it's a tell-tale sign that there are risks. 

Today, it's not even all you have to worry about. With artificial intelligence, some online retailers skip the photoshoots altogether and use AI-generated images instead. If you can't really tell what's real and what's AI, you're not alone. In fact, a 2026 study by Caimera found that nearly 85% of people can't distinguish between real photos and artificially generated ones (via Fashion Network). 

So, what do you want to see instead of styled photos? Look for product listings that have different types of photos: some are close-ups of the fabric, detailed images of the curtains, and others are styled photos in a room. Even large retailers like IKEA offer detailed photos on their website to show a curtain in full, from the grommets to the hems. In a way, you're trying to check all the details as you would when choosing the perfect curtains in a store. 

When in doubt, the best approach is looking through the reviews. Read them carefully: are people saying that the curtains match expectations, or are they implying that the styled images in the listing were misleading? Even better, look through the image reviews. These are your best bet for a preview of what you'll actually receive after placing the order. People might post photos from afar, which can help check whether the styled photos were altered or staged in any way. Some others might offer close-up photos, especially if they have any issues with the hems, stitching, hooks, or grommets. 

If, despite checking for close-up photos and customer reviews, you end up with an order that feels cheaply made, there are some options. First things first, a lot of online stores may accept a return and refund. Don't wait too long and don't use the product; just file a claim with customer service as soon as possible. If the online retailer isn't willing to take the product back, you might be able to use your credit card's purchase protection policy. Of course, this depends on your specific bank and purchase protection policy.