Uncover A World of Adventure, Get Paid For Purchases & Explore The Universe…Discovery Store
Written: Aug 05 '03
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When our local cable company upgraded to digital service we were offered several add-on packages as companions to our regular service. One of the packs that I immediately signed up for was the Discovery Channel combo. Six stations that offer you a world of education for $3.00 dollars a month. How could I pass that up? The boys watch the stations all the time and have benefited from all they the parent station has to offer. When they started asking about some of the products that were featured I knew we had two choices, either track down a local store or shop at the online site. There are a few stores in our area but they are located inside of malls – a dangerous place for a shopping addict like myself. Most of the time I love going to the mall but with the brood in tow, limited parking and the ‘summer crowds’, it’s just more convenient to shop online and have my goods delivered to my door.
I’ve always gotten consistent service from the site, be it a question or an order inquiry. The site is broken up into easy to navigate sections that allow you to find what ever it is you are looking for without wasting time. There are no pop ups at the site and from what I have seen, it is suitable for all ages. To say that there is something for everyone at the site is an understatement. Kids of all ages will love the scientific and historical items that are offered, adults will marvel and drool over the high tech products and for those that aren’t so easily pleased – the stand by “gift certificate” option is always available. If you are really stumped, you can turn to the gift idea portion of the site that shows a break down of products based on price, who the gift is for and general interests.
Selection
The site carries everything from educational toys to home helpers, a wide range of books, movies and learning material as well as electronics and gadgets. One of the coolest things I purchased was the completely kid powered Bubble Gum Lab. Priced at $19.99 I was a bit skeptical to order this. Do you know how much bubble gum you can buy with $20.00? Several months, and some pretty bizarre flavors later, I can say that this was simply a great purchase that everyone in the family partook of. There are a lot of things for the high tech lovers – but here is one item that I fell in love with and had to order. The Digital Caller ID Globe that put an end to me having to run across the room to see who was calling. The name and number of the caller is displayed in a HUD [head up design] format so you can see who is calling, the time or a programmed message or note from someone. For someone that hates talking on the phone, I sure do love my phone accessories.
Beyond the gadgets and accessory items, the site really emphasizes education on all levels. There are a tremendous number of kid related learning kits and some that adults could benefit from as well. Having geeks run amuck in this house, I am always on the look out for products that will entertain, educate and enthuse the brood. Since they have a love of Egyptian culture, I purchased several of the boxed sets that were previously offered through the site. Sure I could have taped them from the various programs and channels but after viewing them I knew the money was well spent, no commercials, no advertisements and no breaks in programming. These are things that the boys watch on a regular basis and have learned a great deal from so I didn’t look at it as a purchase, but rather as an investment.
Gift certificates are available at the site in five dollar increments with the minimum purchase price of $25.00. These can be ordered or redeemed online however online gift certificates can’t be used at the retail stores. This is great gift for those that love the Discovery Channel, a super way to reward a child or just a way to say thanks to an employee. There’s no fee involved in sending a gift certificate via email and unless you plan on purchasing a gift certificate over $100.00 – shipping is free on that as well.
Sales!
There’s a great sale section that’s stocked with toys, DVD’s, educational material, clothing and more – usually at 20% – 40% off the original price. There’s one item that I’ve had my eye on for the longest time – the King Tut Sarcophagus Bookshelf, but at $1,199.00 [on sale for $999.99] but I think that might be the purchase that puts my ex in the grave. [Want to check it out? Cut and paste this link http://shopping.discovery.com/DiscoveryStore/images/products/large/sarcop_lg.jpg]. You’ll find small treasures and trinkets as well as larger items like telescopes, videotape and DVD series and wide screen televisions. This is another great way to make your dollar go a little further and pick up some cool gadgets at the same time. The section changes often so make sure you look at all they have to offer.
The Passport
This is a great way to save some money, get advanced notices of sales and earn rewards for your purchases. For each $150.00 you spend, you receive a $10.00 reward certificate. When we signed up for ours it was free and only took about three minutes to sign up. So far we’ve earned two certificates and are well on our way to the third. If you plan on shopping through the site or at any of the retail stores, this is a great program to take advantage of. Enter your eleven digit member number or flash your card when you make a purchase and they do the rest. You’ll receive your card in the mail about two weeks after you sign up and it attaches right to your key chain so you never have to worry about losing it or fumbling for it when you make an in store purchase.
Customer Service
DiscoveryStore.com
8145 Holton Drive
Florence, KY 41042
[800] 627-9399
shopping.discovery.com
To email the site, use one of the on-site forms for the quickest reply. Be sure to check out the customer service portion of the site for newsletters options, discount coupons and more. You can also request a catalog, order gift certificates and find a retail store in your neighborhood.
Return Policy
Unlike most sites, you have 60 days to return merchandise that doesn’t suit your needs. Simply pack up your item with all the material it came with, send it to the address on the back of the packing slip with a note of why you are returning it. If it is defective you can request a refund or a replacement. Shipping and handling fees are not refundable unless the item is defective. Make sure you send your package insured or with a delivery confirmation so you can track it and make sure that it arrives at its destination. The site states that most refunds are made within a two week time frame but I’ve never had to make a return so I can’t comment on that.
Shipping
There are four methods of shipping available: standard, express, overnight and media. Shipping fees are calculated according to the dollar amount of your order unless you are purchasing something that needs to be delivered by a freight company, then the price of shipping will be displayed with the product. Most of my orders have been in the $50.00 - $10.00 range and I opted for the standard shipping. A $50.00 order cost about $6.95 and a $100.00 order about $10.00. The shipping fees in my opinion are pretty good and almost all the items I’ve ordered arrived right on time or a day early. You can check out the complete shipping spectrum at the site, just look for the customer service section then select shipping from the menu. You’ll be able to get pricing on everything that’s listed at the site, but as I said, if you are ordering something large or heavy, it may need to be delivered by a freight company. If this is the case, check to see if a Discovery Store in your area has the item you are looking for – you can save yourself the shipping fee and wait for delivery and pick it up there.
The Bottom Line
I’ve always had great experiences with the site and really like the way that it is set up. I have no problem what so ever letting the boy troll through the pages however they have learned how to create wish lists and have started taping them up all over the place as subtle hints. Now when they are watching a program or special on one of the Discovery Channels they say in rather loud and obnoxious voice “Hey, look, there’s a sale at Discovery Mum”, followed up with “…if you are going to order that can you get me this … [insert name or product]…”. The prices of the products might seem a little high but you are getting first rate materials and goods. The DVD’s, books and tapes that I’ve ordered all came well packaged and quicker than expected and electronics were – in most cases – double boxed for added protection. If you are looking for an interesting gift but want something a little more interesting than Sharper Image type goods, check out what the Discovery Store has to offer.
As always, thanks for the visit …
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
Other online retailers…
National Geographic
Amazon.com
K-Mart
eBay
KBKids
Recommended:
Yes
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