This Store Cooks! And Sells Starbucks Coffee
Written: Jan 14 '04
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I decided to let my fingers do the shopping and visited Cooking.com during the holidays. I’ve shopped this online store before with happy results, and I’m pleased to say that Cooking.com still brings smiles.
Entering & Navigating the Site
It’s easy to find your way through Cooking.com, and the web pages are user friendly. The first thing I noticed upon visiting the site was the bold banner displaying the words “Free Super Saver Shipping on shipments over $79".
Top of the Home Page
There are two rows of navigation buttons at the top of the page. The first row offers choices of: Home, Special Values, Gift Ideas, Wedding Registry, Recipes & More. The second row of buttons include: Free Newsletters, Buying Guides, My Account, Top Brands, Contact Us. There is also a special button announcing “New! Starbucks Store”.
Left of the Home Page
The Search Feature is listed at the top of the left column. Searches are quick, too. I typed in the word “roaster” and 23 results appeared within a second or two. (I have a cable internet connection in case you are wondering.) Beneath the Search feature are listed departments to visit: Bakeware, Barware, Cookbooks, Cook’s Tools, Cookware, Cutlery, Furnishings, Gift Baskets & Sets, Gift Certificates, Home Keeping, Outdoor Living, Small Appliances, Specialty Foods, Storage & Organization, Tableware, Clearance, Corporate Gifts. There is also a link to “New Routine” -- a health and beauty website from Cooking.com.
Middle & Right of the Home Page
An image of cooking supplies in the center of the web page. To the right are links titled: Look What’s New, Hottest Electrics of 2003, Tools Totally Unique ... and another promo for New Routine.
Bottom of the Home Page
More links! They are: 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, No-Hassle Returns, Easy Order Tracking, Secure Ordering, Recipes & Menus, Store Your Favorite Recipes (a feature you have to sign-up to use), Request Our Latest Catalog, Buying Guides. There are also more “Help” links including: Shipping Information, Order Status, Security and Return Policy.
Product Pages & Pricing
Each product page includes a large photo of the item, and if you click on the item, a pop-up window opens with an even bigger view of the product. Price and availability appear to the right of the image. If the item is out of stock, the words “Out of Stock” appear with the option of requesting e-mail notification when the item is available. A description of the product is provided as well as “product characteristics”, such as what the product is made from, where the item is manufactured, cleaning & care or special features.
When I did comparison pricing between Cooking.com, Kitchenetc.com and Amazon, I learned that Cooking.com had good prices. However, on many items, Amazon.com had better pricing. However, Cooking.com offers some items not available on Amazon.com or Kitchenetc.com. So know your prices and have fun browsing!
New Starbucks Store
Cooking.com has added a selection of Starbucks Coffee & Tazo Teas to their website. There are coffee beans, ground coffee, espresso, black & chai teas, green & oolong teas, and herbal infusions. Currently there is an offer of a free Starbucks mug with the purchase of $50 in coffee and teas (while supplies last).
Shipping Costs
If you spend $79.00 or more, shipping is free. Cooking.com offers five different ways to ship merchandise. SuperSaver is the least expensive method and packages arrive in 5-10 business days via U.S. Mail. The other shipping choices all ship via UPS: Standard (3-6 business days), Expedited (2-3 business days), Express (2 business days), Next Day (next business day). Shipping fees are based on the dollar amount spent.
Here are the rates for SuperSaver and Standard shipping (in that order):
$0 - $15.00 -- $7.95 / $8.95
$15.01 - $25.00 -- $7.95 / $9.95
$25.01 - $35.00 -- $8.95 / $9.95
$35.01 - $49.00 -- $8.95 / $10.95
$49.01 - $79.00 -- $10.95 / $12.95
$79.01 - $99.00 -- Free / $12.95
$99.01 - $150.00 -- Free / $14.95
$150.01 & over -- Free / 10% of item total
Orders shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Canada have higher shipping costs. Note that orders over $2,000.00 may incur special shipping charges.
Ordering & Payment
Once all the items have been added to the shopping cart, checkout is easy. Just click on the “Checkout” link, and a screen opens prompting you for name, address and shipping information. You do not have to register with Cooking.com to make a purchase. However, registering with them allows you the option of faster checkout in the future as well as the ability to track shipments. Once the shipping information is filled in, click the “Next” button. The next screen allows choice of whether to ship all the items to the same address or to a different address ... or even to split shipment of the items between different addresses. Click the “Next” button and choose how the items will be shipped. The wonderful thing about this screen is it lists all the shipping costs for every shipping service so that the buyer knows up front how much shipping will cost. This screen also offers a Gift Options: Signature Gift Wrap and Card will cost $4.95 per item. If desired, a Gift Message can be written on the Packing Slip for free.
Click the “Next” button to proof read the order information and view the final order total. You can also redeem Special Offers and Gift Certificates at this time. Click the “Next” button to supply payment information. Cooking.com accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club and JCB credit cards. Filling out a brief survey of how you found Cooking.com is optional. Click the “Place Your Order” button to submit the order for processing.
If you supplied an e-mail address, Cooking.com will send a confirmation e-mail detailing the items ordered and the order number. When the order ships, another e-mail is sent. This e-mail includes the date the order shipped, the items shipped, how they were shipped, the carrier name, and an estimated delivery date. At the bottom of the e-mail is a link that will provide more detailed tracking information.
My Online Shopping Experience
I have ordered from Cooking.com several times and have always been pleased. The orders are well packed, the merchandise accurate and in good condition, and the shipments have arrived on time.
My latest purchase was a Granite Ware oval roasting pan for my mother. When I cruised the Cooking.com website, I saw some spatulas that were a bit different in shape and size from what I owned, so I added those to my order. I placed the order on Sunday, November 30, and the order was shipped the next day. I requested the cheapest shipping method, and the package arrived within a week. The carton was stuffed with styrofoam pieces that resembled mini fat sausage shapes -- there was no way anything in that box could arrive damaged. As usual, Cooking.com provided quality service.
One thing I don’t like is that when you supply your e-mail address to Cooking.com, you are automatically added to their newsletter e-mail list. And Cooking.com has four different newsletters they send. I wasn’t happy when I started receiving unsolicited e-mail newsletters from Cooking.com. It’s easy to unsubscribe to the e-mail list by clicking a link at the bottom of the newsletter. However, my feeling is that I should have been given the option of whether or not I wanted my name added to their e-mail newsletter list.
Free Recipes
Cooking.com offers a variety of free recipes on their website. The recipes are well presented, too, with a color photograph and description of the dish, ingredients list, how to prepare the dish, serving size and nutritional information. You can either enter a word in the Recipe Search Box, or click on the “Recipe” link to view recipes sorted by category. In the search box, I typed “apple”, and the search returned 360 recipes. It even detailed the type of recipes found (ex: 5 appetizers, 20 beverage, 11 bread, 82 main course). Just click on the category of choice to view the offerings. There is a button to press that will print the recipe. You can also e-mail the recipe to friends or add the recipe to your “favorites”.
Summary
I will definitely shop at Cooking.com again. Sometimes they offer items I can’t find elsewhere. Never have I had to contact their customer service. The orders arrive in a timely fashion and are correct. This website cooks! And since they do, so can I.
I hope you have found this review useful.
Enjoy your day!
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Additional Store Information
Phone Orders: 1-800-663-8810
Customer Assistance (U.S. & Canada): 1-877-999-2433
Customer Service (Outside the U.S. & Canada): 310- 450-3270
Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. PST; Saturday & Sunday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Guest Assistance
Cooking.com
2850 Ocean Park Blvd., Suite 310
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Please read my other reviews.
Granite Ware 19-inch Oval Roaster
WestBend Egg Cooker
Le Creuset Bean Pot
Calphalon Professional Non-Stick Sauce Pan with Lid
T-Fal Perfection Saute Pan with Lid
GE Refrigerator with Top Freezer
Maytag Gemini Oven
Kitchen Etc. (Online Store)
Copyright 2004 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? roaster & spatulas
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