Was Abe a gentleman on the second date?
Written: Apr 29 '07 (Updated Apr 30 '07)
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My first shopping experience with Abe's Of Maine Online Store dates back to 2003 when I ordered a Pioneer CD changer from them for a fraction of what I would have paid anywhere else. My experience at Abe's Of Maine wasn't all peachy-keen, though. Au contraire, mon frere. While I was satisfied with the super-low price of my CD changer, I was less than thrilled with Abe's poor customer service department, and the fact that my order arrived nearly two weeks late didn't exactly put Abe's Of Maine on my "favorite online stores" list. With that being said, I was a little reluctant to purchase from this store a second time.
About Abe's Of Maine Online Store:
Abe’s Of Maine is a large general electronic online store (they also have a retail store in Edison NJ), that features all types of electronic equipment. Products at Abe's Of Maine range anywhere from digital cameras and computers all the way to housewares, i.e. toasters and air purifiers. In addition to electronic equipment, Abe's Of Maine also offers deals on electronic accessories, i.e. printer paper, batteries, lenses, filters, etc. As far as I know, all products at Abe's Of Maine are sold in "new" condition.
Selection:
While Abe's Of Maine doesn't offer the vast selection of products and brand names featured at stores like BuyDig and eTronics, it's still a big online store with a good selection of brand names and products. Aside from a few categories, namely the clearance section, most of the product categories are loaded with in-stock merchandise. I am especially impressed with the increase of products in the "car electronics" category, which has grown substantially since the last time I visited this store. If you are on the market for any type of electronic devise, you'll most likely find it or something similar at Abe's Of Maine.
Navigation:
Although Abe's Of Maine takes up a big chunk of cyberstate, navigating around the site is easy and the pages are clutter free, for the most part. Abe's Of Maine features 15 main categories on their home page, which include Computers, Audio, Binoculars, Car electronics, DJ equipment, DVD, Digital, Electronics, Photography, Small Appliances, Televisions, Video, Video Editing, Rebates, and Closeouts. Though some of these categories could have probably been lumped together, it makes the sub category pages a little less congested. You can search for merchandise at Abe's by category or you can simply use Abe's search engine, though it doesn't compensate for slight misspellings so it's only useful if you know exactly what you are looking for and know how to spell it to a T. Abe's Of Maine also allows you to narrow your search by brand, price, etc. The only major rant I have with this store's format is the tiny font used for the sub-category links and for the product descriptions: the small font is enough to give me a migraine. When you do what you are looking for, Abe's Of Maine does offer adequate photography and product description's, however I'd like a little more literature on a lot of the products offered at this store.
Checking out is also kept simple. To finalize a purchase from Abe's Of Maine, they give you the option of becoming a registered user (requires you to fill out your credit info/ personal info, and acquire a password/login name) or you can proceed to checkout without creating an account, which only requires you to fill out your typical billing information, credit info, etc. Either way, checking out is easy, however if you plan on using this store often, then I highly suggest creating an account as all your info is securely stored on file for quicker future checkouts. Payment methods include all major credit cards, money orders, checks, and even wire transfers.
Prices:
Abe's Of Maine may not boast the lowest initial price tags in cyberspace, however when you take into account the free shipping on many of the items you can find some killer deals at this store. My Juiceman juicer came to a mere 59 bucks, total. In comparison to other online stores that carried the same Juiceman, my price was nearly 30% less after they tacked on shipping charges. Abe's also features a small closeout section where additional values can be found.
Shipping:
While most spendy electronic equipment at this store will receive free shipping, there are a few exceptions. The exceptions, however, aren't going to break the bank. On most items that aren't provided free shipping, shipping fees are generally fair. I have never seen a product at this store where the price for shipping was more than 20% of the product. Abe's Of Maine also allows you to view shipping charges at any time by clicking on your shopping cart; a nice touch since a lot of stores still make you wait until you finalize a purchase before you can see how much they are going to charge you for shipping. Shipping methods at Abe's Of Maine range anywhere from UPS to White Glove Delivery. Note: Abe’s Of Maine does ship internationally, though they have quite of few stipulations on orders shipped outside of the US.
Return Policy:
Abe's Of Maine has a decent return policy, though I do have my gripes in this department as well. If you are not happy with your merchandise you can return it for a full refund (minus the return shipping) within 30 days. There is a catch, though. On many items Abe's Of Maine limits the return policy to only 7-12 days, so be sure to do your research and find out what your specific return policy will be for your product.
Arrival Time:
The last time I ordered from this store it took nearly 3 weeks after I placed my order for it to arrive to my home: not quite the 3-days I was quoted. This go-round I still didn't receive my product in the quoted 3-5 days, however the 7-business days that I had to wait wasn't too off-base and was about how long I had expected to wait anyway. If faster shipping is desired, Abe's Of Maine does offer a plethora of quicker shipping methods at extra cost.
Product Condition:
Recently I have had to worst luck with companies who use USPS shipping (products arrive damaged or completely broken), so it was refreshing to find that my product was sent UPS. Under close scrutiny, my Juiceman juicer was professionally packaged in a well insulated box and was in exactly "as described" condition: it works great and I am satisfied with the product.
Customer Service:
One of my biggest issues with Abe's Of Maine a few years back was its shoddy customer service. It was nearly impossible to get in touch with a live rep, and when I did, the customer service representative was about as nice as Simon Cowell. In contrast to the customer service I received from Abe's Of Maine a few years back, Abe's customer service representatives were pleasant and helpful this go-around. The only gripe I have in this department is the lack of a "Live Help" feature. While many stores are adopting this customer service method, where you simply click on an icon to talk to a live rep, Abe’s Of Maine has yet to jump on the bandwagon. Also, instead of offering a 24-hour 1-800 number, you can only get a live rep during store business hours. Abe's Of Maine is no small Ma & Pa online store, so a 24-7 number should be available for its customers.
Final Verdict:
Abe's of Maine still has its faults and could definitely use some polishing, however the store seems to have improved immensely over the past few years. Abe's Of Maine offers a huge selection of electronic equipment, great prices, free ground shipping on much of their merchandise, and improved customer support. After all is said and done, I do recommend Abe’s Of Maine Online Store to anyone looking to save some cash on electronic equipment. ~~3.5 stars~~~.
-Thanks for reading!
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Juiceman
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Abe's Of Maine Online Store
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