Quirky gifts... but overpriced and frequently disappointing
Written: Apr 19, 2007
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I've shopped at Signals several times over the years, and almost every time, I'm left disappointed. You might wonder then, why do I continue to shop there? Only because I have several gift certificates that I need to use up.
Products:
I'll admit, the catalog has a unique selection of gift items that you won't find in most typical stores, and occasionally, you'll find the "perfect" gift for yourself or someone you know... a London subway-themed item, Frank Lloyd Wright designed items or a personalized doormat, for example. Signals has some nice framed artwork, including Ansel Adams prints or x-ray "photos" of flowers (I saw similar photos used on the set of "The View"). Unfortunately for me, Signals has too many things that I can only describe as "household clutter": owl figurines, decorative plaques or sculptures, a fish vase, dandelion paperweights or even a librarian action figure.
Quality:
Either hit or miss, and I am frequently disappointed. The items tend to be overpriced, even if you get a "sale" item. I've received tealight candle holders with broken beads and scratched surfaces, and a $100 framed poster that had inch-high lettering along the bottom of the print with the name of the company that printed the poster (how tacky!). My most recent order had a prismatic candle holder that has cloudy, plastic-coated glass and sharp metal edges. Signals sells it for $30 but I've since come across it for $7 on other websites (stupid me for not comparison shopping first!). On the plus side, I've purchased several jewelry items and have received many compliments on them.
Ordering and Customer Service:
Signals is several years behind the times here. I usually use gift certificates, and they cannot be redeemed online. Instead, I must mail it, and -- my personal pet peeve -- if you do not use the entire amount of the gift certificate, you forfeit it. They won't even give you a credit for the difference good on your next order. Email inquiries generally take about 2 days for a response, and the last time I called Signals, the person who answered had to put me on hold while she figured out the answer to my simple question about ordering, and she did not seem very confident in her response. Lastly, my preferred email address does not end in ".com" and their system does not seem to accept it.
Recommended:
No
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