$98 for that fleece sweater? It'd better be hand-stitched by Peruvian virgins!
Written: Aug 23 '01
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The Bottom Line
Great customer service and shipping. Good quality items, somewhat expensive. Good sale prices and selection (definitely buy on sale!).
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I gotta say, I can be pretty cheap when it comes to clothing. I do not buy designer anything, I do not want some pretentious turkey's name on my a**, I do not succumb to the latest trends, nor do I get a boost in self-esteem just by having 'LV's' all over my luggage and handbags. That said, I do like dressing well, and I have a lot of clothes, both expensive and not.
The Coldwater Creek website offers a lot of (for me) expensive clothes (as well as bedding, home decor, jewelry, etc.). I have ordered their clothes at full price as gifts, and have not been terribly impressed at the quality for the money spent. I ordered my mother what looked to be a beautiful purple fleece jacket for Christmas a few years ago. I wanted one myself, but couldn't really justify the cost. When it was delivered, it looked okay (maybe the model helped), but it weighed all of about 4 ounces and just seemed flimsy and not at all warm. When I spend $100 + shipping, I want bulk! I want heft! I at least want to feel that a Peruvian sheep gave up its nice, warm winter coat for me. Baaaaa.
Now, on the upside, Coldwater Creek can have great sales. If you go to the website and select 'Outlet at the Creek' it will take you to their sale items. They always have a lot of stuff--home decor, clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry (and they have some beautiful, unique jewelry). I have found many things that I loved but never would have bought at full price for 30-60% off. You do have to check the Outlet regularly, because things sell out pretty quickly. But you can find some great bargains there.
The website is fairly easy to navigate. My big beef, however, is that the ordering process ought to be tied to inventory. That is a great use for a computer, don't you think??? I really hate it when I place an order for 5 things and am informed the next day that 4 of them are out of stock. It only makes sense to marry these two functions.
They'd also make more sales--I'm more likely to look around and find something else to buy when I'm in the mood to shop and am told something is out of stock right away rather than when I'm told the next day and am a little ticked off.
(Sorry for the run-on sentence...but you get my point.) I do like the ability to shop by size, category, etc. It makes narrowing down your choices much easier.
I have always been impressed with Coldwater Creek's customer service. Which is great for a website. Hell, it's great for a store, period. Returns are not a problem, no questions asked. Exchanges are quickly re-sent. Coldwater Creek's got the fastest shipping turnaround of any website I've ever used, hands down. I order on a Monday, it's usually at my door by Wednesday or Thursday. This was invaluable last Christmas, when relatives I didn't normally purchase gifts for showed up. I had gotten a catalog from Coldwater Creek (and boy, do you get a lot of catalogs from this store--be warned!) showcasing Christmas items with free shipping included, and all I had to do was call or use the website and I had everything in 2-3 days. Another plus is that with every catalog you receive in the mail you get a card for $5 off if you order from the website. I don't know how long this will last, but it has been going on for about two years so far.
I still order quite a bit from Coldwater Creek. It's a worthwhile site, and very user-friendly. I would suggest, however, that unless you have money to throw around at will that you stick to the Outlet at the Creek rather than full-price items.
By the way, Coldwater Creek also has most clothing styles in hard-to-find sizes, such as women's plus sizes. They have a very wide range, which makes shopping for many people at Christmas much easier. The vast majority of their clothing is for women, however, they only offer a small amount of men's and kid's clothing.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Location: Ohio
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me: If you're gonna drop someone from your WOT, wouldn't it be nice to say why?
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