The Pillsbury Dough Boy is Hawking Merchandise -- on PillsburyStore.com
Written: Dec 16 '07 (Updated Dec 16 '07)
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My sister-in-law wanted a particular type of gift for her birthday … something I had never heard of. She requested a set of Nigella Lawson Piglets in black. First I had to learn what these "piglets" were and then find out where to buy them. Turns out the piglets are a 3-piece set consisting of two egg-shaped salt/spice holders that sit on a tray. They are very attractive. The place I purchased them from is PillsburyStore.com.
Navigating the Website
The Nigella Lawson Piglets sold for about the same price everywhere I searched online. I chose PillsburyStore.com because they offered a "Free $10 Pillsbury Coupon Book" with every order. I am all for bonuses!
Another plus is that this website is "Powered by Cooking.com". I have purchased items from Cooking.com and have been pleased. Cooking.com also offers the Nigella Lawson Piglets, but not the free $10 coupon book.
The Top of the Page
The top of the PillsburyStore.com page offers a variety of text links: Collectibles, Bakeware, Barware, Cookware, Dishes & Dining, Gadgets & Tools, Home Care, Knives, Small Appliances, and a "More" link for other shopping options. There are also links to: Home, My Account, Order Status, Help and the Cart.
A search window can help find a specific item. I knew I wanted the piglets, so I typed in "Nigella Lawson Piglet". Three choices appeared. The piglets came in three colors (black, blue or cream), and the search window showed a photo of the product with a brief description and price. There is also a star rating based on customer reviews, and a Buy button should you wish to add a product to the cart directly from the search results.
In the Middle
There are several product photographs and special offers in the center of the web page. There are also links to Shop by Department, Shop by Brand, Shop New Items, and Shop Sale Items. Some items from the Best Sellers and Special Values area are also featured. You can also sign up to receive special offers and updates by email.
At the Bottom
The bottom of the web page features more text links. They are: About Us, Contact Us, Pillsbury.com and a link to sign up for a newsletter. You can also view the Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, a Site Map or click Help.
Shopping the Site
I knew I wanted to buy the piglets. The product page offered a nice photograph of them with an optional enlarged view. The product didn't have a large description ("Uniquely designed salt piglet set on a curved saucer allows for two different salts or spices.") However, beneath this description was a much longer paragraph about Nigella Lawson, so I was able to learn a bit more about her.
The piglets cost $19.95, and the web page said they usually shipped within one to two business days. There is also an area to adjust quantity. I left the quantity at one and clicked the "Add to Cart" button.
I couldn't resist cruising the website some more. I was hoping to find a particular cooking spoon my mother wanted. Unfortunately the spoon is proving a hard find (she wants one that is round and not oval). The search results for "cooking spoon" yielded four pages of results, with everything from utensil sets and utensil caddies to a Cuispro Food Mill and children's bakeware sets. Typing the word "spoon" into the search box brought even more results, which included flatware, a gourmet lasagna pan, a rice cooker, a Chambord coffee press and measuring spoons. That's quite a strange variety for a spoon search.
Then I thought to search for some Dough Boy items that would make nice gifts. I wasn't looking to spend a lot of money, though. The "Collectible" link returned ten results. All of them featured the Pillsbury Dough Boy: some of the items included a paper towel holder ($29.99), a utensil holder ($49.99), bookends ($39.99), cookie jar ($34.99), and a set of six magnets ($17.99).
Checking Out
Like most online checkout experiences, this one is similar. The shopping cart allows you to remove items or change quantity. An estimated shipping cost is also provided. (I like this since I hate having to search out what shipping fees will be.) There is also an area where a gift card or coupon code can be redeemed.
Another nice feature is that you don't have to register to shop here. You can checkout as a "guest". Ordering is secure. Just provide your billing, shipping and contact information. The site offers a gift wrapping option.
Payment accepted is: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit cards.
A bit disappointing is that there is no break in shipping costs if you buy a certain amount of merchandise. No free shipping offers. Shipping methods include:
SuperSaver (3-7 business days) – delivered via DHL/USPS
Standard (3-6 business days) – delivered via UPS
Express (2-3 business days) – delivered via DHL/USPS
Next Day (next business day) – delivered via UPS
Notification & Package Arrival
After placing the order, I received an email from PillsburyStore.com. The email said my order had been submitted and supplied the order number. The order was also summarized and included customer service contact information (an email address and phone numbers). The message said my order would arrive via USPS (United States Postal Service). It also said that I would receive a shipping confirmation when the package was sent.
I never received notification that the package was shipped. However, I did receive the package within a week. The item was well packaged and arrived in good condition. They also included the free $10 coupon book good on a variety of Pillsbury items.
Summary
I would definitely shop at PillsburyStore.com again. They had what I wanted at a good price, plus the free coupons. Shipping was reasonable, and the package arrived in a timely fashion. I was a good experience!
I hope you found this review useful.
Enjoy the day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Please read my other reviews:
Cooking.com Online Store
The Republic of Tea Online Store
Harry and David Online and at the Mall
Best Buy Online Store
Buy.com Online Store
Staples Online Store
BJ's Wholesale Club
Linen 'n Things Online Store
Coach.com Online Store
Copyright 2007 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Location: Massachusetts -- USA
Reviews written: 1516
Trusted by: 352 members
About Me: Always looking for quality at bargain prices. Author of: Mist-Seer and Harriet's Horrible Hair Day.
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