Japanese Gifts.com - Konnichiwa & Arigato!
Written: Jul 15 '02 (Updated Aug 29 '02)
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Thanks to Google I came across one of the most impressive and well stocked sites dealing with Japanese goods. The perfect place to shop for hard to find items; you’ll receive your order promptly, well packed and in mint condition. I’ve visited a number of sites that sell Japanese items and found that JapaneseGifts.com has the best selection, prices and quality.
One of the things that makes this site stand out from the rest is the simplicity. They don’t rely on gimmicks and extensive use of visuals to sell their products. Another is the amount of information available on the site – not just about the products but the Japanese history of food, culture and tradition. Thanks to the sushi section I got up the nerve to try different recipes – while they didn’t look as good as those featured on the site they tasted much better than I expected.
Site Navigation
Getting around the site is a little easier than it looks. The main page is a little cluttered but don’t let that little cyber speed bump steer you away from the site. This site is simply amazing. Once you click the “Enter Our Catalog” link you are taken to the section that gives you tons of links to travel through the site. At first I thought that the site just carried the basic stuff – sushi kits, assorted foods and snacks and some traditional clothing. The more I poked around, the more I found. The easiest thing to do the first time you visit is to click the “catalog overview” link. This helps to break up the different sections into a manageable space and keeps you from feeling overwhelmed. Some of the links on the main page are in yellow [mustard actually] and they are a little hard to read [at least for me they are] but once you get into the site a majority of the links are easy to read.
Almost every item they sell is features with a photo and text description. The more elaborate items are also displayed with dimensions and if it requires special delivery. More than just a shopping site, JapaneseGifts.com also gives you background information on the historical applications of the products, delicious recipes and beautiful electronic cards to send. To say that this is a well-rounded site is an understatement! I’ve finally found a Miso soup recipe that tastes as good as the Japanese restaurant we frequent – it’s still not the exact taste but it’s pretty darn close! I have to say that the Japanese Culture Section is well worth a look, even if you aren’t interested in making a purchase from the site.
My Purchases
Every week my oldest son and I spend a few hours together – sort of like our own ‘quality time’. Almost every one of these special outings revolves around going to a Japanese restaurant for a late lunch. He fell in love with the bento boxes that most of our meals were served in so I decided to surprise him with his own bento box. Finding one proved to be the big problem. I searched on the internet and came across a few sites that sold them but none of them looked too impressive until I stumbled across JapaneseGifts.com. It was there that I found one of the nicest looking bento boxes and at an affordable price of only $24.95. For those that are bored off their rocker or just curious to see what a bento box looks like – you can take a peek here
http://www.japanesegifts.com/images/bentomd.jpg
This item is a hot commodity and is often times sold out. There were a few different sized boxes listed but those are few and far between. So far this has stood up to a lot of use with only the slightest amount or wear. Eventually they’ll look just like the bento boxes at the Japanese restaurant – worn sections, faded color and not looking all that appealing – but still fully functional.
In addition to the bento box I have purchased assorted snack foods, a tea set, lacquered chopsticks and a Zen garden. Everything I ordered arrived perfectly packed, undamaged and sooner than I expected. The tea set came wrapped in several layers of compressed foam and each piece was individually wrapped to prevent breakage.
Methods of Payment
The site accepts, over a secure server, American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. You can also print out your order and mail it to them with a check. This will delay processing of your order by up to two weeks while they wait for your payment to clear. I’ve used my Visa card for purchases from JapaneseGifts.com and have never been over billed, double billed or over charged. I called ahead the first time I placed an order and double-checked the shipping fees as well as to make sure they had the items I wanted in stock. Since I was on the phone I opted to give them the information rather than submitting it over the internet. I have placed several orders over the internet and they went as smooth as silk.
Shipping Fees
Shipping fees are pretty average for this site. Most of my orders were over $50.00 but less than $100.00 so I only ended up paying $9.95. To me that doesn’t seem too harsh or outrageous. Some larger items will require freight shipments and you can request the exact shipping amount by calling customer service or referring to the freight shipment page.
Up to $35.00 - $7.95
$35.00 - $50.00 – $8.95
$50.00 - $100.00 - $9.95
$100.00 - $150.00 - $10.95
Over $250.00 - $14.95
You can also opt for expedited shipping for an additional fee, paid by you of course. Call customer service to get the exact amount of Next Day or Second Day delivery fees to be added to your order total.
Return Policy
You can return any item within 30 days of the purchase. I’ve never had to return anything so I am not sure if they mean 30 days from the order date or 30 days from the date you receive your order. There are instructions on the back of your invoice that give you the step by step procedure on how to properly return your item to receive a full refund [minus shipping and handle, that isn’t refundable]. You don’t need to request a RMA [return merchandise authorization] number nor do you have to contact them before making a return. If you wish to exchange something, please call first to make sure they have the substitute item in stock.
Contact Information
Customer service is available from 9 am through 2 pm CST by calling [952] 758-1923. If you have a question about an item or can’t seem to find what you are looking for I highly suggest that you give them a call. They’ll be more than happy to help you in any way they can.
To place orders please call at [877] 226-4387 [this is a toll free number] between the hours of 9am to 5 pm CST.
JapaneseGifts.Com
C/O Japanese Style Inc.
16159 320th Street
New Prague, MN 56071
customerservice@japanesegifts.com
The Bottom Line
What can I say? My orders arrived on time or a few days before I expected them. The quality of the products is top notch and so far, everything I’ve bought has held up nicely. So, if you are looking for a unique gift, hard to find item or just something a little out of the ordinary I highly recommend JapaneseGifts.com as a great place to start your internet shopping adventure.
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
Recommended:
Yes
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