redEnvelope, Please
Written: Dec 16 '02
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I belong to My Points which sends me mail to read. Once in awhile I do exactly what they want me to do and buy from the store I clicked on. When I clicked to redEnvelope right after Thanksgiving feeling sad that my kids had left, I bought myself a present.
What is this site and how does it work:
I had never heard of it before. It was founded in 1997 under the name 911gifts.com but it was renamed in 1999. They claim to “offer an extensive collection of imaginative, original gifts for every occasion… In Asian traditions, gifts are often presented in a simple red envelope—a timeless symbol of good fortune, love and appreciation.” My birthday is in January and I found myself empty nested on December 1 so the timing was perfect for me to browse this store. Their claim is very accurate. Not only are their products extensive, but they are absolutely gorgeous and varied.
It is so easy to shop here. There are easy to use tabs so I could choose occasion (birthday, wedding, new baby and more); lifestyle (the executive, the gardener, the traveler, and more); recipient (for him, her, teen and more); or shops (gift baskets, bath and body, sale shop and more). I went to this site several times that day because I really didn’t know what I wanted. I just knew I wanted something and there was so much from which to choose.
Everything is laid out very nicely. It isn’t chaotic. I had no problem finding my way around. Some of their items that can more easily be found elsewhere are higher at redEnvelope. For example I almost bought a car seat massage mat for myself. It was over $60. I recently did buy one at Target by Homedics for $35.00.
You can click any picture and you will be brought to another screen that will have it enlarged with an excellent description of the item. I didn’t want the recording frame and clock but it is a wonderful gift and only $20.00. I kept going back to birthdays for her, which has 60 items, 12 to a page, each item pictured beautifully. Truly everything looked really nice, most were priced well and I wanted it all! Garnet is January's birthstone and I have garnet earring drops so I chose a triple garnet heart necklace for $50.00. I was told that a bracelet and earrings to match were available and that my necklace was exclusive to redEnvelope. I wanted to make sure I would get it before we left for vacation on December 20. There is a separate shipping link on the home page so there is no mystery in finding out how much shipping will cost or when I would have expected the necklace.
Shipping and returns:
Shipping charges for products $25.01-$65.00 cost $7.95. Rush delivery is available also. $7.95 is standard delivery and I was told that I would receive my item in 5-9 business days, which was great for my timing.
redEnvelope will exchange or refund your money if you are not happy with the purchase. How to repack the item and what to do is easy and clearly spelled out on the website.
I never used customer service but we are told that we can chat live with a Customer Service representative or call toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The live chat has a link.
Buying and my order:
Since this was a gift for me I did not choose to pay $4.95 for their “signature red gift box” with a personalized message on a gift card. Rather than just being a box we are told that it comes tied with an ivory ribbon and ivory tissue paper inside. It costs $4.95 for this service.
American Express, Visa, Discover and Master Card are accepted.
Status tracking of your order is available on this site.
Some items can have a 3-initial monogram on them for no additional charge. For example there is a beautiful pearl identification bracelet for babies ($40) and one that matches for mom ($60).
I received my necklace on December 10, which was 7 business days so I was very pleased with that. I was also very pleased with my necklace. The garnets are beautiful. There are variations of garnet colors, with Rhodalite garnets being the most expensive. I could tell from the site's picture when I bought it that the necklace was not Rhodalite but neither are my earrings. The colors are my earrings and new necklace are identical.
Final thoughts:
redEnvelope has beautiful and some very unusual items. I just ordered Egyptian perfume bottles for $40 for my friend who celebrates Christmas. (I was just going to send a card, but I couldn’t resist. They are gorgeous!) It is the perfect gift for her.
This is a wonderful site for gifts for anyone and everyone. They also have gifts such as “by the month program.” I have wanted to do this for my mom for her birthday for years and never have. I will this year. It is expensive but no more so than other sites on which I have seen it. (They do not sell beer or wine.)
Great site, great store, on time delivery, beautiful necklace!
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Jo
Location: On the road...
Reviews written: 1811
Trusted by: 1188 members
About Me: http://pinterest.com/jol2012/
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