Use them ONLY if they have the best price including shipping.
Written: Jan 18 '03 (Updated Jan 19 '03)
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| Full Review |
Interesting items but watch those shipping fees!
I purchased my kids a PlayStation 2 because I wanted to upgrade from VHS tapes to DVDs, and they wanted to replace their Nintendo 64—a PS2 would solve both problems. The problem was, we were one of the lucky ones who got the first PS2s when they became available in the US. Because of this, the kids’ PlayStation was carted from friend to friend and I never got a chance to use it! With all the DVDs I’d purchased in preparation for the PS2 sitting in the closet, I decided I needed a DVD player of my own.
I did some research and decided what I needed was something extremely small, and something that could be moved around the house with ease. I settled on a player and then went about finding it.
I searched all over the web looking for the best deal. I finally found it on HSN.com. I’ll admit it; I find the home shopping channels kind of cheesy. I always assumed that they sold only infomercial type items and wasn’t sure that they’d have the service I’d come to expect from my other online shopping experiences.
I was pleasantly surprised by the professional web site—clearly they’ve spent some time making it appeal to web users while still trying to appeal to their TV audience. Common user interface that was familiar throughout the web—navigation and searching made user friendly while retaining some of the look and feel of their TV show. Common logos and colors married the two together well.
While there are plenty of infomercial items like “a zillion carats” of diamonds and “Anytime Tan” in a can, there are also some good deals. By comparing their prices with other online vendors I confirmed that the player I wanted was available here at the best price.
Ordering I selected the DVD player and added it to my cart. At that time I was asked to register—done easily enough with the usual information (billing info, shipping info, etc). One pleasant feature is that your telephone number is your user ID—one less ID to have to remember!
Once registered, I was given an option to check over the order and make sure all was as I had planned it. Shipping was added and I confirmed the order. Since my item was in-stock at the time shipping was promised to be done in 48 hours. Standard delivery was to take 10 days (I could have updated to Express Delivery for a fee, but since I wasn’t in any hurry I went for the cheapest shipping fee). Express Delivery only promises you’ll get your stuff in 5 days (that’s express?). Within minutes I received a confirmation e-mail.
Payments They take all the usual major credit cards but also offer FlexPay. This option allows you to receive your item right away while your credit card is automatically charged in monthly installments—up to 5. It’s interest free (unless of course you don’t pay it off every month) and is only available on some items. You’re notified which items qualify.
Order Cancellation Had I needed to cancel my order I would have had until midnight on the day I ordered (Eastern Time) to call their toll-free number to stop the process. This is a great feature I wish more stores would add. I can’t tell you how many times I wish I could have cancelled an item from Amazon but it’d already gone into the shipping process. While this does add to the total time it takes you to get items (in this case they ship 48 hours later) it does save you the cost of sending something back should you decide you’ve made an error.
Online Order Tracking Using QUICK TRACK their online order tracking system I was able to follow my purchase as it went through the shipping process. History on order is only kept for 90 days, so if you think you may need it longer than that be sure to print a hard copy or save it to your computer for future use. They do not ship to non-US, APO or FPO addresses.
Wait Listing Had my item not been available, I would have been given the option of being put on a waitlist. If the item becomes available within 45 days, they’ll ship it automatically. If not, they’ll check again in 45 days to see if it comes back into stock. They only bill your credit card when the items actually ships. After the second 45 days, the order is automatically cancelled.
Gift Registry They suggest you, “Think of it as a wish list!” and suggest you to direct your friends and family to it so they’ll know about the items you’d like to receive. Once you’re signed in, you’ll see a gift registry button near the pictures in the listings—click on one and it’ll be added to your registry. While I use Amazon.com Wish List, I use it mostly to keep track of what I’m interested in purchasing in the future—things I might purchase as gifts for friends and relatives or myself. I could see using this in a similar way, but I suppose if you were getting married you might find this useful.
Need for Improvement I searched their site and could not find a shipping table. Shipping amounts are added during the checkout process, but the way they figure the rate is a mystery. For a $1,748 computer shipping is $60.95; a $29.99 adapter is $5.95; and a $15 DVD is $4.95. My guess is it’s based on the purchase price, and you pay shipping on each item. In the example above, total shipping for the 3 items is $71.85. There’s also a notation that isn’t presented until you’re nearly done checking out which states, “If your package is being delivered to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please note that upgraded shipping will automatically be charged to your order. You will be able to confirm all additional charges before processing your order.” That would be better mentioned much earlier in the ordering process.
Recommendation I received my DVD player in excellent condition in the 10 days promised. I never had the need to contact customer services so I’m unable to comment.
Would I shop there again? Only if I found something at a significantly lower price than any other and I would consider the cost to ship into that price. In the case, the DVD player was $40 less than any other location and shipping was $12. So, I did save money and they did live up to their promises.
I love to shop online! Here are a few of my other reviews:
ONLINE SHOPPING!
MISCELLANEOUS
Domestications - Bedroom accessories, linens, & so much more! http://www.epinions.com/content_87026470532
PERSONALIZED PRINTING
IPads Online Store - http://www.epinions.com/content_85059735172
Vista Print - http://www.epinions.com/content_83332796036
Cafe Press - http://www.epinions.com/content_67901361796
WOMEN'S PLUS SIZE CLOTHING
Roamans Online Store - http://www.epinions.com/content_84455165572
Lane Bryant Catalog - http://www.epinions.com/content_84412108420
Jessica London Online Store - http://www.epinions.com/content_83817762436
Just My Size - http://www.epinions.com/content_83743313540
Recommended:
Yes
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briandalsmom
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Member: Mom
Location: USA
Reviews written: 249
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