National Geographic Online Store - More Than Just Pygmies And Primates
Written: Jan 22 '03
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Having kids that love anything related to space, Egyptian studies, math and science makes it a little hard to shop at normal toy stores for gifts. Sure, Lego products will always be welcomed by them, but when they start to ask for planetariums, solar system kits and educational videotapes - the market is a little thin. I came across the National Geographic online store when I was looking for an Egyptian board game that they found listed at EBay. They were looking for an Egyptian model kit and the search they did came up with the National Geographic board game. As luck would have it the site had it listed [I was worried it was an older game] and the rest is history. I only wish I would have found their site sooner because I’ve wasted a lot of money on products that broke, didn’t work as advertised or were just cheap clones of what National Geographic sells at the site.
Most people hear the words “National Geographic” and think of the magazines that introduced us to other cultures, different people and past civilizations. The online store manages to take the basics of what the magazine is all about and offer the consumer products that educate, entertain and inform – without raking you over the coals. Sure, some of the prices might seem a bit high when you see them at the site but you are getting top quality products that are guaranteed to please you or your money back. For me this site has been a godsend since my boys are all eggheads [translation: nerds and geeks]. Recently I’ve seen some of the National Geographic products at Target stores however the online store carries hundreds of products verses the five or six that can be at Target.
Navigation
Getting around the site is easy but don’t expect to be zipping from page to page. Unless it’s my connection to the internet, the pages are slow to load when viewing products but checking out and paying for your purchase moves at a good pace. The index is located on the left side of the page and expands when you roll the move over it to see a more detailed listing of the section. Getting around to the various pages is easy but as I said, it moves at a snails pace. If you get lost cruising around the site just click on the National Geographic icon to go back to the main page of the store. You can also enter product number in the Catalog Express Order search box if you are using one of the home mailers or catalogs. This eliminates having to search on the site or enter phrases or keywords in the main search box.
Products
There are a tremendous amount of products available at the website and I look forward to making a lot more purchases at the site. Anything from videotapes to clothing, gifts to posters and a plethora of kid related items. One of the products that the boys fell in love with was the National Geographic Planet Frog educational ecosystem. We already had a few of the “Grow A Frog” kids and when they saw this at the site they went nuts. We’ve also purchased several of the VHS videotapes that show the Egyptian civilization and the different kings and queens that rules the land. Sure we got to see most of the footage on the videotapes on television but having the entire program on tape means you don’t have to check the listings to see when it is airing again. For $19.99 a piece I have to say that they were well worth it and the boys watch them on a regular basis.
Another product that has seen a lot of use is the Egyptians Board Game that is kind of like Monopoly but uses a lot of other elements in the gameplay. I wasn’t sure that they would like the game and the site only listed the basics of the game but after they ripped open the packaging and start to play around with it – it was a huge hit. I hate to say it but I doubt any other site would sell such a game and I’m glad that I came across it at the site. If you are looking for highly detailed and extremely beautiful posters or print of the solar system, planets or universe I highly suggest that you check out the Maps & Globes / Space section. While these are a little on the pricey side they are simply spectacular and I can honestly say – you get what you pay for in regards to the posters.
The site carries jewelry, posters, clothing [including an extensive line of outdoor products], educational kits, birdfeeders, music, DVD and VHS versions of broadcasted programs, telescopes, maps and globes, collectibles, books and a lot more. I’ve purchased about ten items from the site and I’m continually impressed with the quality of the products, cost and fast shipping. If you are looking for a unique gift from someone and can’t find something that they’ll like you can order a magazine subscription from the site as well.
Return Policy
If you are unsatisfied with your purchase you can return it for a full refund, minus the shipping fees, with no questions asked. I’ve dealt with a lot of internet companies that claim they will refund you money “no questions asked” but National Geographic stands behind that statement. I’ve only returned one item but received a very prompt credit on my MasterCard [within one billing cycle] and never had to call or email them to ask when the credit would appear. If you receive an item that you didn’t order or were shipped an incorrect item, they will pay for the return shipping on the item and either send you the correct item or refund the entire purchase price plus the shipping fee.
Please make sure that you use the correct address for sending back returns for credit or exchange. There are several addresses listed at the website however this is the one for merchandise returns. Follow the instructions that are included with your packing slip and bill of sale for a smooth and problem free refund or exchange.
National Geographic Society
Keystone Internet Services
5022 Hollins Road
Roanoke, VA 24050
United States
Customer Service
[800] 437-5521 – phone
[888] 242-0531 – fax
[717] 633-3319 – phone [for calls outside the USA]
ngs@keystoneinternet.com
Standard Mail Address:
National Geographic Society
P.O. Box 957
Hanover, PA 17331
I have nothing but great things to say about the customer service I received when I called looking for products that I couldn’t find listed at the site. The representatives that I spoke with were all very knowledgeable about the products and offered my suggestions on products that they no longer sold at the site or stock for the online store.
Payment Options
The National Geographic online store currently accepts MasterCard, visa, Discover Card, Diners Club, American Express and JCB* for purchases made through the site. If you prefer you can pay by money order or personal check [in US funds only] by mailing in your order. If you have any questions about your transaction, have a billing inquiry or need further assistance please contact the customer service department or email them for more help. So far I’ve only used my MasterCard at the site and have never had any trouble with double billings, being charged an amount other than what was displayed at the time of my check out and hidden fees. The credit for my product return was issued within one billing cycle and was accurate to the penny.
Shipping Fees
The shipping fees at the site are pretty much average with what other sites are charging. Costs are calculated according to the total dollar amount of the order and any applicable taxes are added after the shipping fee and method has been established. Since I live in California I get zapped with a 7% tax so be sure to check the site to see if you will also be getting charged your state tax since these policies change from time to time. So far these are the states that are being charged sales tax – California, Colorado, Illinois, Washington, New York and Pennsylvania. Most of my orders have been between $75.00 and $150.00 dollars and I can’t really complain about the fees since these were large items that would have cost a little more if they charged according to weight rather than dollar amount. If you want to save some money you can order over $200.00 worth of merchandise and pay 10% of the total amount with the maximum being $75.00. This is great if you can get several people to place orders at the same time and you can get a nice break on the shipping fees. One order I placed for $127.18 cost me $18.95 for shipping and another for $77.14 cost $15.95. If you want to see the complete list of current shipping fees check out the site for more information.
The Bottom Line
So far I have had nothing but great experiences with the site and the products I ordered and received. Outside of the sluggishness of the pages loading the site is perfect and offers you good bit of information about the products they offer. As I mentioned before, if you need further assistance or want more information before making a purchase please call the friendly customer service department and save yourself the hassle of returning a product that isn’t exactly what you wanted. I anticipate a very long and happy relationship with the National Geographic online store after all it’s the one place that I can shop for stuff for all my boys and find products that no one else sells.
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
* JCB = The JCB credit card is issued by JCB Co. Ltd based in Tokyo, Japan. It’s an international type of credit card that has recently broken into the US market. For more information please visit the website at www.jcbusa.com
Recommended:
Yes
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