One of my favorite scrapbook stores
Written: Mar 25 '03
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Since I started scrapbooking about a year ago, I've tried a few stores, and I've learned a few things about the online scrapbooking world:
1. The most popular supplies fly off the shelves like hotcakes and the manufacturers are not always able to restock the merchants fast enough
2. No scrapbook store (that I've found, at least) has EVERYTHING that you could possibly want, especially now when just about anything goes on a scrapbook page
3. Some stores will allow you to order things that they don't even have in stock, and you won't even find out about it until you receive your order
While Dmarie still has to live by the ability of the manufacturer to replenish their stock, and they don't have EVERYTHING, they do not allow you to order things that they don't have. That is often a huge factor on my decision to shop at an online scrapbook store, and one of the reasons why this is one of my favorite places to shop.
The ordering-something-that-isn't-in-stock problem can be a major bummer when it comes to scrapbooking... mostly because there are so many little items. I can get online to order an album, for instance, and then order a few small 35 to 50 cent items while I'm at it. While my main reason for shopping there was to get the album, I'm still picking up a few odds and ends while I'm at it. If the album is not in stock, you end up paying full shipping on an order of a couple of dollars... it happened to me once at a different online store, and I do not shop there any more.
Dmarie has a wonderful way of dealing with the not-in-stock issue... they will tell you when the product is not in stock (what a novel concept... it seems to be foreign at many scrapbook stores though). I like to see that they don't have the Bazzil paper I wanted to buy, but they will get it at some point in the future. You can even send them your email address and they will notify you when they get it in stock.
The way the store is set up is very convenient. They have different aisles that you can choose from, and within that aisle you can choose between brands. It can get a little confusing if you choose the brand before you choose the aisle, but for the most part it works out well. If you are searching for paper, you just choose the paper aisle. You can then choose among different brands. The products will show up in a column along the left hand side. If you click on the product, you will see a bigger picture of it on the main screen, and you can order it from there.
The left hand frame of the screen will show you a thumbnail of the product, the name of the product, the price and if it is in stock or not. Since this is a scrapbook store, some of the most popular items sell out fast, but it can help you plan to know that Dmarie carries this product.
Another nice feature about shopping at Dmarie is that you can easily see the clearance and sale items. When you enter an aisle, the clearance and sale items automatically show up in the large window. This is useful if you're looking for a bargain or have always meant to get a particular punch... when you see it on clearance, you know that you probably want to get it because they won't be carrying it for much longer.
One of the downsides of shopping at Dmarie is that it does not have everything, as I stated above. This is not surprising, as I haven't found a scrapbook store that does. They do have almost everything, and you can make some pretty nice scrapbooks with just the stuff they sell in the store. One of the reasons that DMarie doesn't have everything is that they want everything that they sell to be safe to use in your scrapbooks (that is, acid and lignin free). Some of the other stores will sell unsafe products, so at least you have that guarantee. The only thing that I found that they are completely lacking in is adhesives. Everything else they seemed to have a good variety in.
Dmarie is reasonably priced in comparison to other online scrapbook stores. I am not able to make a comparison with them to the brick and mortar stores as I live in Naples, Italy, and they do not have scrapbook stores out here. Their shipping prices are not outrageous either, starting at $3.95 for a small order under $20, and adding $1 for every $20 of product until the order reaches $100 (then it is 8%).
Dmarie ships to military addresses, which is a big plus for me. They accept credit cards and do not have a problem with my address when I pay with a credit card (another problem I have run into while trying to order from other scrapbook stores). You can also pay by check, however, I have not ever tried that feature.
I have never had a problem with my order, and therefore have never had to test out their customer service feature. They do have a "Contact Us" link on the front page, so at least it is not hidden.
Dmarie has another nice feature, in that it will reward people who are frequent customers. If you order as little as $125 of product from them, you can earn enough "Dmarie points" to get a $2 gift certificate. If you hold on to your points, the amount of points it takes to earn a larger gift certificate decreases. It's not a lot, but it is nice to get a little back from stuff you would buy anyway.
I didn't find the Dmarie shopping cart to be all that it was cracked up to be. There is a feature to save your shopping cart, but it has never worked for me. I have lost my shopping cart in the middle of ordering, and had to start all over again. This is a minor inconvenience to me, but if Dmarie had a shopping cart like the bucket feature at 2 Peas In A Bucket (your bucket retains products indefinitely or until you remove items or buy them) I think I would shop there more, as I love to browse for scrapbook supplies, even if I won't be buying for another week.
After I order, the products are always shipped off quickly and I have been happy with the time it takes to arrive. The longest I have ever had take with Dmarie to receive an order was 10 days, and that was not their fault (the military post office, God bless them, decided to send it to the wrong zip code even though Dmarie clearly had the correct zip code written on the package). Otherwise, the orders usually arrive as quickly as I could expect using the military postal service.
I highly recommend this store to anyone shopping for scrapbook supplies. Although they don't have everything under the sun, they have most things, have great shipping times, and are easy to browse. I will definitely be shopping there many times in the future.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Reviews written: 214
Trusted by: 40 members
About Me: Homeschooling mom of two cute kids.
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