Use half.com with caution & doubt
Aug 15 '00
3 out of 5 stars
Don't expect much from half.com and you won't be disappointed. If the prices look too good to be true, you may never see delivery. Amazon.com this ain't. Remember, it is an online bargain store. Approach it with the same jaded caution that you would a flea market, garage sale or deep discounter. It's fun to browse at half.com but I wouldn't try to use it for serious shopping.
Promises Not Kept
I've tried to use half.com a couple of times now to order books and it has not gone well. I have really three comments..
1. Limited Selection There really isn't that much here. I know, what do I expect for at least 50% off original retail on each item? Sure, it's hard for sellers to make money selling at such steep discounts but half.com needs to give me compelling reasons to come back again in the future. Not finding anything that I'm looking for doesn't encourage me to keep trying. Frankly, I've seen the same books at half.com sitting on racks outside my local Borders and B&N (bricks & mortar) bookstores, sometimes for less money too.
2. Unfilled Orders If I remember all of them, I've tried to purchase four books from half.com and I've received only one of them. half.com accepted my orders and forwarded them to the sellers but I never received 3/4 of what I asked for. This is one important point that buyers at half.com must keep in mind. A successful bid or order doesn't guarantee that you'll receive the merchandise. I would seriously caution against trying to use half.com for say, holiday shopping if you need on-time delivery. That is, unless you're one of those obsessive people that starts end-of-the-year holiday shopping in August.
After my last mishap with half.com, I contacted them after two months had gone by and they said they would check into it. One week later they told me:
Unfortunately, the seller has not responded to repeated emails from us.
The good news however, is that half.com took it upon themselves to refund my money,
We will refund the purchase cost of the missing item from your order to
your credit card. We apologize if this causes any inconvenience. Thank
you for your patience during this time.
However the next sentence is not one that fills me with confidence.
If you still wish to buy this item, feel free to purchase the same item
again from another seller if available on Half.com!
I am not going to wait weeks for something I want only to have to try and buy it again, and again, ... If I ever need a refresher course in hopelessness, I'll go play the state lottery.
half.com in this case is only an order taker and delivery is up to someone else. Since the prices are already incredibly low, I don't know that I blame the sellers all that much for a lack of enthusiasm at filling some orders but buyers need to be aware that while they can probably expect to receive a refund for any unfilled order, who wants to waste time with a process that in my experience, seldom worked? Just something to keep in mind.
3. Lack of Information So many books and so little to say about them. It is real awkward to find an interesting title at half.com which has no other information about the book. I've checked several times for astronomy and natural sciences books and unfortunately, half.com has little or nothing to say about many of them. What is especially missing is any information about the edition. Since some of the titles in this fast-changing field are listed as being published in 1995 or 1997, etc., I really need to know what edition is being offered for sale.
What I've tried doing in this case is clicking over to Amazon and try to find more information. However, to do that effectively, I need to know what edition of the book is being offered for sale at half.com. Otherwise, the comparison may not be valid.
Conclusion
I love bargains! and that's the reason I went to half.com and frankly, although I've had some disappointments, I'll probably return in the future. The prices are compelling even if the order fulfillment, selection and online information may not be for every item.
half.com should be approached like any offline retail bargain store. Be prepared for some rough spots, expect to do a little work on your own and don't let yourself be dazzled by the banners proclaiming; Sale, Sale, Sale. Don't over-buy and keep your expectations reasonable.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
davegingerich
|
|
Member: Dave Gingerich, ...duhhh...
Location: Colorado
Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 10 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.