Shoplet.com - Where Office-Supply Junkies Can Score A Quick-Fix, Save Cash & Get Free Shipping!
Written: Jul 03 '03
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| Full Review |
After seeing the name Shoplet around the site for more than a few months, I decided to try them out when I needed to order some summer school supplies for the kids. They have several day camps and field trips during the summer that require them to have certain types of notebooks, pencils [not automatic, just lead], art supplies and composition books for creative writing. I wasn’t able to find everything on their list, but I did get about 80% of it at the site. I’d only viewed pages through the Epinions site so getting around was a little tricky until I saw the toolbar at the top of the page that allows you to choose from sections like hardware, office, software and furniture. Once you select one of these areas you use the drop down boxes to refine you search. For me, it was office supplies all the way! Everything you need to navigate the site will be located on the left side of the page with lots of sections to choose from. I was really impressed with the site once I got the feel of it. One of the best things about the site is that even when you click on a section, the rest of it is still available on the left side so you won’t have to use the back button on your browser to return to the main section. If you do get a little lost, you can click the Shoplet icon at the top of the page or use the toolbar to return to the main sections of the site.
The Big Purchase
The first thing I did when I shook off the cold sweat that was forming from seeing all that was available was to check out the shipping fees and see if there were any deals to be had. I must have been in a haze because I missed the “Absolutely Free Shipping On All Orders Over $25.00” banner on the main page. Talk about an incentive to shop at a site! But hitting that magic number was a little harder than I imagined it would be. Why? Well, for one thing, the prices are simply awesome. The notebooks were about .25 cents cheaper than at Office Depot and the pens, don’t even get me started on the pens. The Cross Ion pens that usually run between $20.00 and $25.00 are listed at $18.92. You are only saving a little over a dollar on that but you have to keep in mind that you are getting free shipping. The Avery Marks-A-Lot Fine Mark can be had for $1.29 for one with the best deal being on the Avery Large Chisel Tip for .62 - .66 cents each. Outside of pens and markers, the prices on file folders, glue sticks and hole punchers were either the same as the local office supply stores or better.
My purchase consisted of assorted pens, notebooks, folders, padded mailers and manila folders among other things. The total for the order was a little over $60.00, which really shocked me since I spent a good hour and a half at the site and was constantly tossing things in my cart. I expected it to be at least $80.00 - $100.00 so when I saw the total – and knew it was free shipping – I had to crack a smile. Even though this was my first order from the site, I know it won’t be my last.
Selection
Some of the big names you’ll find at the site are Avery, Fellows, Pendaflex, Oxford, Day Timer, 3M, Prang, Crayola, Wilson Jones, Sharpie, Franklin, Manco, Eldon, Bienfang, Hunt, Dixon and about a thousand more. If you want to save money, look for the sale items that are listed to the right on the main sections or at the bottom of the page when browsing – you’ll be given lists of similar items that might be just as good as the ‘brand name’ but at less of a price. You’ll be able to find everything from educational software to desks and chairs, computer monitors to padded mailers … first aid kits, cleaning supplies, rubber bands, fire extinguishers, CD wallets, file cabinets and even virus busting software. When they say they carry over 200,000 items – they really mean it. To get the magnitude of the site you really have to sit down and dig into it. If you are an office supply junkie, this is your safe haven and I am sure your credit card company will send you a nice thank you note because you will soon be addicted to shopping and spending at the site.
The Penny Store
Don’t think you can get anything with a penny these days? Then you obviously haven’t been checking out the Penny Store at the site! There are some great deals to be had there – pencils, correction pens, erasers, pens and more – all for a single penny. Of course there is a catch – you are limited to one each of the advertised items. To get the best deal, make sure you sign up for “The Penny Store Newsletter” available at the page. You’ll get updates and notifications when they rotate the items so you’ll always be able to get the most for your money.
Customer Service
Shoplet.com
55 John Street
New York, NY 10038
[800] 757-3015 – toll free
[212] 619-3389 – fax
contact@shoplet.com
Payment Options
You can pay for your order with you MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover Card. If you are a business or large organization you can use purchase orders to open an account with payment due within 30 days. Checks and money orders are accepted but checks will have to clear before your order is shipped. I used my MasterCard and wasn’t billed until the shipment was ready to go, it was shipped in two parts but billed together. When I got my statement the charge was 100% accurate to what I was quoted upon checkout.
Return Policy
When I read over the policy before I ordered it looked pretty standard and much like other sites. 30 day returns on most items but there are a few exceptions like media and software that can only be returned if it is still sealed or is defective [then you can only exchange it for the same item]. You’ll have to get an RMA [request merchandise authorization] number before you can make a return and even though people complain about this and say it is a lot of unnecessary work, it does help to ensure that you get the proper credit. As usual, items that are returned will be credited or exchanged but unless it was their fault, you won’t get your shipping fees, if any were paid, refunded. Since I only purchased small items I wasn’t worried about the return policy because I knew that if it weren’t used by the boys or myself, someone else would make use of it. Now, if I were purchasing a desk or copier, then I’d read the specifics from top to bottom and weigh my options of an internet vs. retail store purchase.
The Bottom Line
My first shopping experience at the site was great. I got emails when I placed my order as well as letting me know that I’d be receiving two shipments but it would all be billed as one transaction. My packages arrived a day earlier than I expected them and when you consider it was free shipping – that makes it and even better deal. Regardless of the size of your office or number of people that you have to purchase for, Shoplet will be able to handle your order, get it billed properly and shipped quickly. So far I am pretty happy with the way I was treated as a customer, the selection, prices and site navigation. The search engine / submission box could use a little help streamlining the results, but other than that, using the Shoplet has been an overall great experience.
As always, thanks for the read!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
Need more school or office supplies?
Crayola.com
Kmart Online Store
Amazon.com
Walmart.com
Recommended:
Yes
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