- STORE REVIEWS
- PRODUCT REVIEWS
2015-08-03
5/5
"Customer service promptly fixed a problem which was not even caused by SDM directly. Apparently it was the manufacturer who "drop shipped" a refurbished item which turned out to be broken. SDM issued a credit without making excuses. I was dealing with SDM, but that would not stop some other companies from trying to pass the responsibility. Fine."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall customer service
2014-09-19
5/5
"Dba: Northern Safety & Industrial
Pros:
-- All products fine.
-- Packing list enclosed
-- Packed well enough, e.g. as contrasted to average Amazon packaging.
Cons, none of which affect the merchandise:
-- Packing list is not an invoice with prices.
-- Shipping charge Seems high, perhaps a profit center, but you know that up front.
-- Shipment contained unwanted catalogs and a candy "thank you", which of course you are paying for.
-- Web order-entry/ UI is somewhat amateurish, requiring re-entry of some info.
Might order from them again. Cheers."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
2013-01-22
5/5
"Best packing of shipments, of 100 online retail stores I've used. All else fine, as advertised. Best price I found, on some food items.
One shipment in 2013, two in 2014. Each bag of potato chips in its own internal box, inside the outer shipping box. I am surprised to hear that Soap has some affiliation with Amazon now, given that Amazon packing is often so poor. I am very circumspect about ordering anything fragile from Amazon.
Soap included an invoice with the prompt shipment, which I appreciate, as several other companies do not always do that. I did not need to contact the Soap customer service people though."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
2013-01-02
4/5
"Ok, via Amazon. Sent me eight instead of the 16 batteries ordered. Apologized and shipped the other eight. Vendors make mistakes, and it is their measure how they correct them.
Main bad flavor was their e-mail about the second shipment -- how it was a one-time accomodation. So if they make another mistake, they won't correct it? I understand not wanting to invite false claims. However they should decide whether or not to fix their errors, and then not grouse about it."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
Overall customer service
2012-05-27
1/5
"Caution. I liked this store before. But at least as of 5/12, they appear to be inactive. Phones not being answered, but web site still present. Not accepting credit-card charges."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
2012-05-12
5/5
"Excellent. I have no affiliation with DirectSong (nor Skyrim's BugFesta). I acknowledge the other reviews re the Skyrim CDs, but I believe this is the correct rating now. Reasons below, if of interest.
1. I e-mailed DS before ordering, to check their Skyrim shipping backlog. They replied promptly, and said maybe six weeks, but would be trying for two before shipping. My U.S. address RECEIVED the order by U.S. mail (USPS), seven days after placing. Perfect condition, no "scratches" or other problem.
2. I think DS are good people who got overwhelmed before. Skyrim sold 10 million copies just in November, 2011. If 1% ordered the CDs, and 1% of those 1% a day sent emails asking about status, how would YOU do answering 1,000 emails a day? Plus how many more in December, etc?
3. One reviewer has gotten his wish, that now others are selling the Skyrim CDs. Go on, check the price at Amazon.
4. Regarding long delivery times to non-U.S. addresses... I order stuff from the UK, and my fasted international time, via simple RM-to-USPS, has been two weeks in transit. Several packages have been close to destroyed, presumably in U.S. customs. For a shipping story and tip, check my Lansdale review.
5. Some other .MP3 downloads from DS also were perfect, 320kbps, 44.1kHz suitable for writing to a CD if you like, or typical uses.
(Tip: Writing an audio file to make a normal audio CD, you want 44.1, not 48kHz. Analog sampling at 44.1 is fine for almost everyone. And digital conversion to 44.1 can produce artifacts. Especially when done by most "free" audio programs, listeners notice, including me. However sometimes you end up with 48kHz, say from an s/pdif recording. Then the free audio editor Audacity does a decent job downconverting.)
My only DirectSong complaint is that DS enclosed no invoice with the USPS shipment. However this happens with many sellers now.
Cheers. M."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
Overall customer service
2012-05-05
5/5
"Fine for me. I ordered from them, via their Amazon presence.
They included no receipt, nor even a packing list. However this seller is hardly alone in that."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
2012-05-04
5/5
"Fine, as ordered.
But just a note about their work gloves... I ordered a selection of cheap pairs in XL, hoping a few styles would be bigger than the male Large sizes available locally. As with any clothes via the internet though, this is a crapshoot. Two pair were marginally bigger. Three XL were smaller than Large. Four of these styles had an uncomfortable thumb design. Not worth returning, but consider XXL instead, or at least not the cheapest pairs. And I hardly have large hands anyway.
I'd prefer that they include a receipt with prices for the items, rather than just a shipping/ packing list in the box. However they are not the only shipper doing that now. Cheers."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
2012-03-01
3/5
"Ehhh. The only reason I ordered from Bellacor is that they are an authorized dealer for a very good furniture manufacturer (Uttermost). But their prices were the same as everywhere else. And otherwise I tend to believe people's negative reviews rather than the other positive ones.
1. As is somewhat typical, my UPS shipment arrived with box badly damaged but inside ok. Bellacor provides no guidance, and still has not answered my email inquiry, regarding any future shipments: whether they prefer me to refuse such a delivery.
2. I don't know how other people's UPS service is, but UPS doesn't ring MY house doorbell. So I want to know when to expect delivery, to check for damage and to avoid a package from being stolen after being left at my door. Bellacor emailed me a tracking number, but not until after the delivery took place. See the other similar review.
3. I suggested that they offer a shipping option which requires the customer's signature. No reply to that email either.
Ho humm."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
Overall customer service
2011-12-06
5/5
"ShopCell fulfilled and shipped my order placed on Amazon. It was fine, and even received faster than expected. Thus I did not need to contact their customer service.
Perhaps the backup of at least a small amount of oversight by Amazon makes a difference, although one should consider the other reviews too."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
2011-04-19
5/5
"Good prices, as advertised. Service fine."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
2011-04-07
4/5
"Also dba as Lansdale Engineering Ltd. These ratings and first notes are with respect to Lansdale as a UK store which ships to the U.S.A. At the end below are some general comments about buying from ANY foreign store, and shipping to the US. All in all, a satisfactory experience with foreign shipping in general, and Lansdale in particular.
Lansdale is one of several good UK retailers, willing to ship to the US, selling interesting outdoor gear not sold 4/11 by any US-based physical or web company. In particular "Buffalo Systems" outdoor apparel. (Also take a look at some similar "SnugPak" concepts, and any Special Offers.)
Although few such stores discount much, Lansdale prices are among the lower ones. Also the cost of foreign shipping can be high, so try to get a fix on those before ordering from a store. Lansdale told me that their "postage charge is calculated at the actual cost to us." And indeed 12 British Pounds, to ship my order under one Kg, seemed reasonable in comparison to some other quotes. I had requested the cheapest shipping method, but also see below about those considerations.
Lansdale's web prices include VAT, which they automatically deduct from orders shipped to the US. To find the ex-VAT price 4/11, divide their web price by 1.2
Lansdale's return policy seems quite acceptable. Their web site mentions a possible 5% restocking fee, but they told me it is "very rare" that they would impose it on a legitimate acceptable return. And they extend their normal time window for returns to allow for longer foreign shipping times. Naturally the customer pays for foreign shipping, both ways for any return.
I did not need customer-service assistance in product selection or sizing, but I expect that they would try to help with that if asked. Their c.s. seems sincere, but is the area which Lansdale might organize better. They were among the slowest of foreign stores to respond to inquiries ("enquiries"!). Presumably their UK web/shipping business is quite automated, but they need a better system to track web sales which require human attention for back orders and notices of foreign shipping. One inquiry of mine was delayed, because routed to a person who was on vacation. And I did not receive any notice of shipping to me, until they finally checked my e-mail to them. I would just suggest following up with them when needed, and in paricular addressing e-mail to their general sales box rather than to one of their particular people.
Foreign -- General
------------------
The shipping method to me turned out to be Royal Mail on the UK end, to USPS in the US. Lansdale estimated shipping time as one week, perhaps for arrival only at US Customs. I expected longer to reach me, and indeed my order was over two weeks to the U.S. west coast. That's still good.
My order arrived via USPS with the package neatly cut, entirely opened up, and not resealed. Perhaps due to US Customs, although I've had gentler Customs service previously. Or non-Customs spot drug checks also seem to be underway at the moment. Or someone deciding whether to pilfer, as the package does have to display its value on the outside. Fortunately all my items were still there, not cut, and clean due to internal individual wrapping. Perhaps because it was mere clothes with little apparent pilfering value, and in transparent bags.
So I think I will request future shippers to use transparent internal bags too. And ask a seller about possible more expensive shipping methods with insurance, or at least a tracking number.
The RM package labels indicated "Registered Delivery", "sig req", and "signed for". But no one asked ME for a signature, and perhaps that just doesn't work internationally.
I don't know whether a tracking-number service is available or possible for the RM/USPS shipping combination. At least up to entry into the US, if not for progress within the US. In any case, I did not receive any such tracking number for that shipping method.
[Notes end. Cheers.]"
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
Overall customer service
2011-04-07
1/5
"The product I received was defective, and had been opened and repacked incompletely. Clearly it was one of: a factory second, an unacceptable item returned by a previous customer, or a "floor model" from the company's physical store. Delicate things such as snow goggle lenses do not survive long as floor models. I hope that other people have better luck than I, but this note is about my experience.
The customer service person I spoke with seemed sincere, but could not help. No unopened product was available for exchange. And note their general policy of NO CASH REFUNDS. An occasional manufacturing defect is not a retailer's fault, but any sale of obvious seconds or used products, without notice as if they were new, is a very red flag. Their web site makes no mention of THAT!
Also my order was shipped inside only a flimsy re-used shoebox, which arrived in rather beat-up condition. However not in a way which would have caused the particular internal product defects nor lack of its original factory packaging."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
Overall customer service
Product Returns/Refunds/Exchanges
2011-04-07
5/5
"Excellent prices and shipping speed. Also seems dba as Construction Safety Products, cspoutdoors.com. Of course CSP sells some specialty professsional products, but also items of general outdoor interest and use.
In particular for my personal use, and hard-to-think-of little gifts for other guys, interesting items are Elvex Go-specs gray (or clear), Rite In the Rain Memo Book, and Kelvar gloves. I'm still trying to think of a personal use for the 3'x3' "Airport vehicle safety flag" at CspOutdoors.com! Cheers."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
5/5
"Fine as advertised. Seems to be the main or sole online U.S. retailer for some foreign brands. Decent prices, although usually not the lowest. Of course you know their prices before you order."
Detailed Ratings
Pricing of products and services
Likelihood of customers making future purchases
Overall product shipping and delivery process
1 - 15 of 77 reviews
Favorite Stores
86 reviews
1 review
28 reviews
1 review
36 reviews
Least Favorite Stores
