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Beverly E.

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Level 2 Contributor

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814

9 Reviews by Beverly

  • Lucky Vitamin

9/8/15

I have been using Lucky Vitamin for about four years now to order nutritional yeast flakes and other hard to find items like vegan kids chewable vitamins and hair and nail formulas that are free from preservatives and colors, etc. They offer fair prices and usually have items in stock and ship rapidly, though their packaging often is sparse so things can roll around or get crushed if not in a hard sealed package.
Their website offers list of ingredients and allergen information so it is great if you have food or skin allergies.
Shop around because some of their prices are more expensive than local stores, but mostly they offer good prices and quality items.
Free shipping requires you to spend nearly $50 to get free shipping, which makes you buy things you don't really need at a price you don't really want to pay.
Some of the natural herbal cures do not work worth a flip, but they do allow you to review them. Don't believe all the reviews. I tried a menopausal formula that people raved about and it did not help me in the least.
Also be aware that some of the herbs they sell taste horrible even when encapsulated and have an after taste burp-up that will floor you!
Their recently redesigned website is really harder to navigate than their old one, but if you are looking for detailed information with customer reviews and a wide choice of natural and whole health foods and supplements, they are on an equal footing with other companies and often have slightly better deals.
Beware the bargains though. 25% off of something priced at $30 and valued closer to $8 is NOT a bargain.
Also be careful of dosage size. You may thinkg 8.95 for 30 pills is not bad, but if you have to take three a day for one dose, then 18.95 for one dose in one pill is actually a better bargain... do your math and compare prices and read reviews.

Tip for consumers:
Check dosage on vitamins and supplements. A bottle may contain 60 tablets, but the dose may be three tablets a day so it only lasts 20 days, not 60.

Service
Value
Shipping
Quality
  • Amazon

8/31/15

As both a seller and a buyer on Amazon, it is not without its problems, but is overall, a good place to shop for just about anything you want for lower costs than what you would normally pay at big box retail stores, plus you generally do not have to pay any tax which is a huge savings as well, but if you order anything under $35 or have a total order of $50 from two different sellers, then you still have to pay shipping unless you have Prime and the shipping is usually much higher than what it actually costs to ship the item.
You may also discover that the seller does not take returns or that you have to pay to ship it back. You may also get damaged items that arrive from China and would cost more to ship back for a return, so there are some disadvantages, especially when shopping for clothes which look great on-line, but fit poorly or are made cheaply.

In short, it is best to use Amazon for things you find locally and like, but are too expensive to purchase. Then go to Amazon and find the same thing for cheaper so you know exactly what you are getting.

Be sure to take advantage of the reviews for items as well which will help you know if something runs small or large or holds up well over time. Don't write a review on an item you have purchased until you have used it for at least a month as you may discover that the deal that you got was really not a deal in the long haul.

The three things I like most about Amazon: they have hard to find items you may not be able to purchase locally, especially if you live in a small town; they allow you to read reviews of the items and store things in a wish-list that you can give to others who might want to buy you something but don't know what to get; they often have better bargains and indepth descriptions so you can take your time and really read about the good and bad before making a purchasing decision without being pressured by a salesperson. I also like that you can order downloadable books and music and rent textbooks.

The three things I dislike most: You cannot combine shipping on similar items and don't really know who is selling what until you go to check out; many of the items they offer can be found cheaper on eBay, sometimes as much as $30 cheaper for an item under $100 and sellers list things between $43 and $98 and it usually turns out that the $43 item is some terrible color or a size only 2% of the population can wear, so it can be misleading and causes you to hunt and search rather than go directly to what you want at the price you are willing to pay. Lastly, shipping can be really slow without Prime and costly as well and free returns are not a guarantee, so there is always a risk factor involved that makes buying new items a bit nerve wracking.

Amazon could improve by having an Amazon Central store where all items came from one location, so you could order your nutritional needs, buy a pair of shoes and order a new part for your washer and dryer and have them all ship free in one box with a guarantee that you could return them for free if they were not what they were advertised to be.

Shop around before purchasing on Amazon because you could lose money on that "deal". They may also not have the latest items in stock. Selling on Amazon is another matter and sellers are not really protected from unscrupulous buyers the way they are on eBay.

Still, overall, Amazon offers a valuable service with fair prices and ships to your door, so is great for those who really do not want to hassle with fighting crowds or deal with pushy salespeople who won't let you browse on your own.

  • LL Bean

8/31/15

If you are in your fifties and miss pants that cinch at the waist, button down shirts and waffle weave button up long sleeve t-shirts, or are looking to be trendy with you or your child's initials standing six inches high on a backpack, then L. L Bean is your store.

Their clothes are mostly good quality, but some items are misleading. Their hiking boots for women with their own logo are made in China and tend to fall apart after six months wear and their name brand boots and shoes cost nearly three times what you would pay from other comparable stores.
A pair of Chios for instance will run you $40 or more. The prices are so high, that when they offer 60% off, you are still paying more for the item than you feel it is worth.

That said, they do offer items that are hard to find elsewhere and they do cater to tall people, which is a plus if your pants always ride up to your calves every time you take a seat!

They also offer free shipping and returns, so if something does not fit right, you can return it at no cost.

They carry a few things that are hard to find elsewhere such as bicycle shorts built into a more modest outer shell that allows you to carry things in your pockets and not have your bare butt shine through skin tight material. They also have bathing suits for men that double as hiking shorts and skirted and one piece suits for women that allow for modestly while still giving you the freedom to move and play outdoors.

Most of the clothing is outdated and many of the camping gadgets they sell are highly overpriced and not the best quality.

If you have a lot of money and like dressing like you still belong in the 70s then L. L. Bean will appeal to you. They do have a few cute things and at the end of season, you can actually find bargains, but you have to act fast on them, because they do not last long.

Just be aware that their cheapest self-logo clothing may look good when you first get it, but has a tendency to not hold up as well over time. The hiking boots I got from them had seams inside the ankles that rubbed raw spots on my ankles even with thick socks. Another friend was hiking the second year in her boots and the tread came unglued and peeled back mid-hike and several polo and pull over tees I purchased are not stretched out of shape and faded even though they have not been worn that often.

They do offer rewards points where you can earn cash back for your purchases and get $10 coupons for every $100 you spend, but considering their nearly 80 percent markup on clothing and camping gear, it really isn't the bargain it pretends to be.

Again, they serve a niche and some of their clothes are nice and hold up well, like the blue jeans and chinos, but they are expensive compared to other companies that make the same quality materials for half the cost.

  • Lowe's

8/31/15

Lowe's has always been my go-to store for hardware and gardening. They stock a good deal of items that other stores do not have which have uses that go beyond their advertised use, for instance the concrete mixing trays which can be used for fish ponds, above ground gardens and miniature play grounds for turtles and small pets while keeping messes neatly in one place.
Their prices are comparable to other hardware and gardening stores and they carry a good variety from different brands so you have a choice as to what you want to use.
They often have year-end sales that will blow your socks off at how cheaply you can purchase plants, bulbs and seeds, many for over 80% off.
They even carry Yellow Wood products which are hard to find.
They have a good return policy if things do not work out as expected.
All the plants I have purchased there survived and thrived and the gardening equipment; shovels, pruners, string trimmers are in their fifth and sixth year or use or longer and still functioning like new.
The salespeople can be a bit annoying asking if you need help every time you turn the corner, but it is nice that they are there if you need them, though good luck if you want them there to cut a chain or make a key! Still, they tend to respond fairly quickly when you press the call button unless you press it repeatedly, then I think they come slower just out or principle.

The personnel are friendly and knowledgeable and usually older, so more dedicated and on-task and they make shopping fun by creating centralized shopping areas where you can browse.

Their indoor garden area has cute garden statues, wind chimes, planters and arrangements so they have a good option of gift giving ideas to brighten up the home and garden as well.

Check-out lines are rarely long and move quickly and you can order on-line and pick up at the store. It is rare to find anything that is not in stock.

  • Zappos

8/28/15

While you can find a better price on shoes and a better selection elsewhere, overall Zappos offers a fairly pain-free shopping experience. Be sure to read the reviews of the shoes/clothing before you buy as they can help you decide whether the item will fit or function for you.
Customer service is good and unlike some auction sites, you can return the shoes easily if they do not fit or have something wrong with them.
Shop around though if you are looking for a bargain as a lot of their shoes that they say are up to 60% off retail are actually a third or more expensive than at other sites.
It is still one of the easiest and most convenient places to shop if not always the cheapest and the free shipping and delivery within a few days guarantees you will have the shoes/items when you need them and not two days after the event!

  • Groupon

8/28/15

There are a few good local deal, but be careful. Some deals actually cost you money. For instance, a local massage therapy package for $40 for a massage therapist that normally charges $80, only if you check another competitor, he charges $50 for the same $80 massage and does half hour massages for $25, which is all most people need, so by doing your homework, you save $15 by not using Groupon.
Another instance is a GoPro camera for $399. You can buy the same camera and set up on eBay for $389 brand new.
Many of the "deals" aren't deals because you find that the $30 flower arrangement certificate going for $18 buys you relatively nothing and the flowers you really want cost $150, so you are spending $120 of your own money on them with the $30 off you bought for $18!
In short, that bargain may cost you dearly and limits you as to where you can purchase or redeem the certificate.
There are a few good deals, but check out the manufacturers direct and check Amazon and eBay first because you might find cheaper deals there that save you money and give you greater options and choices.

  • Kmart

8/28/15

Kmart used to be the Walmart of savings in small towns, but now it is almost the joke store. The last time I went in, they had moved the kitchenwares section, but the sign for kitchenwares was still up, only it was over the automotive department!
They do still carry some decent brands of clothing that do not fall apart, but the deals are not that good and cannot compare with Walmart and Target.
The two biggest issues is that they almost never have enough cashiers so that you wait in long lines and the items hardly ever ring up true to price.
A recent sale of BOGO shoes where you buy one pair and get the second free, rang up both pairs at full price. To get the price undone, they have to send someone to find your shoe, read the sign, send you over to customer service where you wait a half hour and finally tell you that the sale ended yesterday and someone just forgot to take the sign down, so you are out of luck and if you want a refund, you will have to go stand at the end of the line again, etc. - in short, poor customer service and employees who really seem to not like working there.
You are likely to see rusty old cars parked out front and shoppers wearing nightgowns and slides and pajama bottoms who take five minutes or longer just to pull out the cash, check or debit card and struggle to put everything back in their wallets and collect their bags and move on.
If you are one who likes to get in and get out in a hurry, then don't even think of shopping there!

  • Priceline

8/28/15

We used priceline to book a hotel in NC and got the room for two thirds less than the hotel offered. The only problem was that the room was located next to the ice machine and the elevators on the first floor, so every loud drunk that came in after one a.m. woke us up! Still, the room was very nice for the price and you still got the same amenities as everyone else, so it worked out well.
You have to be careful though, because if they match your bid you are locked into paying for the hotel and it may not be the one you really wanted or in the exact location you wanted, so you have to be a bit flexible.
It is a bit nerve wracking, bidding on a hotel near the area you want to stay and not knowing exactly what you will get, but you can save a lot of money on a hotel room.
Always bid lower than you think they will go, because sometimes they will have a four star hotel room at a two star price, but do not wait until the last minute to book or you may find yourself not being able to find anything in your price range!

  • Examiner.com

8/27/15

I started writing for the Examiner about three years ago and it started out great. There were always issues with over-zealous editors who were critically picky about every small mistake, like paragraphs too short or too long or capitalizing Boston Marathon when they said you should write it as Boston marathon, etc.
Once I got over the slaps in the face and my readership picked up, I was bringing in an easy $85 a month, but in 2013 things started changing for the worse. Pop up adds were everywhere. I wrote an article on Christianity and morality and up pops a half naked picture of a breasty woman at the beach... really?!
I got ad blocker and never had to see or hear the automatic video pop-ups, so all was good on that front, but then they took away the community share page because all anyone did was say how badly Examiner.com stunk and so they stopped us from communicating with each other and then about six months later, they took away our local email-able editors and refused to respond to questions and made submitting tickets as difficult as submitting photographs.
Everything about writing for them became painful. They tried to get you to use their pictures and not your own. They limited the number of photos you could use and made you fill out a separate form for each photograph and stacked them in a slideshow rather than let you place them next to the content which told you more about the photos.
They are now removing articles and forcing long-time writers to submit to reviews again and saying that they do not want writers to publish anything over 1100 words.
They used to offer incentives where they would list titles for your area and if you claimed the title you got an automatic $2 to $5 added to your pay, but now, although they say they still offer this service, when you click to see what they have, it is almost always empty.
Basically this is a company that started out good, but is now nothing more than a sensation driven pop up add revenue machine.
They do not promote your articles unless they are sensation driven and they leave up old content for five or more years and promote it over new content.
They also do not tell you how well your article is doing or how many people click on it so you have no idea what you are really earning and they are currently wiping out the histories of past earnings so you have nothing to compare them to.
They really work hard at making writers feel little and unappreciated and it will be surprising if they survive another two years.
Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere if you want to make a fair living off your on-line writing.
This company does not make it easy for you to succeed and is user unfriendly, always changing to benefit themselves and hurt writers. I think it is time for me to bail. They had a good thing going, but I think the good went and the bad is now the norm.

Beverly Has Earned 34 Votes

Beverly E.'s review of Groupon earned a Very Helpful vote

Beverly E.'s review of Lucky Vitamin earned a Very Helpful vote

Beverly E.'s review of Examiner.com earned 4 Very Helpful votes

Beverly E.'s review of Amazon earned 17 Very Helpful votes

Beverly E.'s review of Priceline earned 11 Very Helpful votes

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