(as published on www.outinamerica.com)
Online Gift Shopping:
The Alternative to the Mall
By: Rodney Smiley
12-06-2004
Year after year we scramble around trying to find the perfect gifts for our friends and family. It’s a madhouse at the mall. Cars are everywhere. Frantic, stressed out housewives are pushing strollers filled with gifts, bags, and oh yeah, a baby, through the mall at breakneck speeds. Oblivious men are wandering around, dazed and confused and just a little afraid, navigating through the network of jewelry stores, intimate apparel shops and (my favorite), the Godiva stand.
You need combat schooling to survive Holiday shopping these days.
But there is an alternative: One that is growing in attractiveness, especially with the younger generations, and frankly with those of us who are afraid of “Death By Stroller-wielding Mom on a Mission”.
It’s the online gift order. You go online, choose what you want, type in the recipient’s address (and of course, your credit card number) and ZOOM, it’s off.
No muss, with very little fuss.
It’s important to remember that if you’re going to send a mail order gift or email gift certificate, you should make certain that the choice you make is perfect for the recipient. For example, I want to send my Dad a gift certificate, so I know that I should choose the Bass Pro Shop or Lowe’s for him – he’s not a gift basket kind of guy. Conversely, for my mother I might choose Bath and Body Works or Borders Books – she’s just not all that impressed with choosing between a new fishing pole and novelty stuffed raccoons.
You can also send gift certificates by email. The least personal of all gifts to receive, the email gift certificate should be reserved for last minute gifts – typically, they’re delivered within an hour – or for gifts to out of town friends or remote relatives. They’re also handy when your ‘shipping funds’ are running low.
I appreciate the email gift certificate as much as I would any store gift card: it’s just as easy to use as traditional gift certificates and, you don’t have to worry about losing them.
So here are some of my personal favorites - it’s important to note that most of these sites also sell Gift Cards or email Gift Certificates.
Harry and David - From nuts to fruits to cookies and nearly everything in between, Harry and David always combines gourmet quality with a reasonable price.
Netique - Candles, oils, wooden boxes and crystal, Netique is a great place to find gifts to please those hard to buy for family and friends.
Eleni's Cookies – Perhaps my favorite food related gift site. I squeal with delight each time I receive these wonderful cookies in gorgeous designs.
Pottery Barn – Ok, so The Pottery Barn shows up on most gift lists, but there’s a reason for that! It’s great, affordable merchandise that fits the lifestyle of anyone you know!
Smith & Hawken – We all have a little ‘Outdoor Martha’ in us, so who wouldn’t love a fantastic gardening gift from Smith & Hawken?
Amazon – The old standby. Everything you can imagine is available from Amazon, including last minute email Gift Certificates!
Enjoy your Holidays!
No comments:
Post a Comment