Hammocks.com Review

It's funny. For months I've been saying I planned to get my dad a hammock for Father's Day. He's retired to Florida, and he spends a lot of time poolside with the grandkids. Kids love a hammock. Retirees love a hammock. And kids love hanging out with their grandpas. What could be better?

As it turns out, I'd anticipated the marketing world's GIFT OF THE SEASON. Within the last few weeks, all I seem to see are ads for hammocks, suggesting them as great gifts for Father's Day. Believe what you will : It was my idea before Pottery Barn ever even thought about sending out that email!!!

Ok, now on to Hammocks.com. They sell a wide range of hammocks, hammocks stands, hammock chairs, and general outdoor furniture. Their proces are a lot less than other retailers of the same stuff. They even beat Overstock.com on a hammock and stand combo. I got my father a hammock and stand specifically made for poolside use: it's quick drying and resistant to mold. It also holds up to 450 lbs, in case the grandkids and dog decide to all pounce on him at once.

I had trouble using their site - it wouldn't recognize a discount code I had. Unlike a lot of other retail websites, hammocks.com has contact details that are easy to find. The contact details include a toll-free phone number that leads the caller to a real, live person. When she answered the phone, I swear I thought I'd travelled back to 1985. Real, live customer service, on the third ring??? Huh???

The customer service person I talked to was great. She couldn't figure out why the website was rejecting my discount code, but she could connect me to a sales rep, who would take my order over the phone. When my call was transferred, it took only a few seconds for the sales rep to get on the line, and he had all my information in front of him, including instructions to honor the discount code I was trying to use. He took the order, applied the discount, gave me an estimated date of arrival, and emailed me a confirmation code.

I made this order on May 27. On May 30th, my mother called to say that the stand and hardware had arrived, but the hammock, itself, hadn't. Having received an email stating that the hammock was shipped seperately and should arrive no later than June 3, I was able to tell my mother that dad's Father's Day gift would be ready in plenty of time.

I like this online retailer, even though their website had technical problems when Itried to use it. Their customer service is prompt and thorough, and the people I dealt with were really friendly and courteous. Their prices are the best I've found. Most importat: my dad loves his hammock.

Inside Scoop: Before shopping at Hammocks.com...try googling "hammocks.com coupon code." They seem to issue coupon codes pretty frequently, but you have to find them at those coupon sites. The code I used was for $15. Not only was the hammock/stand combo I ordered $40 cheaper than anywhere else, it wound up shipping for free!