Overstock.com Review

I started shopping from Overstock.com a few years ago, and I've been extremely satisfied. For those of you not familiar with this online retailer, here's the skinny: Overstock.com sells all sorts of stuff - clothing, housewares, electronics, sporting goods, books...you name it. As their name says, they sell overstock items....inventory that others can't move. Since they buy large amounts at a low rate, they're able to sell most things at very competative prices. In addition, they charge $2.98 for shipping, per order, flat rate. Seriously. If you order one book from them, shipping will cost you $2.95. If you order thirty books from them, the shipping cost will be $2.95 (as long as you ordered them at the same time...not a couple of days apart.) If you order a couch, the shipping will still only run you $2.95!

I've bought lots of stuff from Overstock.com, including an MP3 player. Back when these were very, very expensive, I ordered one as a gift. It was listed as "refurbished." Refurbished items are items that have been bought and returned because they were defective. The manufacturer will have had the items factory refurbished - which is almost like being rebuilt from scratch. Items that have been refurbished, even though they're basically brand new, cannot legally be sold as new, and it's often a great way to save a lot of money. The catch, sometimes, is that factory refurbished items usually don't fall under manufacturers' warranties. When I bought my friend an MP3 player for $75 (which was about $60 less than the going price on that model), I opted to also pay a few bucks for extended coverage. The item arrived in perfect condition and my friend used it, non-stop, for almost six months. At that point, she started having some trouble with the ear buds. I figured it was just a matter of the cord having been bend to and fro and having a short. Since the item was under warranty, I logged on to Overstock.com, and opened an online customer service session. This is a great option they offer: real, live people who can offer customer service in real time over the net! The person I communicated verified that the MP3 player was, in fact, covered, and that she would send me a mailer envelope in which to send the played back for evaluation and/or repair or replacement. The postage-pre-paid packet arrived two days later, and we sent the MP3 player off. Less than a week later, Overstock.com contacted my friend and offered to either send a brand new MP3 player, or give here an Overstock.com credit for the full cost of the player. By this time, Ipods had become much more affordable, and my friend asked if I would mind her opting for the credit, so she could order some camping equipment she needed. I was fine with that, and so was Overstock. They gave her the credit right away. The entire thing was resolved within one week.

I can't say enough how pleased I've been with Overstock.com's customer service. The live online help is great. If there's something I'd like ot know about a product I'm looking at, it's easy to just open up a session and ask the person on the other end some details. This came in handy, just today, when I was ordering audio books for my mom. I had questions about format (CD or cassette), and the agent was able to get me the correct information about several titles in under three minutes. This level of service is pretty rare these days...especially with some online dealers.

I'd advise anyone doing serious online shopping - especially for things like sporting goods, electronics, watches, linens and outdoor furniture - to do lots of comparison shopping. Find the brands and model numbers of things you like at Amazon or Crutchfield or wherever, and then check outif Overstock is offering the same product at a better rate.  And don't forget to factor in shipping costs! When I wanted to get my parents a set of patio furniture, the same set was a few dollars less at Target.com, but Target.com wanted an extra $73 for shipping!

Happy shopping!