Hammacher Schlemmer

Full review
My first experience with the Hammacher Schlemmer online store was when a friend bought and gave me an Upside-Down Tomato Garden from them. Then I had a customer service issue, which I handled through their website. And my latest experience with Hammacher Schlemmer is when I purchased a deluxe sun hat. So I have lots of stories to tell!


In Brief – About Hammacher Schlemmer

The Hammacher Schlemmer tag line is: “Since 1848, Products as Unique as Our Name”. That says it all. Hammacher Schlemmer specializes in the unusual; items that can’t be found everywhere. Most of the items involve products that impact lifestyle, whether it’s an LP-to-IPod Converter ($259.95), the Finger Drum Mousepad ($39.95), the Core Muscle Balance Board Trainer ($479.95), or an Ergonomic Beach Lounger ($159.95).


Navigating the Website

http://www.hammacher.com

At the Top

Along the top of the page are two rows of links. The top row includes: Customer Service, Order Status, and a Search Box. The bottom row includes: Home, Catalog Quick Order, Online Catalog, Request Catalog, New York Store, Corporate Gifts, and a Shopping Bag where online purchases appear.

To the Left

Prominently at the top of the navigation menu is the Hammacher Schlemmer toll-free telephone number. Beneath this are a series of navigation links in bold type: New Arrivals, Our Favorites, The Best, Gift Guide, Spring Cleaning. Underneath these in regular type are links to: Apparel, Electronics, Home Care, Home Living, Home Office, Outdoor Living, Personal Care, Sport & Leisure, Toys & Games, Gift Certificates, Holiday Decorating, Special Values. There is also a link to review their guarantee or to sign-up for emails.

In the Middle

The center of the home page is what immediately lures my eye. It is filled with interesting product photographs. Today, the first thing to grab my attention is the cute robot, which is labeled “The Smallest Humanoid Robot” ($199.95). All the photos invite one to click the image or wording to go to that page. I admit that I clicked on the fun image of the Hydrofoil Water Scooter ($499.95). I also enjoy checking the “New Arrivals” button for new additions to the website. “The Best Wireless Headphones” ($229.95) look interesting, and the “Digital Weight and Body Composition Scale” ($69.95) has a futuristic appearance.

At the Bottom

The bottom of the page has the usual array of links including: Shipping & Services, Canadian & Int’l Orders, Returns & Exchanges, Contact Us, Free Lifetime Guarantee, Affiliate Testing. There is also a link to Bradford Int’l Sites (Bradford Edition Collectibles, etc.).


Let’s Go Shopping!

I knew I wanted a sun hat with ultra-UV protection, and I had seen somewhere during my travels mention of a great sun hat on the Hammacher Schlemmer website. So once at the website, I typed “sun hat” into the search box. Six results appeared: a Ventilated Brimmed Hat ($29.95), Insulated Evaporative Cooling Cap ($24.95), the Crownless Panama Hat ($49.95), the Crushable Leather Hat ($79.95), the Genuine Indiana Jones Fedora ($124.95) … and the Best UV Ray Protection Sun Hat ($39.95).

I clicked on the photo for the Best UV Ray Protection Sun Hat. The product page showed two images of the hat: one of the hat that could be enlarged, and another photo of the hat being worn. An informative paragraph described the hat in detail. Beneath the bottom of the description was a drop-down menu of sizes and one for color selection. At first I selected a color not available in my size, and I found the pop-up menu informing me my choice was not available very helpful. I changed the color, and clicked the “Add to Shopping Bag” button. (There was also a box to check off if I want to pay $5.95 for Signature Gift Wrap.)

The Shopping Bag shows a photo of the items ordered along with their product number, brief description, color and size selection chosen. You change quantities or remove items with a few simple clicks. The ship date is displayed in red, another very helpful feature! Any changes made to the shopping cart can be seen by clicking the “Update Subtotal” button.

The various product pages feature at least one photo of the product, which can be enlarged for better viewing. The descriptions are always filled with detail, too. The one downfall of the descriptions is their lack of technical specifications. For instance, if I am considering the purchase of a Cassette to MP3 Converter ($149.95), then I would like to see a detailed list of the product specifications. The Hammacher Schlemmer website does not offer that type of information. However, they do go to the trouble of listing other related products. In this case, the LP to MP3 Converter ($189.95), the One-Touch VHS to DVD Video Transfer System ($$399.95), and the Instant Audio/Video/Photo Transfer System ($129.95).


Checking Out & Shipping

To check-out, you need to click on the Shopping Bag icon in the upper right corner of the page (if you are not already there). From this page, there is the option of entering a promotional code from the catalog or a special offer. Then click the “Check Out” button.

The next page prompts for the usual contact information, including phone number and email address. There is an optional link to click if you prefer to finish ordering via phone, fax, or regular mail. Click the “Continue Check Out” button.

A new page opens with a summary of the order and the shipping address (which can be edited if necessary). Next select the shipping method: Standard 3-6 Business Days, Premium 2-3 Business Days, Express 1-2 Business Days. Click “Continue Check Out”.

The next screen offers an overview of the order, and this time includes shipping charges. Here are the shipping charges if having the order ship via Standard:

Up to $50.00 -- $8.95
$50.01 - $75.00 -- $11.95
$75.01 - $150.00 -- $16.95
$150.01 - $250.00 -- $22.95
$250.01 - $350.00 -- $28.95
$350.01 - $600.00 -- $34.95
$600.01 and over -- $46.95

From this page, you also select a payment option: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, or Diner’s Club. There is also an area to enter a Gift Certificate number if you have one. The page also offers buttons to change any of the information already entered (however, the merchandise cannot be changed on this page). Click the “Place Order” button to finalize the purchase.


Email Notification & Receiving the Package

After I placed my order, I received an email from customer service thanking me for the order. The email also recapped the item I bought. No tracking number was provided, but the email said a follow-up message would arrive when the order shipped.

The second email arrived two days later. It provided my order number, the shipper, and a tracking number. I was a bit dismayed to see that the shipper was DHL Home. Sometimes DHL isn’t too reliable.

However within a week, I received the package. The box was in good condition, and the hat protected in a plastic bag. The hat is of excellent quality, and I’m extremely pleased with it.


Customer Service

Remember the Upside-Down Tomato Garden that a friend had purchased online from Hammacher Schlemmer and given to me as a gift? It’s at least three years old and one of the parts on it broke. The base of the planter can be filled with water or sand to weight it down, and has a plastic plug to seal the filling hole. This small plastic plug became brittle and broke.

The website offers a Lifetime Guarantee: “Should any product fail to meet your expectations for any reason, simply return it with proof of purchase. We will replace it, refund the cost of the item less shipping and service fees, or credit your credit card, depending on your original payment method.” Since this was a gift, I wasn’t sure how the guarantee would work.

At first I tried to contact Hammacher Schlemmer via their website. Click the “Contact Us” link at the bottom of the page, and a screen opens with a form to fill out. There are a variety of options to choose how you wish them to contact you (email, mail or by telephone). I chose email … and I never heard back from them.

Next I phoned Hammacher Schlemmer using their toll-free number. This worked great. I spoke with a very helpful representative. I told her this was a gift, and she asked for the contact information of the person who gave it to me. Thankfully I knew it since this was from a work associate. She looked that person’s information up in her computer and verified the name and address. She then told me she was changing the ownership record to my name. What astounded me was she asked if I wanted a replacement part or a new Upside-Down Tomato Garden! All I needed was this small plastic plug, and I asked if they had it in stock and could ship it to me. They did have it in stock, and they shipped it to me free of charge. I had it within a week.


Summary

My experiences with Hammacher Schlemmer have been positive enough that I would buy from them again. This is a great website for gift ideas, and I’m hoarding a few thoughts for future gift-giving. By the way, does anyone have $49,999.95 lying around so that I can buy the 7-foot Robbie the Robot. It’s so coooool!

I hope you found this review useful.

Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com


Please read my other reviews:

Best UV Ray Protection Sun Hat

Coach.com Online Store

BestBuy Online Store

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NewEgg.com Online Store

Circuit City Online Store

Linen 'n Things Online Store

Sheplers Online Store

Kohl's Online Store

Harry and David Online and at the Mall

The Republic of Tea Online Store


Copyright 2008 Dawn L. Stewart