Lands' End

Pros:  Quality merchandise, excellent customer service, vast selection, reliable size information, easy ordering process

Cons:  Higher price points - you pay for what you get however

The Bottom Line:  Land's End on-line store offers terrific merchandise, great customer service, good information on products and sizing, and keeps me out of the shopping mall! Hallelujah!

Full review
Have you ever stood in a long line at the department store to get a 'good deal' on an outfit that you 'just had to have'? Take it home, never lose those extra five pounds so that you can wear the outfit, and eventually put it in a garbage bag with the other donations to charity? Sound familiar? Frustrating, isn't it?

Not anymore! Land's End to the rescue.

I have been a faithful on-line shopper at Land's End for more than three years. The quality of the merchandise is excellent and surpasses all expectations of wearability. The Land's End web site provides clear, crisp photos of their merchandise. The descriptions of the products are precise and easy to read. The virtual fitting room is a unique feature that I have found to be very helpful and reliable. The On-The-Counter and Overstocks sections offer terrific discounts on a variety of merchandise. Each and every purchase has been delivered on time and almost all of the items have been in-stock. In the rare case in which I had to return or exchange the item, customer service has handled it graciously and promptly. Obviously, I am very pleased with my Land's End shopping experience.

I can't speak highly enough of the quality of the Land's End merchandise. My son, now seven years old, has been wearing Land's End clothing for almost his entire life. I hand down his clothing and to this day, friends will tell me that their child is wearing something that my son wore six years ago. The quality goes beyond the life expectancy of the garment. My husband swears by the 100% cotton dress shirts from Land's End and they last longer by far than other leading vendors. He has his shirts folded and heavily starched at the dry cleaners - quite an ordeal on a regular basis. Through all of that the shirts maintain their shape, rarely do the buttons crack, and the color stays bright even around the collar. My employer recently went business-casual. I rely on Land's End to provide me with comfortable slacks and shirts that keep their shape in the washer and dryer. Believe me, I have not been let down.

The website merchandise photos and descriptions are terrific. I think the photos are clear and provide a fairly good idea of the actual color of the garment. The product descriptions often include size information (trim, slenderizing, stretch, etc.) which is very helpful. The website is easy to navigate and is organized in a very logical manner. I find it convenient and can usually locate an item quickly. They will send you a weekly e-mail to announce new merchandise and inform you of sale items. Land's End is customer service oriented and this devotion shows in the design of the website.

I have found the size charts and virtual fitting room to be right on target. The virtual fitting room allows you to key in personal measurements and then an appropriately proportioned silhouette appears. You can then 'try on' a variety of merchandise and get a pretty good idea of how they will fit. Truly a wonderful option. Occasionally this feature will experience technical difficulties, but not enough to be aggravating. The benefit outweighs any inconvenience that the tech department might bestow. Also, you can contact customer service real-time on-line. The representative will answer questions in the format similar to an Instant Message or chat room.

The prices at Land's End are not bargain basement, that's for sure. As I mentioned above in the pros and cons, you pay for what you get. You will have to trust me on this one - the merchandise will last and last and last. Land's End does have two discount price areas. One is called Overstocks and the other is On-The-Counter. Overstocks are just that - merchandise that they are trying to move out. Often the savings is up to 30% off the original price - sometimes lower. On-The-Counter is a special area that offers merchandise at 25% off initially, then increases the discount to 50% off a few days later, and then finally at 75% off by the end of the sale period. This merchandise is available in limited quantities and sizes. It goes fast and typically by the time the 75% off price point is posted, it is sold out. I have had some wonderful bargains at On-The-Counter!! It's fun too!

Delivery at Land's End is reliable. Period. I am often amazed at how quickly it is delivered. The product arrives in good condition and the order is correctly packaged. Returns are easy. Land's End will arrange for a pick-up and then will re-deliver the exchanged item. Customer service is exemplary in this area. Purchases are easily tracked at the website.

Land's End offers excellent merchandise at a good price considering the long wearability. I continue to be a very happy customer and look forward to many more years of relaxed shopping from home!! Goodbye shopping malls!!