Macys.com

Full review
Having grown up with Marshall Fields and Hudsons department stores, when the chain was purchased by Macy's, it was a definite downhill slide. The formerly elegant line of women's clothing and upscale housewares by Wedgewood (still manufactured in England at that time) gave way to more cheap made-in-China junk; on a recent visit to a Macy's store, the entire kitchen section had been replaced by the flimsy Martha Stewart-branded housewares collection. These don't compare in quality to Macy's previously large section of Oxo tools.

I placed several orders from Macys.com. The first was a Oster blender, which arrived in an unpadded box and had broken plastic pieces rattling around inside. When I contacted Macys.com about the damaged order, they sent a replacement in another unpadded box. The second order was a laptop case and arrived in mint condition. The third order was a seven-piece set of American-made silicone spatulas from Le Creuset in a stoneware crock; this time, my order arrived packed in paper and bubble wrap, and was unharmed. If you're a Macy's cardholder with Star Rewards, you can receive free shipping from Macys.com as one of your free services.

Macys.com also frequently has online web buster sales, reduced shipping, and preview sales, so be sure to sign up for e-mail updates.