The Vermont Country Store

Full review
A few years ago, a friend of mine sent me the most unique gift I have ever received from Cracker Barrel. it was a breakfast basket. It contained pancake mix, 3 different types of bacon, maple syrup and a jar of fried apples. I made it for Christmas breakfast, and it was awesome.

I have friends all over the world, much less around the USA. I'm always looking for unique gifts to send them... especially gifts that I can order and have delivered. When I shop online, I like to go through MyPoints.com or UPromise because I earn points for free stuff. (And you all know how much I love my freebies!) Today, I decided that I wanted to send some gifts to my friends in California, Arizona and Wyoming. So, I ventured over to www.mypoints.com to take a look at what they had.

Initially, I wanted to send gifts via Mrs. Fields Online Store, but I did not see a link for it. Instead, I saw The Vermont Country Online Store. My friend, Julie, has never been to the East Coast, so I thought it would be fun to send her something from Vermont.

The different categories are fantastic. The choices of Apothecary, Apparel, Food & Candy, For the Home and Yankee Bargains almost guarantee that you will find something for anyone you want to buy a gift for. There are several sub-categories in each main category, which gives you an even larger variety to choose from. (The sub categories are too great to list!)

The homepage is plastered with all sorts of delights: dolls, classic games and toys, featured apparel, featured candy, novelty items... you get the idea. Also on the front page you can find an instant help button, sign up to be on the preferred customer list, store locator, a link to customer service, a catalog request form, customer bill of rights, contact information, even a suggest a product form.

Since I sort of knew what I wanted, I clicked on the Food & Candy tab. I was brought to a page that featured all sorts of candies and chocolates. The sub-categories were simply The Candy Counter and Food & Beverages. I clicked on Food & Beverages, and you can imagine my delight when I saw the featured product was Sunday Morning Breakfast! I think I even gave a "Woohoo!" before clicking on it. I was so excited!

When I clicked on the item I want, I was brought to a page that gave a detailed description. There was an option to click for "more information" which then gave even more info on the product I wanted. I could either add it to my basket or email it to a friend. Below the description were a few suggested products to go along with the one that I wanted. I was very impressed with the layout of the item page.

Checking out was a snap. I just entered my credit card information, and clicked "submit." Of course, it is a secure web server, so I'm not worried about identity theft. I know that my item will reach Julie and her family by Christmas-- there is a message on the front of the page that reads, "order by December 22, at 2:00pm EST to ensure delivery for the holidays!" For some reason, I trust The Vermont Country Store.

Maybe I trust them because it is a family-owned, family-operated establishment. Maybe it's because they only have two (!!!!) locations. Maybe it's the 100% guarantee. All I know is that I am thrilled with my shopping experience at The Vermont Country Store. You can bet your bottom dollar that I will be shopping there again!