Several months ago, my daughter and youngest son both needed new box springs and mattresses. After checking several places online, my daughter and I headed off to one of the local Mattress Firm stores.
There are two stores in Pinellas Park, Florida, that are basically across the street from each other. We went into the store located at the Shoppes at Park Place (formerly Pinellas Square Mall and Parkside Mall), as opposed to the location at 7101 U.S 19 North.
Note: Years ago, I had bought a mattress at another store located within a block of both stores, as well as buying furniture at a local Rooms To Go, both of which had excellent service. I really should have gone to either of those places for the new mattress.
After spending between 30 to 60 minutes testing mattresses, my daughter picked one mattress and and two box springs, as well as a bed frame; I bought the same model mattress and box spring for my son. (The reason my daughter was getting two boxsprings was that a second one was needed under the mattress in a second bedroom.)
After arranging to have the mattress, box springs and bed frame to be delivered to two different locations (my daughter doesn't live with me; my son does), we paid for the merchandise. My daughter used her credit card to put $100 toward the purchase, while I paid the majority of the bill (more than $1,000, including delivery).
And then the fun began.
The delivery was to include: bringing the bedding (mattress, boxspring, bed frame) into the house and to the room where the bedding was supposed to be set up, removing the old bedding, and setting up the beds (including bed frame). Also, the delivery people had been touted as having shoe covers over their shoes so that they would not track any dirt into the house.
But promises and reality are frequently two different things. The first delivery was at my house between 10:00 a.m. and noon, while the second delivery at my daughter's place, was to take place two days later during a two-hour time-frame; both were to involve the aforementioned delivery inclusions.
I had been out early the morning of the next day's delivery, but arrived home at 10:02. (Yes, two minutes past the delivery time.) However, my adult son, whom the mattress and one box spring were for, was home. The delivery people arrived at approximately 9:45. When they brought in the mattress and boxspring, they were not wearing shoe covers, and tracked dirt into the living room, where the front door is located. They also left the bedding propped up against the couch right inside the front door, did not remove the old mattress and boxspring, nor did they set up the new bed or move it to the room that the bed was supposed to be. My son and I had to first muscle the old mattress and boxspring outside and to the side of the road for the next garbage pickup, then muscle the new mattress and boxspring in.
When my daughter's mattress, two boxsprings, and bed frame arrived two days later, it was the exact same scenario: no shoe covers, dirt tracked into her place, the bedding left inside the front hall (not brought to the two different bedrooms). She had to move the old bedding from one room by herself, put the bed frame together by herself, muscle one of the boxsprings and the mattress onto the bed frame by herself, then drag the second boxspring into the second bedroom and put it under the mattress in the bedroom.
Had any of us - my son, my daughter, or I - had any medical issues making it difficult to move out the old bedding or in the new bedding, we would have had a major problem. As it was, I had paid $60 per delivery (for $120, total) to have the old bedding removed and the new stuff put together correctly.
When I called the store to complain, I was told that the manager was out for a few days and would "call me back." When I asked if there was an assistant who could take my complaint, the man answering finally consented (grudgingly) to listen to my complaint. "But the manager will have to take care of the problem."
When I didn't hear back in a few days, I had to call a second time. The manager apologized, telling me that they'd subcontracted with a new carrier.
I pointed out the $60 a piece for delivery, removal, set up, shoe covers, he assured me that they would refund the money immediately, and that I should see a charge-back in a matter of days. When I asked which card (my daughter had chipped in $100), I was assured it was the one that had paid out the most for the order.
A week later, I called again: there had been no charge-back on my card or my daughter's card. After a third call to the store, they finally refunded the delivery charge - to my daughter. (Fortunately, she's honest and handed over the money, after informing me that they'd sent her the refund.)
Also, we were told when we bought the mattress and boxspring that if we were unsatisfied after a week, we could exchange them. At the appropriate time, we swung by the store, and were told Nope, so sorry, we'd have to wait a minimum of 30 days of testing it. She still has the mattress and boxspring.
Okay, the punchline: our experience at Mattress Firm was mixed. Using a scale of 1 (for horrible) to 10 (exceptionally great), I would break it down as follows:
* The initial buying experience: 9
* Delivery: 2 (no removal of old bedding, no setting up of new bedding, left the bedding just inside the front door, no shoe covers, tracked dirt inside)
* Refund of the delivery: 5 - 6 (it took three phone calls, and the money was deposited to the wrong person)
* Follow-up customer service: 6 - 7 (changing from exchanging in a week to having to wait 30 days).
That was our experience. Next time, I'll probably go back to Rooms To Go or another comparable store.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Natural Mystic Inc.
Soap is soap is soap, right? It gets you clean, makes you smell better, and that's that. Or is it? Sure, there are flowery scented soaps, masculine-smelling soaps, anti-bacterial...well, you get the idea. Most of us tend to use the same soap year in and year out. We stick with a brand because we've always bought it, our parents bought it or our best friend recommended it. But soap tends to be something very few of us get excited about.
Of course, there are people and/or small businesses making hand-made soap in various-size batches for a variety of reasons. One such soap company is Natural Mystic Inc.
I first picked up several bars of hand-made soaps under the name of Kate's Soaps at now closed indie bookstore. After the bookstore closed, I had to find the soaps elsewhere. Finally, though, Kate decided to get out of the soap business to go back to school and sold her soap stock, recipes, etc. to Natural Mystic. Derby, Natural Mystic's owner, continued producing wonderful soaps, some from Kate's recipes, some of her own. Some of these are great for sensitive skin, others for normal skin; there are also some for oil, very dry and/or mature skin, while several are good for exfoliation.
The variety is wonderful: lavender; patchouli tangerine; rose geranium; peppermint creme; orange close, cosmic blues, and many more. There are also gifts and accessories, such as soap dishes, foot nail brush, loofahs, and several other goodies.
Okay, so you're probably getting the impression that the product is great. How is the customer service? Excellent. The online form asks for an email address, as well as a physical address. When I placed my most recent order online, I soon received an email from Deby stating that they were temporarily out of one of the soaps on my order, and listed a couple of other soaps in their inventory that were similar; did I care to try one of these replacements in the out-of-stock soaps? I emailed back with my replacement choice. The box arrived today in the mail; considering I placed the order over the weekend, it arrived faster than I would have expected. (A pleasant surprise!) The sales receipt listed everything in the order, as well as a hand-written note thanking me for the order.
On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being excellent), I would rate both the products from Natural Mystic and the customer service as a good, solid 5, and highly recommend buying from this company.
Of course, there are people and/or small businesses making hand-made soap in various-size batches for a variety of reasons. One such soap company is Natural Mystic Inc.
I first picked up several bars of hand-made soaps under the name of Kate's Soaps at now closed indie bookstore. After the bookstore closed, I had to find the soaps elsewhere. Finally, though, Kate decided to get out of the soap business to go back to school and sold her soap stock, recipes, etc. to Natural Mystic. Derby, Natural Mystic's owner, continued producing wonderful soaps, some from Kate's recipes, some of her own. Some of these are great for sensitive skin, others for normal skin; there are also some for oil, very dry and/or mature skin, while several are good for exfoliation.
The variety is wonderful: lavender; patchouli tangerine; rose geranium; peppermint creme; orange close, cosmic blues, and many more. There are also gifts and accessories, such as soap dishes, foot nail brush, loofahs, and several other goodies.
Okay, so you're probably getting the impression that the product is great. How is the customer service? Excellent. The online form asks for an email address, as well as a physical address. When I placed my most recent order online, I soon received an email from Deby stating that they were temporarily out of one of the soaps on my order, and listed a couple of other soaps in their inventory that were similar; did I care to try one of these replacements in the out-of-stock soaps? I emailed back with my replacement choice. The box arrived today in the mail; considering I placed the order over the weekend, it arrived faster than I would have expected. (A pleasant surprise!) The sales receipt listed everything in the order, as well as a hand-written note thanking me for the order.
On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being excellent), I would rate both the products from Natural Mystic and the customer service as a good, solid 5, and highly recommend buying from this company.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Green Giant Steamers
Recently, the grocery chain that I shop at (more on that in another post) offered Green Giant Steamers on sale at Buy-One-Get-One-free (BOGO). I had wanted to give the product a try, since I've bought Green Giant products in the past and found that the items were usually a good buy (good quality, price, etc).
While today's post deals with Green Giant Steamers, I will admit that I did not try every variety of the product. (The largest bags offered were more than I needed.) But I did try enough of the product(s) to give a reasonable review.
One of my adult sons and I started with the 7-ounce Antioxidant Blend Vegetable Blend with Broccoli While the website does not state how many servings are in the bag, the bag itself indicated that there were two (2) servings in the package. (Green Giant offers another 7-ounce antioxident steamer blend, the Antioxidant Blend Vegetable Blend with Cauliflower.)
After preparing the antioxident blend according to the microwave instructions, I attempted to open the bag. There is a line along the back of the bag with arrows pointing toward the line, indicating that this is where one is to open it. The bag also advises to use caution, as the contents of the bag will be hot; I attempted to open the bag while holding potholders, then using paper towels when I couldn't get a good grip with the potholders. Finally, I had to resort to cutting along the line with a sharp knife.
My son and I both agreed that while the 7-ounce steamers tasted good, and while we did share the bag (2-servings), we also agreed that the servings were small. I wondered if maybe I'd read the number of servings wrong, but the next 7-ounce bag of the antioxident blend that I bought also stated that it held two servings. One last mention: The veggies didn't seem to be as firm as they could have been. They weren't soggy, but they could have been a little firmer. On a 5-star scale (5 being fantastic), I'd give the 7-ounce steamers a 3 1/2 to 4 stars.
Next, I tried the Garden Vegetable Medley 12 oz. Bag, followed by the Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower & Cheese Sauce 12 oz. Bag Both product bags advise that they hold "about 2 1/2 servings." Both were prepared according to the microwave instructions. Both products tasted good, and the vegetables held up nicely: they were cooked thoroughly, and held up well during the cooking process (not mushy), and we found that the amount of seasonings were pleasant. Also, there was definitely an ample amount of the product for two people.
However, there was the problem opening the bags along the marked line; both times required a knife to open the bag. While others may have little or no problem simply pulling the bag open where indicated, since both my son and I ran into this problem on several of the bags, I suspect we're not the only ones requiring a knife to cut along the opening. We have since tried several other packages of the Green Giant Steamers products, and this does seem to be a bit of a problem. Not sure how they'll change that without having the bag fall apart at the opening. For the 12-ounce steamers, I give them a solid 5 on taste, firmness and serving size. (The bag's opening, though would knock that down to a 4 1/2.)
About the nutrition: If you're trying to cut out all saturated fats from your diet, check the labels. While most of Green Giant Steamers have little or no fat, especially saturated fat, several of the veggies with cheese sauce do have some fat (and some have some saturated fat). Their Macaroni & Cheese Sauce with Broccoli 12 oz. Bag contains 5 g total fat (7% of the daily value) and 1 g saturated fat (5% daily value). Still not bad, overall, but if you're watching your fat intake, it does help to read the label.
Okay, so if you're looking for the pros and cons of the Green Gian Steamers, here they are:
Pros (for both 12- and 7- ounce size, unless indicated):
Great taste
Right amount of seasonings
Veggies maintained their firmness (12-ounce bags)
Decent-sized servings (12-ounce size)
Cons (for both 12- and 7- ounce size, unless indicated):
The bags are a little difficult to open without resorting to using a knife (only one bag opened by simply pulling where indicated)
serving size (7-ounce bag)
firmness of veggies (7-ounce bag)
So, there you have it. Read the labels, especially if you're steering clear of all saturated fats (mostly on the steamers with cheese), buy more packages than you think you need (if buying the 7-ounce package for multiple people), and be care opening the bags. However, be prepared: The steamers I tried were definitely good-tasting; I will be buying more of them.
While today's post deals with Green Giant Steamers, I will admit that I did not try every variety of the product. (The largest bags offered were more than I needed.) But I did try enough of the product(s) to give a reasonable review.
One of my adult sons and I started with the 7-ounce Antioxidant Blend Vegetable Blend with Broccoli While the website does not state how many servings are in the bag, the bag itself indicated that there were two (2) servings in the package. (Green Giant offers another 7-ounce antioxident steamer blend, the Antioxidant Blend Vegetable Blend with Cauliflower.)
After preparing the antioxident blend according to the microwave instructions, I attempted to open the bag. There is a line along the back of the bag with arrows pointing toward the line, indicating that this is where one is to open it. The bag also advises to use caution, as the contents of the bag will be hot; I attempted to open the bag while holding potholders, then using paper towels when I couldn't get a good grip with the potholders. Finally, I had to resort to cutting along the line with a sharp knife.
My son and I both agreed that while the 7-ounce steamers tasted good, and while we did share the bag (2-servings), we also agreed that the servings were small. I wondered if maybe I'd read the number of servings wrong, but the next 7-ounce bag of the antioxident blend that I bought also stated that it held two servings. One last mention: The veggies didn't seem to be as firm as they could have been. They weren't soggy, but they could have been a little firmer. On a 5-star scale (5 being fantastic), I'd give the 7-ounce steamers a 3 1/2 to 4 stars.
Next, I tried the Garden Vegetable Medley 12 oz. Bag, followed by the Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower & Cheese Sauce 12 oz. Bag Both product bags advise that they hold "about 2 1/2 servings." Both were prepared according to the microwave instructions. Both products tasted good, and the vegetables held up nicely: they were cooked thoroughly, and held up well during the cooking process (not mushy), and we found that the amount of seasonings were pleasant. Also, there was definitely an ample amount of the product for two people.
However, there was the problem opening the bags along the marked line; both times required a knife to open the bag. While others may have little or no problem simply pulling the bag open where indicated, since both my son and I ran into this problem on several of the bags, I suspect we're not the only ones requiring a knife to cut along the opening. We have since tried several other packages of the Green Giant Steamers products, and this does seem to be a bit of a problem. Not sure how they'll change that without having the bag fall apart at the opening. For the 12-ounce steamers, I give them a solid 5 on taste, firmness and serving size. (The bag's opening, though would knock that down to a 4 1/2.)
About the nutrition: If you're trying to cut out all saturated fats from your diet, check the labels. While most of Green Giant Steamers have little or no fat, especially saturated fat, several of the veggies with cheese sauce do have some fat (and some have some saturated fat). Their Macaroni & Cheese Sauce with Broccoli 12 oz. Bag contains 5 g total fat (7% of the daily value) and 1 g saturated fat (5% daily value). Still not bad, overall, but if you're watching your fat intake, it does help to read the label.
Okay, so if you're looking for the pros and cons of the Green Gian Steamers, here they are:
Pros (for both 12- and 7- ounce size, unless indicated):
Great taste
Right amount of seasonings
Veggies maintained their firmness (12-ounce bags)
Decent-sized servings (12-ounce size)
Cons (for both 12- and 7- ounce size, unless indicated):
The bags are a little difficult to open without resorting to using a knife (only one bag opened by simply pulling where indicated)
serving size (7-ounce bag)
firmness of veggies (7-ounce bag)
So, there you have it. Read the labels, especially if you're steering clear of all saturated fats (mostly on the steamers with cheese), buy more packages than you think you need (if buying the 7-ounce package for multiple people), and be care opening the bags. However, be prepared: The steamers I tried were definitely good-tasting; I will be buying more of them.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Boca Java Coffee
Early in 2006, I received an email offering a one-time deal on coffee. Since I absolutely love coffee, especially flavored coffees, I decided to give Boca Java a try. This is one decision I don't regret.
First off, their website is fairly straight-forward: the front page lets you know what the top selling coffee-flavors are at any given time, as well as some of their most popular items; their site is very user-friendly; they have a wide-variety of coffees, teas, cocoa, gifts, and a page where one can learn a little about their products.
Secondly, their customer service is really great. When I've had to call Boca Java, I have yet to run across any rude people. They're all friendly, very helpful, and have been known to occasionally engage in friendly chit-chat. Also, if there's ever a problem with your order, they're willing to fix it, no questions asked. Once, I'd gotten an order and one of the flavors wasn't what it should have been; I'd ordered Coastline Creamsicle, and for whatever reason, the bag smelled and tasted like blueberry (Deep Blue Blueberry favor). While I have nothing against blueberries, I'd really had my heart set on the Coastline Creamsicle; heck, the bag even said it was the right flavor. So, I called, explained what I'd ordered (it was one bag out of a 4- or 5-bag order), and what had happened.
"So sorry that happened!" I was told. "We'll send you out another bag of Coastline Creamsicle right away, no charge!"
Now THAT'S great customer service. I didn't have to send anything back, and I was getting the correct order.
Then there's their product. I've been ordering from Boca Java for 8 1/2 years, and intend to continue buying from them. Their coffees, teas, cocoas, etc. are really good. There's bound to be a flavor that really agrees with almost every coffee/tea/cocoa drinker. And if you sign up for their coffee club, they usually offer a choice of two one-pot bags to choose from each month; simply click your choice, and when you receive your paid order, the one-pot bag is free! This gives the customer a chance to try different flavors without committing to a large multi-pot bag, and also without having to pay for it. If you decide that the free flavor isn't right for you, fine. And if you love it, you'll now have another great flavor to choose from.
When I first started buying from Boca Java, they were located in Florida; they're now located in (if I remember correctly) Denver, which means it does take an extra day or two for my order to arrive (darn!). But no matter, they're still a great place to buy coffee from.
Disclaimer: I have not received any compensation for this blog post, meaning (of course) that I'm not a paid spokes-person...just a very satisfied customer.
First off, their website is fairly straight-forward: the front page lets you know what the top selling coffee-flavors are at any given time, as well as some of their most popular items; their site is very user-friendly; they have a wide-variety of coffees, teas, cocoa, gifts, and a page where one can learn a little about their products.
Secondly, their customer service is really great. When I've had to call Boca Java, I have yet to run across any rude people. They're all friendly, very helpful, and have been known to occasionally engage in friendly chit-chat. Also, if there's ever a problem with your order, they're willing to fix it, no questions asked. Once, I'd gotten an order and one of the flavors wasn't what it should have been; I'd ordered Coastline Creamsicle, and for whatever reason, the bag smelled and tasted like blueberry (Deep Blue Blueberry favor). While I have nothing against blueberries, I'd really had my heart set on the Coastline Creamsicle; heck, the bag even said it was the right flavor. So, I called, explained what I'd ordered (it was one bag out of a 4- or 5-bag order), and what had happened.
"So sorry that happened!" I was told. "We'll send you out another bag of Coastline Creamsicle right away, no charge!"
Now THAT'S great customer service. I didn't have to send anything back, and I was getting the correct order.
Then there's their product. I've been ordering from Boca Java for 8 1/2 years, and intend to continue buying from them. Their coffees, teas, cocoas, etc. are really good. There's bound to be a flavor that really agrees with almost every coffee/tea/cocoa drinker. And if you sign up for their coffee club, they usually offer a choice of two one-pot bags to choose from each month; simply click your choice, and when you receive your paid order, the one-pot bag is free! This gives the customer a chance to try different flavors without committing to a large multi-pot bag, and also without having to pay for it. If you decide that the free flavor isn't right for you, fine. And if you love it, you'll now have another great flavor to choose from.
When I first started buying from Boca Java, they were located in Florida; they're now located in (if I remember correctly) Denver, which means it does take an extra day or two for my order to arrive (darn!). But no matter, they're still a great place to buy coffee from.
Disclaimer: I have not received any compensation for this blog post, meaning (of course) that I'm not a paid spokes-person...just a very satisfied customer.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)