www.WestElm.com

Westelm.com-Great stuff, but be prepared for some not-so-good surprises

The stuff at West Elm Online will blow your socks off; and this is no joke! Truly, their products are amazing-be it furniture, rugs, wall décor, accessories, whatever! Not a wonder, if you find yourself loading your shopping basket with a number of goodies; the process is kind of cathartic.

That apart, most long time customers believe that West Elm has increased the prices of its goods, while the quality hasn't improved as much, though it is definitely better now. With Westelm.com, you find all that you see in the stores but can't get your hand on cuz there's no West Elm store in your town-just too bad; cuz half, if not all the trouble that you may face with West Elm would start and finish right at the store.

So, if you choose to shop via Westelm.com, be prepared for sad customer service, and even worse delivery of goods. Undoubtedly, the products featured on the site are eye candy. If you are looking for specific products, it wouldn't take a lot of energy to find what you really want. The products are well categorized as furniture; rugs, pillows + windows; wall décor + lighting; bedding + bath; accessories; and entertaining. Each category has sub-categories. Click and you are taken right to the page you intended to land on.

Going through the online catalog and making an order works in a flash, and soon enough you get to the checkout. With essential details plugged in (the site is secured for credit card transactions), you are on your way out (well almost but not as yet) with your dream product. You get a confirmation message that gives you a timeline for your product to be delivered. The goods come via UPS and you could ask for an in-home delivery. It's another issue that despite the special in-home delivery request, you may find your order dumped by UPS on your lawn, if you are away. Yes! They don't need you to sign the delivery papers!

You are lucky if you get your order on the promised date. Most customers don't get to see their order for months! That aside, Westelm.com may occasionally surprise you with acceptable customer service like offering replacements or refunds for damaged goods. It's a good idea, however, to look out for assembly fees and of course those exorbitant (and at most times ridiculous) delivery charges. You may face problems with assembling certain goods, what with parts that don't fit or wrong instructions.

Nevertheless, what remains to be said is there are bad sides to online shopping and then there are good, in fact excellent sides to it too. You take the bad with the good, and try shopping at Westelm.com. You may just be one of the several lucky ones who would definitely go back for more to West Elm Online.