Renewed Faith in On-Line Retail

from Curtis Johnstone <[email protected]>, Mon, 10 Apr 2000 13:34:32 -0400

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Today at lunch I set-out to get a Birthday gift for my 6 year old niece,
Hannah. I wasn't really looking forward to driving to a big Toys'R'Whatever
during lunch hour, weeding through the gazillion toys and trying to pick
something up. After the purchase I would have to wrap, do the card thing,
and deal with the shipping (I am in Ottawa, she is in Edmonton). This takes
the fun out of buying a kid a gift.

On a whim I went to the E-Toys Web site (http://www.etoys.com) and I had an
experience that renewed my faith in e-commerce -- specifically in the
on-line retail and it's potential. I have used a couple before, most notably
Chapters to order books which was a positive experience as well.

The E-Toys UI is well designed, simple and very functional. It made shopping
for awesome childrens toys MUCH easier then in bricks and mortar places like
Toys'r'Us. The searching is well done: you can choose by product category
(normal) or you can enter the age of the child. From there you can choose
E-Toys favorties (which I think takes into consideration ranking by other
customers -- good idea). I found the favorites to have the perfect toys for
what I was looking for. They have tonnes of great selection complete with
pictures and good descriptions. Each item you look displays a ranking by
both kids and parents and includes a customer comment (which of course is
positive).

The shopping card / check-out was really smooth and they have a number of
handy conviences at reasonable (not great but OK) prices:
- purchased a 9V battery for $1.99.
- gift wrapping for $3.99 which includes a personalized message (eliminates
the card in my book -- how valuable were cards when you were 6?)

I was impressed with their attention to the International market. This is
where a lot of on-line retailers fail. They recognized Canadian addresses
and taxes (boo). Shipping could be improved to serve International (they say
they are going too). Not bad though: $7.50 from the States to Canada in 8-12
business days. My only regret is the low Canadian $$ !!

All-in-all in was a great experience. Very hassle free and I will do it
again if it all works out.

On another note, with E-Toys (NasdaqNM:ETYS) trading close to a 52 week (and
all-time) low ( http://quote.yahoo.com/q?s=ETYS&d=t ) I am thinking of
buying. Due dilligence required first.

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Today at lunch I set-out to get a =
Birthday gift for my 6 year old niece, Hannah. I wasn't really looking =
forward to driving to a big Toys'R'Whatever during lunch hour, weeding =
through the gazillion toys and trying to pick something up. After the =
purchase I would have to wrap, do the card thing, and deal with the =
shipping (I am in Ottawa, she is in Edmonton). This takes the fun out =
of buying a kid a gift.

On a whim I went to the E-Toys Web =
site (<A HREF=3D"http://www.etoys.com" =
TARGET=3D"_blank">http://www.etoys.com</A>) and I had an experience =
that renewed my faith in e-commerce -- specifically in the on-line =
retail and it's potential. I have used a couple before, most notably =
Chapters to order books which was a positive experience as =
well.

The E-Toys UI is well designed, simple =
and very functional. It made shopping for awesome childrens toys MUCH =
easier then in bricks and mortar places like Toys'r'Us. The searching =
is well done: you can choose by product category (normal) or you can =
enter the age of the child. From there you can choose E-Toys favorties =
(which I think takes into consideration ranking by other customers -- =
good idea). I found the favorites to have the perfect toys for what I =
was looking for. They have tonnes of great selection complete with =
pictures and good descriptions. Each item you look displays a ranking =
by both kids and parents and includes a customer comment (which of =
course is positive).

The shopping card / check-out was =
really smooth and they have a number of handy conviences at reasonable =
(not great but OK) prices:

 - purchased a 9V battery for =
$1.99.
  - gift wrapping for $3.99 which =
includes a personalized message (eliminates the card in my book -- how =
valuable were cards when you were 6?)

I was impressed with their attention =
to the International market. This is where a lot of on-line retailers =
fail. They recognized Canadian addresses and taxes (boo). Shipping =
could be improved to serve International (they say they are going too). =
Not bad though: $7.50 from the States to Canada in 8-12 business days. =
My only regret is the low Canadian $$ !!  

All-in-all in was a great experience. =
Very hassle free and I will do it again if it all works out.


On another note, with E-Toys =
(NasdaqNM:ETYS) trading close to a 52 week (and all-time) low ( <A =
HREF=3D"http://quote.yahoo.com/q?s=3DETYS&d=3Dt" =
TARGET=3D"_blank">http://quote.yahoo.com/q?s=3DETYS&d=3Dt</A> ) I am =
thinking of buying. Due dilligence required first.

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