Shopping Online

I use the internet for a lot of things - information, entertainment, communication, work, you name it. And shopping is definitely on that list! ;)

This morning I checked out the site for my local cable company to find remote functions for my digital cable box, a channel guide and to maybe look into the different packages that they offer. Oddly, after 3 trips out here last week (and finally getting cable installed in each of the rooms! grr) not one of them had any channel guides or documentation on them whatsoever - though one of them did finally refer me to the website.

What a waste of good web space! I wasnt able to find *anything* at their site. They did have contact forms & information for local offices and also order forms if you wanted to place a new order or an upgrade - but ZERO info on their services & features. I ended up having to call in to get all of my questions answered, and to get them to mail me the channel guides & remote features (yes, in the snail mail - go figure!).

It seems like common sense to me to include that basic information on their website. Perhaps they overlooked what their customers would be looking for... and developed their site with the sole purpose of making sales. Hmmm...


On the flip side... I made a trip to the local Wal-Mart this weekend. I had found a backyard swing in their Lawn & Garden section that I really liked (and at an incredible price!) and decided to go ahead and get it while I was picking up some indoor plants.

The guy in the back said, "Sorry ma'am, we're all out of those". I was disappointed, but asked when they expected the next shipment. He shrugged and said I could put my name on the waiting list (which he expected was quite long).

So I head up to the register in the outdoor section and the lady seemed somewhat irritated with me. I wanted to get on the waiting list, and also get a price on landscaping timbers (which the guy out back had no clue on either). She let out a deep breath and ripped a piece of notebook paper out of a tablet and handed that to me with a pen: "Write down your info". I did, feeling like it was going to be stuck somewhere never to be seen again the minute I walked away from that register.

I was pretty discouraged. Honestly, I've looked all over town and didnt find anything I liked near as much - and especially not at that price (only 99 bucks!). You just couldnt beat it. I resolved to wait it out and hope they'd call when they got them in stock.

This is one of those swings that is SO comfortable you could just LIVE in it. It doesnt have those metal bars running underneath the seat, either. You can lay it back into a full bed, lift up the left side so that you can sit up long-ways, you can even take it off the swing all together as it has it's own legs... so it's perfect for camping trips! I've jokingly been referring to it as "The Ultimate Office Chair" :)

Still bummed about the fact that I missed my chance to grab one last week... I decided to check out Walmart.com with my fingers crossed. Bam! It was in stock and listed at the same sale price!! 3 quick clicks and she was ordered and on her way ;)





Seacliff 3-Seater Hammock Swing (bigger pic)


Now that's how it's supposed to work!