Frontgate

Full review
I'll admit it, I am an internet shopping fanatic, and I usually am very pleased with my finds. Occasionally however I have to admit, I just make a bad call.

Chancing upon a neighbors catalog for Frontgate I found something I had to have, (big surprise), visited the website, ('nother big surprise) and placed an uneventful order. Read on to find out why it's my final visit to Frontgate!


What Is Frontgate?-
Never heard of Frontgate? Me neither, but their slogan "Outfitting America's Finest Homes" should have been a tip-off that they and I might not fit together in perfect harmony. For while I love my home, I don't necessarily put in the same category of Monticello or The White House, or any of America's other finest homes.

Frontgate is definitely a high, high end merchant catering to those who have everything and then some, as well as the money to burn on that little something out of the ordinary.

Yes, if you simply can't find those $70.00 Turkish bath towels, or the $5500.00 Viking gas grill you've been searching for everywhere, then look no further, 'cuz honey you're home! If you are in fact, like most of us with limited discretionary income you might have a tougher time picking up something.

All areas of the home are pretty much represented at Frontgate, from Bed and Bath to the Pool, it's there. The main page can save you some time, as you can (as I did) use the catalog quick order box and bypass the rest of the shopping experience entirely. Barring a catalog, you'll need to enter the shopping section of the site to begin surfing.

Shopping at Frontgate-
Products are easy to locate via the left hand menu. All departments are listed, and once one is selected a few options are given on the main page, and then sub-categories on the left hand side to further narrow things down. I dislike the fact that with each tempting picture and description given there is no price listed until you click for more information. I'm sure this is deliberate, because honestly these prices are scary high for most things.

--Product detail is quite adequate, with pricing, coordinating items, a very thorough description of the item and several links to contact help or find out further needed information are also provided. It's actually one of the better detailed sites I've shopped.

--Checking Out is unremarkable all the way through. New users need to create an account with the usual info. Checkout is a bit on the long side, with 5 steps needed to collect all the pertinent bits and pieces, but it's simple enough to do.

--Payment can be made via Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX and Frontgate gift certificates.

--Shipping/Delivery-
Shipping costs start at $5.95 and go up from there. They are calculated by merchandise cost, and can get pretty steep in a hurry. Delivery was timely if not entirely secure. I am not to this day sure how my order arrived, it just did finally. It could have been left by UPS or USPS, tis a mystery.

--Order Confirmation could be improved. Once an order is placed, an immediate e-mail is sent and then that's it. No notice when your card is charged, no notice when your order is shipped, nothing. Obviously my order came, and this is a minor irritation more than anything, but I like my notices people I really do.


The Big Beef-
Well if you've stuck it out this far, nothing about shopping at Frontgate has been terrible, so what's my big beef? The item I ordered from Frontgate was a set of flickering, flame candles that plug into an outlet. The set of 6 was $39.00 plus $8.95 mystery shipping. Now how much did I find the identical lights for at Target a few days ago? A very cheap $4.00 a pair! Eek, did I pay too much? Yes, yes I did. I thought I'd searched out a must have item, and the price was acceptable, but I really should have gone with my gut instincts that Frontgate was too rich for my blood and kept looking.

Moral of the story, sometimes in your haste to pick something up on the internet, you just make a mistake and pay too much.

If you want to overpay, and ponder your order status, do be sure to give Frontgate a try!