Candles [and more] For Every Occasion! Illuminations Online Store
Written: Oct 15 '04
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For the past few years, without fail, Suzanne has always sent me an email at the beginning of October with a link to something Halloween related – and most of the time it’s from the Illuminations Online Store. This is one of my secret sites, a place that I can visit and indulge my love of candles as well as Halloween related goods. But the site is about more than just seasonal decorations and candles, so much more and if you’ve never checked it out because you thought that it was something to do with just candles – you are missing out on a great site. With that I do have to admit that I am a candle junkie; a week or so ago I was at Long’s [a drugstore] and they had candles at 75% off and I cleaned them out. Even if I hated the scent, I could still turn around and use them as gifts. Lucky for me, all the purchased I’ve made at Illuminations have far exceeded my expectations.
Getting around the site is easy and there are no pop up advertisements. You can subscribe to their newsletter to be made away of sales and special events. I’ve never had an spam associated with this newsletter and it does give you the heads up to some great sales. If you are new to candles or just want more information, be sure to read the Candle FAQ section to learn about how to get the most from your candles, how to burn candles properly and general safety issues. They also have a very attractive affiliate program in place if you have your own website and are interested in making a little extra cash. This is an all ages site with no questionable or objectionable material although I doubt most kids would find the site interesting outside of the seasonal items that they might want to pick up for their mom.
Selection
A vast majority of what the site sells is candle related but there are some very nice sections that are well stocked with gifts and accessories and if you are looking for a unique housewarming gift, this is a great site to start your search. One of my favorite purchases, outside of the Halloween items, has to be the estate lanterns that they carry in various sizes. These are beautiful lanterns that can be used indoors or out, for casual or formal events and easy to maintain. I have had several of these outside and they have been exposed to the elements for about two years now and they look absolutely breathtaking – and that’s not a word that I throw around often. The various sconces, holders, mirrors and accessories that the site sells are all top quality so if you feel like passing out when you see the prices – don’t. If you have any doubt about their products, please, do yourself a favor and take a trip to one of the retail locations to check out what they offer. I can almost guarantee that, without a doubt, you will be more than willing to pay a little extra for the items once you see them and get to handle them.
Purchases
There are so many awesome things at the site but the one item that I go back for time and time again is the pumpkin pie scented candles. These are a little different from the newer ones they recently introduced at the site but personally, both are fantastic. I tend to stick with the medium sized candles because the smaller ones could get damaged in transit and the larger ones are too bulky and shipping on them will kill you. The aromatherapy ones are equally as impressive and have a scent that floats through the entire house without being so overbearing that it’s too much. Ordering is simple and adding things to your shopping cart isn’t a hassle, neither is removing items if you change your mind. So far I’ve ordered candles, sconces, lanterns and picked up some nice deals on sales and end of season items. This is also a great way to have things on hand when you need a last minute gift or are looking for something special for someone that seems to have everything.
Shipping Fees
Shipping is calculated according to the dollar amount of your order, not the weight but that doesn’t mean that things won’t get expensive. Consider that the large three wick candles are $20.00 each, if you order a few of those you are looking at about $12.00 for shipping. Still, it beats having to go to the mall and deal with the crowds of people and cramped aisles that some of the stores have. Orders usually arrive about a week after they are placed but allow a little extra time if you are ordering during a holiday. You can choose from standard, express or next day delivery – each of which will cost you more depending on how quickly you want your order to arrive. To me the cost of shipping isn’t bad but if you are ordering a lot of expensive stuff, it can get up there. If you spend over $160.00 then your total shipping fee is 10% of the order for standard. That’s not too bad but if you have a store near you, check to see if they have the items in stock before you order them online. If you aren’t sure if there is a store near you, use the “store finder” option at the site.
Return Policy
If you aren’t satisfied with your purchase you can return it at any time to your local Illuminations store or using the prepaid mailing label that should arrive with your order. I’ve never had to return anything but I’d probably elect to take it back to the store if I still had the shipping papers or invoice. I really like the fact that I can return something to the store – especially if it is a gift for someone. They don’t have to wait for something else to arrive and they don’t have to see how much I paid for it! The site says to wait about fourteen days for a credit or replacement item – and to me that is a lot better time frame that what most sites offer.
Contact Information
Illuminations
1736 Corporate Circle
Petaluma, CA 94954
custserv@illuminations.com
www.illuminations.com
[800] 621-2998
[800] CANDLES [226-3537]
(888) 765-7203 - fax
The Bottom Line
So far I’ve had great experiences shopping at the Illuminations site and recommend it to all my friends that are into candles and aromatherapy. The shipping fees that can be a little high when ordering the higher priced items, when you hit the $160.00 mark, it levels off to 10% of the order it. Shipping with the standard option is the best way to go but you will have to wait a little longer to get your items but if you do need your order to arrive faster, you can elect to use the express or next day option however in this case, you may want to look for the items locally first, especially if you live on the west coast where even next day shipping might take two days to arrive. If you are looking for high quality candles and accessories as well as a nice selection of gifts, this is a great site to check out. Their seasonal items are not only beautiful but well crafted and suitable for gift giving for any occasion.
As always, thanks for the read!
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2004 Freak369
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Candles, accessories, gifts ..
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