Gaiam

Full review
I recently received an email with a lot of online sale links. One of them was a link to Gaiam.com. They were having a clearance sale and I could get a load of things for low prices with shipping included. I didn't need more stuff but the prices were so good, I clicked the link and away I went.

I had a good experience except for getting my shipping notice a day after I received the products. I wasn't blown away by their other offerings though and have seen the same items that were selling on the site elsewhere for lower prices.

Navigation, Shipping, and Return Information

The site is simple to navigate. There are tabs across the top for categories and drop down boxes for sub-categories. You can also do a keyword search. They sell a large variety of fitness DVDs, accessories, fitness machines, and apparel as well as eco-conscious home and outdoor products. There is heavy emphasis on "being green" and even some of the apparel and footwear is eco-friendly.

Click on a photo and a description and large photo will appear. Most of the time, there is just one view but you can zoom in and see in detail what you may be buying. Descriptions are ample but I would like a bit more info on the pricey items.

Add items to your cart and go to the checkout. From there, it is very simple to pay and get done quickly. You can register with the site or continue as a guest as I did. Supply the usual info and pay with a major credit card and you are done. You will get a confirmation email immediately. I never got my shipping one until after the items arrived but I am assuming the theory is that you are supposed to get a shipping email when your order actually ships.

Shipping begins at $5.95 and then goes to a percentage of your order total after $150.00. I didn't pay for shipping because of the special going on. You can choose expedited shipping for a higher fee.

Returns are accepted on everything they sell for a refund or exchange. You must ship the item back at your cost and your original shipping will not be refunded. That is standard for most online stores. I see nothing about a restocking fee for returns. They have their phone number and email address shown on each page and encourage communication if needed.

My Experience

I bought the sale items without even really knowing what I was buying. They were really cheap. I also bought a "grab bag" of products and that was fun seeing what I would get. I didn't buy anything from their usual inventory because the prices were too high. They have an outlet area and that is the only place I would purchase anything from Gaiam.com. I can find most of the same products anywhere for cheaper!

My transaction went smoothly and I received a confirmation email right away. I never did get anything telling me my order was on its way but it came to me in about five days. The next day, I received a letter informing me that my items were being shipped. How's that for fast service? They ship one day and it arrives the day before!

My stuff was OK. It was mostly clearance stuff and not really anything that I would buy myself for full price. I got a few DVDs, a couple of yoga music CDs, and assorted other small items. I do like the body stretch DVD and stretch band I received in my grab bag. Everything was packed fine and it was what I ordered.

And that was that. It was that simple.

My only quibble is that I didn't get a shipping email until after I received my order but that wasn't a big deal. I didn't have to return anything or talk to customer service.

Conclusion

Gaiam.com is a decent site for fitness and eco friendly home related products. I think they are pricey though and probably won't buy from them unless they have another big sale with free shipping. There is nothing wrong with the products. In fact, they all seem to be pretty decent quality and names I know well. But I just don't want to pay their prices when I can go elsewhere and get free shipping and lower prices.

I am going with 3 stars based solely on my one experience. I have read that some people have had issues with this website and I can't speak to that as I didn't have a return or a need to deal with customer service. As far as ordering, paying, and receiving my order in a timely fashion, my transaction was smooth. I recommend the site but do warn that you can probably get many of the items you are looking at for less money on other sites. I took a star off for the higher prices and no free shipping threshold like most websites have.