eBags.com

Full review
I am an online shopping addict. I don't know where I would be without the Internet. Of course, I wouldn't have a job, since I work on networks so much. But I would also be really poorly dressed, all because I hate to go out and shop. What I love doing is shopping from the comfort of my own computer where I can research what I want and easily find it without having to pick over racks and shelves of stuff that doesn't interest me. So it should come as no surprise that these days I buy my purses and other bag-like accessories almost exclusively from eBags.com.

About eBags.com
Founded in the 1990's, during the dot-com boom, eBags claims to be the worlds largest online retailer of bags and accessories. Since their inception, eBags has popped up with other affiliates such as eBags UK. They carry brand name products as well as more generic bags and while they have an incredibly large selection of items, a great deal of their emphasis is on attending to their customers as well, which is a rarity in the online world.

Navigating the Site
eBags has created a very well-designed site that's robust, seems to be error-free (at least so far to me) and makes shopping easier than ever. The main eBags logo on the upper right corner of each page takes you to the original home page with a single click. Across the top are tabs for departments: Backpacks, Sports & Duffels, Handbags, Travel Accessories, Luggage and more. You can browse the site simply by selecting a tab and drilling down from there. There are many ways to shop for each kind of bag. You can shop by brand, style or material. One thing that does seem to be missing from the navigation pane on the left is the ability to shop by color or color family. (i.e. blue, beige, neutral, pastel, etc.)

The middle of each main page is taken up with featured selections and news of particular specials that are running on the site.

eBags has done something very interesting on their site that I would love to see duplicated elsewhere. At the bottom of each page there are several "customer help" options. You are always just one click away from either updating your e-mail preferences or e-mailing customer service. The toll free customer service number is also printed at the bottom of each page and in a spectacularly wild move (for an online company, that is) eBags actually has a Suggestions input form at the bottom of every single page on their website. Including your e-mail address is optional so all you have to do to make a suggestion is type in a few words on a page and hit a button. This is magnificent. This kind of openness to customer feedback is unheard of in the online world and so far eBags is the online leader in giving their customers ways to communicate with them. That alone puts them in the league of five star class acts.

Product Selection
The selection of products available at eBags is fantastic. I've never found so many bags and accessories under one virtual roof. If anything, the selection is too large. I often suffer from analysis paralysis while trying to decide on two different styles of soft-sided coolers. This is where the review system at eBags comes in handy.

Much like Epinions, eBags encourages their customers to provide feedback on the items they have received from the site. So if you like the look of a particular bag but wonder if it's actually very functional, chances are there will be several reviews from customers telling you what they think of it. Those reviews aren't as in-depth as the ones you tend to find on Epinions but they do help making a decision much easier.

Ordering
To order an item from eBags you simply click to add it to your cart and then you can either continue shopping or check out. One flaw at eBags: I find it impossible to simply check out. Once I've added the exact item to my cart that I want I find myself irresistably drawn to check out other things. I never leave eBags with just the one item I wanted to buy. All the other items beckon to me as well. It's a sickness, really.

Checking out is very simple. Creating an account will allow eBags to save your delivery information and your credit card information (should you want them to, this part is optional). You can also check out via PayPal. I had a coupon that I could use if I checked out with PayPal so I used PayPal for my purchase this time around (the first couple of times I used a credit card) and I found the process to be utterly seamless.

When you make your selections and add them to the cart, eBags gives you an estimated date when you can expect for your item to arrive - this even before the item is dropped off with UPS for delivery. This is nice because it helps you schedule whether your item will make it in the timeframe you want for it to be delivered. So far eBags has always been on time with their estimates.

Delivery & Product Quality
Delivery from eBags has always been on-time. They deliver their items via UPS and their deliver costs are excellent, and oftentimes free if you can get in during a special.

I've ordered the following five items from eBags: A leather business card holder, a tri-fold red leather wallet, a large over the shoulder handbag, a smaller leather-like cooler/purse combo and a wheeled soft-sided cooler. I love every single item I've ordered from eBags and I use every one of these items at least once a week, if not daily. The business card holder, wallet and handbag are all well over a year old and they've held up remarkably well. eBags sells quality products and I've not had a disappointment yet.

Customer Support
To be frank, I have never had the need to pick up the phone and contact customer support because all of my purchases from eBags have been handled flawlessly. It is worth noting however that options abound for reaching customer support. Phone numbers, e-mail addresses, operating hours and forms are all over the site and you simply can't miss it. Unlike Amazon and other giant retailers who think they are "above" being accessible to the customer, eBags clearly prioritizes the customer experience, which makes shopping with them very stress free.

But if you want numbers, it's worth noting that eBags claims they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. You can call them at 800-820-6126. Customer service hours are Monday - Friday 7AM to 7PM MDT and Saturday and Sunday 10AM to 2PM MDT.

Summary
Since discovering eBags I have purchased only one handbag in an actual brick and mortar store and that's because my sister-in-law hauled me in there as they were having a going out of business sale, with all handbags at $19.99. So really, it was a case of peer pressure. When I'm looking for luggage, travel accessories or handbags, the first and only place I usually end up checking is eBags. They have a great selection, very good prices, customer input that helps me make a decision, and very good access to customer support. I can't imagine buying a bag anywhere else, if eBags has what I'm looking for in stock.