Kohl's

Full review
It finally happened. My mother’s faithful Kitchenaid hand-held mixer died. She loved that mixer. So I journeyed on an internet quest to find the same model. And, of course, I wanted as low a price as possible. After exploring various websites, I determined that Kohl’s Online Store offered the best deal.


Navigating the Website

At first glance, I was puzzled how to navigate the website. I wanted a mixer and didn’t see an obvious link to kitchen appliances. Perhaps the Homestore link would help. Sure enough, that link opened a page with a kitchen category. But what about the rest of the website?

At the Top

The top of the Home Page features links to a Bridal Registry, Today’s Ad (store flyer), and My Kohl’s Charge (to check charge card purchases or for payment).

There is also a Search box. I tried this to directly locate the Kitchenaid mixer I wanted to purchase. I typed “Kitchenaid mixer”, and a page appeared with the results. At the top was the bestselling Kitchenaid stand mixer. Below that were three other Kitchenaid stand mixers. However, I wanted a hand-held mixer, not a huge stand-alone mixer. So I clicked the “more” link for additional search results. Three more mixers appeared on the next page. I clicked “more” again, and this time, the search page showed not only stand mixers but also hand-held mixers and mixer accessories. Sure enough, the mixer model I wanted was featured.

Also at the top of the Home Page are three tiny links to: Sign-in/My Account, Customer Service, Track Your Order.

Beneath this are larger links to: Women’s, Junior’s, Men’s, Kids’, Shoes, Jewelry, Beauty, Homestore, Shop by Room, Gift Shop, Gift Cards, Clearance. You can also view your Shopping Bag or Checkout. Beneath the Shopping Bag link is an update of how many items are in the Shopping Bag and the estimated shipping cost.


In the Middle

The center of the Home Page features item photos with links to special offers and sales. There is also a last-minute gift idea link to the nearest brick-and-mortar Kohl’s store along with a link to view Kohl’s television ads, and a list of top searches.


At the Bottom

There are many links along the bottom of the page in two rows. There are also links to their Security & Privacy Policy and Legal Notices pages.

First Row: Contact Us, E-mail Alerts, Our Brands, Product Guides, Recalls, Returns, Shipping, Site Map

Second Row: About Us, Careers, Investor Relations, News, Our Websites, Store Locator, Store Survey


My Shopping Experience

Each category heading on the Home Page (ex: Women’s, Beauty, Homestore) leads to its own page were a list of subcategories is displayed on the left side of the page. All the categories offer a large array of subcategories to choose from. The page also displays any sales or special offers.

For example, the Homestore page links are: Best Sellers, Brand for the Home, Seasonal, Game Room, Electronics, Bath, Bedding, Dining, Kitchen, Bakeware, Cookware, Kitchen Electrics, Garment Care, Home Accents, Gadgets, Entertaining, Decorative Art & Wall Decor, Frames & Albums, Furniture, Rugs, Slipcovers, Personal Care, Water & Air Purifiers, Vacuums, Luggage.

Click on a subcategory link, and a page opens featuring even more choices. For instance the Cookware category opens into a page that features more categories – everything from cookware sets and serveware to gadgets, food storage and cookbooks.

Each product page features a photo of the item with the option of viewing a larger image or an alternate view of the product. In my case, the Kitchenaid hand-held mixer alternate view showed the stir rod attached to the mixer. The price is displayed in small print, and beneath that is a detailed description of the product. At the right of the page are links to similar items that might be of interest. Choose the quantity, color and size if applicable, and if you wish the item sent to your address or another location then click “Add to Bag”.

At the top right of every page, the number of items chosen and the estimated shipping charge are listed. I like seeing the shipping cost without having to jump through hoops to find out what the shipping will be (some websites make it difficult to know the shipping costs). I always take shipping into account when purchasing a product, as it can add considerable cost to the order.


Checkout & Payment

It is easy to view the Shopping Bag contents or to Checkout by clicking on the link at the top right of the page. On this page it is simple to adjust quantity or to remove selected items. This page also gives a total of the order, including the shipping charges and any sales tax.

Click the checkout button to advance to the next page. Here you have the option of registering with Kohl’s (providing an e-mail address and creating a password). Or, you can choose Unregistered Checkout and click the “continue” button. This is the option I used.

The next page prompts for name, address, and phone number. There is also the option of choosing Standard Ground shipping or Priority Air. Kohl’s shipping policy (Ground) charges a flat fee for the first item, and each additional item costs $1.50 extra in shipping. Priority adds an extra $3.00 for each additional item. Each shipping option also shows estimated arrival dates.

Click the “continue” button. There is a small box that can be unchecked if you do not wish to receive e-mail sales alerts from Kohl’s. At this point, an e-mail address is also requested so that they can send an order confirmation and shipping details.

The next page shows an order summary. There is an area to insert a promotion code if you have one; up to two codes can be added. A Kohl’s Gift Card can also be used.

Payment options include: Kohl’s Charge Card, American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa.


E-mail Notification

After placing the order, I received an e-mail thanking me for the order. The message included a link for tracking the progress of the order and also a shopping help link.

At the time of checkout, a pop-up window asked if I wished to participate in an optional survey. I said “yes”. I received an e-mail asking me to validate my e-mail address so that I could do the survey.

The last e-mail I received, included a summary of the order along with a tracking number. The message stated that the order had shipped via UPS, and there was a link for tracking the order.


Receiving the Package

The package from Kohl’s arrived quickly, within a few days. I opened the cardboard box to see a lot of air-filled plastic pouches. At first I was impressed with the care taken to protect the mixer I had ordered. I removed the protective packaging to find the mixer box on the bottom of the carton ... with no packing material beneath it. At least the box containing the mixer was not damaged.

A packing slip was included as well as the rebate form for the Kitchenaid Mixer I ordered. (On the product page, it said there was a rebate on the mixer and that a rebate form would be included in the package.)


Summary

I am very pleased with my Kohl’s online shopping experience. The website certainly offers a large variety of merchandise. I noticed on the clearance items that my local Kohl’s store offers more variety than the website. So I would definitely visit my local store for closeout bargains. Would I shop at their website again? Oh, yes. As long as the price is good and they have what I wish to purchase. This was a great shopping experience.

I hope that you have found this review useful.

Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com


Additional Information

www.kohls.com


Please read my other reviews:

Best Buy Online Store

Buy.com Online Store

Staples Online Store

Hogwild Online Store

Harry and David Online and at the Mall

Betty Crocker Online Catalog

Cooking.com Online Store

The Republic of Tea Online Store

Burpee Online Store

Keepsake Quilting Online Store

Joann.com Online Store

Writer’s Digest Book Club

Uproar.com Online Games

Pogo.com Online Games



Copyright 2006 Dawn L. Stewart