I am a first time customer of Coldwater Creek. I live in Georgia, so I have never seen a store or heard of them as they don’t have any physical locations in my state or anywhere around it. In fact, the retailer doesn’t have a very large brick-and-mortar presence, but is very active online and well-known in the Northwest United States.
My sister was the one who got interested in this women’s fashion retailer and encouraged me to give them a try. Before ordering I wanted to find out more about the store and about their story, so I read their About Us section. Coldwater Creek was founded in 1984 in the Sandpoint, Idaho. Today the headquarters are in Hingham, Massachusetts. The company was started by a husband a wife and saw incredible growth through the years until 2008. At the highest point of business Coldwater Creek was pulling in $1.15 billion per year and operating just over 300 retail stores. Unfortunately, as we all well know, after the 2008 recession and then resumed growth, many brick-and-mortar apparel retailers could not get back on their feet due to Amazon and similar online retail takeover. Coldwater Creek also experienced trouble and had to refocus the business direction.
Today the company operates only 8 physical stores and is focused on its online operations. Since I never heard of them before, I was eager to find out why. I guess the main reason is their style, which seems to target a bit older women than me. But who am I kidding? – I am no spring chicken with 39th birthday fast approaching, so looking for retailers like Coldwater Creek is right in line with my aging and changing preferences.
Another aspect why I got interested is the inspiration and the idea behind the designs. According to the company’s website, they focus on women from all walks of life, because there is never a time when we don’t want to feel fashionable and comfortable. The design and the earthy colors are inspired by timeless beauty of nature of the Great Northwest, and I think I can see that. Looking at all merchandise and knowing where their inspiration comes from, I envision the mountains and the vast prairies when looking at cozy shirts, understated dresses, and subdued scarfs that can double as shawls. It seems that clothes are speaking to me and calling me to travel west and get lost in nature.
I love the fact that there are no stick thin models in the online catalog, so every piece of clothing seems inclusive no matter what body type you have. It’s very refreshing to browse unintimidated instead of having to look at those 5’10” models that wear size 0 and understand that that particular garment will never look like that on you. Coldwater Creek takes this out all together and displays clothing with full focus on materials, colors, and design. I feel that with today’s technology and flashy models we are getting distracted from what matters.
I definitely loved browsing the website and looking at various categories of clothes. I started with Sale section and was pleased to see many items discounted by 30%, especially sweaters and pants. The prices are not very cheap, but I’ve seen worse; I have also seen better. But I think we always pay for what we get, and I understand that quality of Coldwater Creek’s materials is top notch, per many happy customers’ reviews on the site.
I have to admit that I am used to a bit different fashion – tight shiny leggings, short dresses, long cute sweaters, skinny jeans, and tank tops. The clothes here are a different. I saw a lot of lose fitting items, long pants, shirts, cozy jackets and sweaters, cardigans, vests, tunics, some jewelry, comfy shoes, home décor accents, and lose sleepwear. Everything just speaks about comfort and quality. I noticed lots of colors that one could see in the forest of by a river – blue, navy, green of all shades, brown, yellow, grey, white, black, pink, and red. Many garments were adorned with flowers, horses, tree motives, animals, hearts, and ornaments. New collection featured hearts and “love” for the upcoming Valentine’s Day.
I am planning a trip around California in spring with my family, so with that in mind I picked a jean jacket, lined with faux shearling, and a comfy one-size-fits-all poncho. As I mentioned before, the prices were on a steep side, but I found the jacket on sale and in addition to that 30% discount, I also had a coupon for 25% off and free shipping, which helped tremendously.
My jacket’s full price was $99.95, but with sale I got it for $79.95. The poncho was also on sale – $49.95 from $59.95. On top of these savings I got $25 off with the coupon and $14 off with free shipping. As you can see, the savings were significant.
It took about a week to get my order, but I wasn’t in a hurry. Both items came packed nicely in separate taped bags, with thin gift paper between bends, under the collar of the jacket, and around the wrists of it. The poncho looks very nice on me and will be taken to a trip with me in April. It’s loose, can be worn on top of everything, great for layering, and makes me feel ready for a trip to be one with nature.
The jacket looks nice and of high quality, but I got a bit disappointed with sizing. I normally order everything small, so after looking at size chart I decided to do the same here. However the jacket looks like large or extra-large on me. I am not planning to put lots of extra layers under it, so I don’t need it to be this wide. The length of sleeves is nice, however. Being 5’9” tall I experience too short sleeves quite a bit. I decided to exchange the jacket for extra small, but got another disappointment – the exchange is not free, but it’ll cost me $6.95 for shipping and handling. I will still do it, but the company should reconsider this policy as so many retailers charge for returns, but not for exchanges.
In conclusion, I think I will buy from them again, especially from Sales section. If I am ever close to their store somewhere in Texas, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, or New Mexico, I will definitely stop by. I will, however, keep in mind to go lower in size than I normally do next time I buy anything from Coldwater Creek.
I am a first time customer of Coldwater Creek. I live in Georgia, so I have never seen a store or heard of them as they don’t have any physical locations in my state or anywhere around it. In fact, the retailer doesn’t have a very large brick-and-mortar presence, but is very active online and well-known in the Northwest United States.
My sister was the one who got interested in this women’s fashion retailer and encouraged me to give them a try. Before ordering I wanted to find out more about the store and about their story, so I read their About Us section. Coldwater Creek was founded in 1984 in the Sandpoint, Idaho. Today the headquarters are in Hingham, Massachusetts. The company was started by a husband a wife and saw incredible growth through the years until 2008. At the highest point of business Coldwater Creek was pulling in $1.15 billion per year and operating just over 300 retail stores. Unfortunately, as we all well know, after the 2008 recession and then resumed growth, many brick-and-mortar apparel retailers could not get back on their feet due to Amazon and similar online retail takeover. Coldwater Creek also experienced trouble and had to refocus the business direction.
Today the company operates only 8 physical stores and is focused on its online operations. Since I never heard of them before, I was eager to find out why. I guess the main reason is their style, which seems to target a bit older women than me. But who am I kidding? – I am no spring chicken with 39th birthday fast approaching, so looking for retailers like Coldwater Creek is right in line with my aging and changing preferences.
Another aspect why I got interested is the inspiration and the idea behind the designs. According to the company’s website, they focus on women from all walks of life, because there is never a time when we don’t want to feel fashionable and comfortable. The design and the earthy colors are inspired by timeless beauty of nature of the Great Northwest, and I think I can see that. Looking at all merchandise and knowing where their inspiration comes from, I envision the mountains and the vast prairies when looking at cozy shirts, understated dresses, and subdued scarfs that can double as shawls. It seems that clothes are speaking to me and calling me to travel west and get lost in nature.
I love the fact that there are no stick thin models in the online catalog, so every piece of clothing seems inclusive no matter what body type you have. It’s very refreshing to browse unintimidated instead of having to look at those 5’10” models that wear size 0 and understand that that particular garment will never look like that on you. Coldwater Creek takes this out all together and displays clothing with full focus on materials, colors, and design. I feel that with today’s technology and flashy models we are getting distracted from what matters.
I definitely loved browsing the website and looking at various categories of clothes. I started with Sale section and was pleased to see many items discounted by 30%, especially sweaters and pants. The prices are not very cheap, but I’ve seen worse; I have also seen better. But I think we always pay for what we get, and I understand that quality of Coldwater Creek’s materials is top notch, per many happy customers’ reviews on the site.
I have to admit that I am used to a bit different fashion – tight shiny leggings, short dresses, long cute sweaters, skinny jeans, and tank tops. The clothes here are a different. I saw a lot of lose fitting items, long pants, shirts, cozy jackets and sweaters, cardigans, vests, tunics, some jewelry, comfy shoes, home décor accents, and lose sleepwear. Everything just speaks about comfort and quality. I noticed lots of colors that one could see in the forest of by a river – blue, navy, green of all shades, brown, yellow, grey, white, black, pink, and red. Many garments were adorned with flowers, horses, tree motives, animals, hearts, and ornaments. New collection featured hearts and “love” for the upcoming Valentine’s Day.
I am planning a trip around California in spring with my family, so with that in mind I picked a jean jacket, lined with faux shearling, and a comfy one-size-fits-all poncho. As I mentioned before, the prices were on a steep side, but I found the jacket on sale and in addition to that 30% discount, I also had a coupon for 25% off and free shipping, which helped tremendously.
My jacket’s full price was $99.95, but with sale I got it for $79.95. The poncho was also on sale – $49.95 from $59.95. On top of these savings I got $25 off with the coupon and $14 off with free shipping. As you can see, the savings were significant.
It took about a week to get my order, but I wasn’t in a hurry. Both items came packed nicely in separate taped bags, with thin gift paper between bends, under the collar of the jacket, and around the wrists of it. The poncho looks very nice on me and will be taken to a trip with me in April. It’s loose, can be worn on top of everything, great for layering, and makes me feel ready for a trip to be one with nature.
The jacket looks nice and of high quality, but I got a bit disappointed with sizing. I normally order everything small, so after looking at size chart I decided to do the same here. However the jacket looks like large or extra-large on me. I am not planning to put lots of extra layers under it, so I don’t need it to be this wide. The length of sleeves is nice, however. Being 5’9” tall I experience too short sleeves quite a bit. I decided to exchange the jacket for extra small, but got another disappointment – the exchange is not free, but it’ll cost me $6.95 for shipping and handling. I will still do it, but the company should reconsider this policy as so many retailers charge for returns, but not for exchanges.
In conclusion, I think I will buy from them again, especially from Sales section. If I am ever close to their store somewhere in Texas, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, or New Mexico, I will definitely stop by. I will, however, keep in mind to go lower in size than I normally do next time I buy anything from Coldwater Creek.
Barkbox is a subscription service for dog toys and edible delights. Super Chewer is a bit more expensive version for dogs that are extra active at chewing.
With so many different subscription boxes available you might be wondering if this one is really good, especially when you have no way of telling what it’s like before you actually subscribe to it and make a commitment.
I have ordered this box for my dog Marlo and would like to share my insights with you and hopefully help you decide to give it a try or on the contrary – stay away. This is our experience, so keep in mind that yours might be completely different.
Marlo is about 60 pounds, so I went with a box for a large dog. He turned out to be a very aggressive chewer, so I ended up upgrading the subscription to Super Chewer, but let’s talk about the classic one first:
Dogs love toys, period, and I always buy toys for my little big guy. Unfortunately, some toys only live a day or two before getting totally destroyed, others I see for a few weeks, so the need for toys in my house is constant.
Most toys in the classic box were plush, which, yes, got killed and de-gutted within hours. Every once in a while there was a rubber toy in a box, so this is why I ended up upgrading.
Marlo is not big on eating and definitely is not spoiled with treats. The best treat for him a piece of cheese if there is ever a need while training him. So I felt that the treats made the box more expensive, but were totally not needed by me or Marlo. The treats were nice, organic, and tasty, so no complaints here, it’s just something I would never spend money on. You can also specify your dog’s sensitivities or allergies and you won’t receive treats with those ingredients.
Every chew we got was very nice and tasty for Marlo. He attacked every one of those dental chews until they were gone, and he doesn’t chew everything that easily. So I can say that he was a fan.
Super Chewer is an upgraded BarkBox for aggressive chewers. It costs $8-$9 extra per box of rubber and tough rope toys, so you can forget picking up fluff from every corner of your house.
The toys are Marlo tested and approved in this house! If you don’t want to upgrade for Super Chewer, you can contact BarkBox customer service and request more durable plush toy versions for your classic subscription at no cost. This option is not available on the website, but you can request it via live chat or over the phone.
This is an important consideration, so let’s take a look at some numbers:
Each box has 2 toys, 2 treat bags, and 1 chew. If you divide that by total price of the box, which I did below, you will see that cost per item is less than similar items would go for at pet retail stores.
This is good news and shows that money is well spent.
The good price might not matter if you otherwise wouldn’t buy so many dog toys or treats and with the subscription blow through your dog budget. All those extras don’t include real food, so keep that in mind.
This is what the prices look like:
Beware that there is no cancellation policy, so once you commit to a period of time, you can’t back out. Their customer service is very nice and will work hard to keep you happy, but you have to be very sure about this before subscribing. You can start by ordering just one box per month, especially when the first one is discounted for new customers, if you just want to try.
The subscription is also auto-renewing, so don’t forget to opt out before it renews if you don’t like something or simply accumulated too many dog toys.
Other than locking us into a period of time, this subscription service gets thumbs up from both me and Marlo.
KidBox delivery is exciting for little ones
As I said in my first review, I ordered two boxes from KidBox to try and see if I liked them both, one of them, or none of them. The first one that we opened was Star Wars themed special edition and much anticipated as we have serious Star Wars lovers in the house, aka both of my sons.
Nicely packed and themed KidBox/20off.com
Unfortunately, the box didn’t satisfy us neither with quality, nor with design, so everything got sent back. It was time to open the second box. But before we do that, let’s remember what KidBox is altogether.
Limited Edition fashion is all about Star Wars
KidBox fashion subscription boxes come once per season and can be designed by you or by fashion experts who work for KidBox. Each box has 6-8 items, mostly fashion, but it could also be a small craft or game, especially for little kids, like my 5 year old son.
KidBox opening is like taking a surprising trip
I love the fact that KidBox works with many famous brands and also donates clothes for kids in need each time the entire box is kept. When it comes to keeping the box, the choice is yours – you can keep everything or just part of what you’ve received. Sending clothing and other items back is free of charge, so you won’t lose anything there.
KidBox comes with a little coloring page
I was very excited about this box because I usually don’t have much time to go shopping for clothes for my boys, but now we have corona virus situation, and I don’t want to leave the house at all. Even after all this isolation and quarantine are over, I will always enjoy ordering things online and getting them delivered to my door.
All of this is just from one KidBox
KidBox also offers an element of surprise for my young son, making trying new clothes less of a chore and more of a pleasure. At the end of the day I will be a happy camper if I find something nice for my kids to wear, do it at my house in safety, and support kids that are in need of clothes. It seems that KidBox can offer all that and I can even choose a charity that I want them to donate to.
Cute rubber bands for boys from KidBox
Each box for kids has 7-8 items and costs $98, making each item worth about $15. Boxes for babies have 5-6 items in them and cost about $68 or around $12 per item. Each item in the box shows retail price and individual price. If you choose not to keep the whole box, you will be charged individual item prices for those items that you do keep.
You know exactly what you are getting from KidBox
It always helps to look for coupons, especially for the first time customers. I was able to use 50% off coupon and saved a nice chunk of cash this way.
Personalized letter from KidBox creators
This is what we received in our second customized KidBox for my son Michael (the prices are individual or what you would pay if sending something back):
Color block windbreaker from KidBox
Tommy Hilfiger collection from KidBox
Smiley face or headphone face?
Every day jogger pants from KidBox
Cotton shorts with adjustable waist from KidBox
Cotton top with space motifs for boys from KidBox
Lucky Brand shirt from KidBox
This box included good brands, natural materials, and much better design and style than the limited edition Star Wars box, so we decided to keep all of it and have KidBox donate some clothes for kids who need them. Thank you, KidBox!