Customer Reviews

thepurplebook(R), 2006 edition : the definitive guide to exceptional online shopping (Purple Book: The Definitive Guide to Exceptional Online Shopping)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have long been an enthusiastic online shopper and find this a viable way of saving time- with one caveat: the shipping is the deal breaker. Avoiding out-of-state sales tax is a bonus which is usually offset by reasonable shipping costs. However, there had been an alarming trend, especially in the wake of rising gas costs, to fatten the shipping rates into an often prohibitive charge. One of the things this online shopping manual provides is a guide to shipping coasts and other customer-friendly aspects of various sites. Revised and updated yearly, The Purple Book provides web sites for a variety of needs, assembled according to category, using universal symbols and section icons to show what specific products are offered on each site.

The concept is brilliant, as is the color, but I wanted more information on why these particular sites are included, other than that they meet certain criteria, price, selection, security, customer service contact, etc. I was curious whether these sites paid to be included or are actually the result of random sampling, from "search engines, message boards and recommendations". That issue aside, I chose random URL's from the book, using the author's review to assess the quality of the site. Of these selections, the reviews were accurate and specific, even a bit wry. The universal symbols aren't particularly helpful, some of them obvious, but most important, they do indicate reasonability of price point and shipping costs. A purple star connotes an endorsement by The Purple Book; since the reviews editorialize, I would like to see the text go one step further, with a one to five star rating.

Browsing the categories and frequently familiar web sites, I decided to search for printer ink cartridges, using The Purple Book as my resource, without much success. With a search this specific, I was forced back into Googleland to get the results I needed. However, for those new to online shopping and overwhelmed by the staggering number of shopping sites, this book is an invaluable aid. Of course, this collection of sources is only as good as the accuracy of information and the ease of use it provides. There are many incipient online shoppers (read "Baby Boomers") who can benefit from this source collection and the easy manner it portrays the online shopping experience. Given the enormous number of sites available, and growing, it is helpful to have a guide that sorts the wheat from the chaff. Luan Gaines/ 2005.

I picked up the book last week and found sound great sites I didn't know about - was able to get some holiday shopping done early for once. Great for those hard to find gifts, as well as everyday items. Very user friendy, highly recommended.

This is a good rendition on the various websites in existence for a variety
of goods and services on the internet. The volume is well organized. It is
easy to read and the price is reasonable. An update of the volume would be
in order for the 2007-2008 period; otherwise, the current book will suffice.
This book would be helpful for identifying websites specific to
the current needs of the customer. A beauty of the work is that it is easy
to locate product classifications with a minimum of effort. The acquisition
would be helpful for anyone who shops frequently on the internet.

Disappointing. The sections on womens' clothing & accessories tends toward the frumpy, or sites everybody knows already. If you are into fashion this probably isn't for you.

As an online retailer, this book will really help me benchmark the competition - easy to read and use!

The price ratings in this book are way off...one site in the book that was marked with one dollar sign had bouquets of flowers starting at $100 on up...hardly what I would call a bargain Web site. Other than that, pretty good.

Best internet guide I've seen, but still a long ways to go.

The contents of this book can be easily found on the internet when doing a basic search.