Hastle-Free Online Shopping (marshallward.co.uk)

Member Name: ickleannie

Product:	marshallward.co.uk
Date:	07/02/09 (62 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good Range Of Products, Bargains

Disadvantages: High Interest Rate

I was first introduced to Marshallward by chance about two years ago. I was looking for a pair of boots for the winter and a search engine actually brought me to the website. I thought it looked quite professional so decided to have a look at the other products available. It did seem to have quite a vast range of items available from clothing for all members of the family right through to electricals toys and homewares. Up to larger items like furniture and washing machines etc. I purchased the boots online however was disappointed a few days later when I received an email which told me that the item was no longer available as it had sold out and as a result my debit card had been recredited with the money. That was the only time I had used this site until a couple of months ago before Christmas were out of the blue I received a letter from the company which gave a special offer, whereby if I spent £100 I would get 50% off my order. Once again I had a look at the website................


This website is owned by a corperation known as the shop direct group who produce a variety of catalogues and online shops, to include Kays, Littlewoods, Additions Direct, Littlewoods Direct and more recently have become the proud owners of the Woolworths name.

They sell a huge selection of fashion items for women, men and children. They have a budget range of clothing and also designer and branded labels. The womens department sells Miss Sixty, Bench and Firetrap. There is also an extensive footwear section, a wedding department and a lingerie and nightwear shop. Furthermore They also cater for plus sizes and have just introduced a trinny and suzannah shape advisor section. Trust me you should look at this yourself as it is quite complicated to explain however it is a way of finding out all about your own individual body shape to help you find clothes which suit you and fit you better. They always seen to be advertising some form of promotion in this department whether it be 3 for 2 offers or discounted items you are sure to find something. The prices are relatively competitive to the high street so you can shop with confidence and not worry about getting ripped off. You need to keep looking to take advantage of these offers as they tend to change frequently.

The men's section also has a budget range available. furthermore they also have a mens designer section where they stock henleys, diesel, firetrap and bench among others, In addition they sell an extensive range of sports clothing, underwear, jackets and coats and plus size clothing up to XL. There is also a seasonal section dedicated to men's skiwear. Again there are also a range of special offers these change frequently so have a look at the site to see what is currently on offer.

There is also a wide selection of childrens clothing from birth right up to aged 16 years. They have bench, pineapple animal. An extensive shoe section , sportswear, brands for girls and boys, There is also nursery furniture, prams pushchairs and car seats. In addition they sell cots and bedding, and baby items.

Sports equipment and fitness items cater for everything you might need from cycling to hiking, Gym equipment and football kits. Look at the site as there is too much to mention here. There are lots of designer items available from footwear to tracksuits and branded sports items.
Furthermore there are Items for the home, furniture, electricals, appliances, gifts and jewellery, toys and special offers. The special offer section is worth a look as this is updated frequently and there are great bargains to be had.



How to buy

Items can be purchased by clicking on the desired item and size. The stock-checker will tell you if it is available or if there is a waiting period for the product. Or if an item has been sold out permanently or has limited stock. You will be unable to place an order for sold out stock. They provide a couple of different ways to pay. Flexible account allows you to buy products and choose the way you want to pay. Option one allows you to spread the cost of paying for items, Here you only have to pay the minimum amount owed on the account balance. This is £5 or a minimium of 5% of the outstanding balance each month. Option two would probably be the most desirable way to pay for items. You have an interest free period of 21 days to pay the full balance on the account and as a result no interest is charged on items purchased. To apply for flexible account there is a very simple online form to fill out. They will inform you of their credit decision by writing in ten days and if accepted will set a credit limit which will be periodically reviewed based on account management. I unfortunately am unable to comment on this method as I tend to pay the full amount immediately when purchasing items. A statement of account status is sent out every 28 days and tells you how much the minimum payment is or how much you have to spend available on your account. It also highlights the number of days you have left which is interest free.


Delivery/Returns

This is a handy site for delivery as you can choose when you require ordered items or when you are most likely to be in to receive them. Next day delivery is available if you order before 4pm the previous day. Charge for delivery is £3.95 per order. You can also order items 8 days in advance of when you require the item. A signature is required for certain orders however you will be advised of this at checkout. You may also specify a safe-place where an item can be left or at a neighbours if you are not going to be in. Deliveries are between 7am-6pm Monday to Friday. Larger items are £5.95 and you will need to arrange a time when you will definitely be in particulary if they are delivering fridges, washing machines etc. All of this information becomes apparent at check-out on the site as it gives you dates where you can provisionally book a slot. Returns can be arranged online also. You just click onto the relevant section enter your customer number and they will collect the item the next day. Returns are picked up for free. You can also phone to place an order or to arrange a return if you prefer to speak to someone.

Overall experience

The website is very easy to navigate and straightforward as it is laid out in sections. There is also a search facility to make it quicker if you know what you are looking to buy. There is a wide range of products on offer so you are sure to find something to suit. The added bonus of this website are the special offers that they always seem to have on particularly the 3 for 2 items. The clothes are well made and there is a variety of items to suit all tastes and budgets. I have only ordered twice from this company. The first time unsuccessfully (however I did get my money back within a day) and the second with no problems whatsoever. I received my items the next day and was very pleased with what I had purchased. In my case the £50 discount helped. I would recommend paying for items as they are purchased as the interest on their credit terms seems very excessive at 34% APR. ( I would look at the website as I believe that these terms are subject to change).This is also variable when you are a customer so make sure you are aware of the rate you are given. Overall a good site for a look and to take advantage of their bargains. Not sure I would want a long-term account with them though as you will end up paying well over the odds for products and it will take a while to pay off if only the minimum is paid. Three stars.

Summary: Online Shopping