Christmas comes early at TheToyShop.Com (thetoyshop.com)

Member Name: Rhiana

Product:	thetoyshop.com
Date:	13/07/09 (92 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to navigate, some good discounts, quick delivery, great service.

Disadvantages: Somethings can be found cheaper elsewhere.

Last Christmas I did practically all my shopping online for the first time ever. I usually like Christmas shopping in real stores, mad I may be but fighting and sweltering in heaving stores, rowing with the equally fed up sales assistants, and hearing the same old songs over and over in the middle of October is traditional right? And I'm a traditional kind of girl.

However, last year my christmas spirit was at an all time low. I'd had a particularly bad time at work and decided to quit my job, so money was tighter than usual. I also wasn't in the best of health and so doing my shopping on the internet become increasingly desirable. I am a member of a parenting internet forum which has an excellent Christmas and special offers thread, and it was from there I discovered TheToyShop.com

~ About TheToyShop.com ~

This is the internet shopping site for retailer The Entertainer. I had never actually heard of these stores before, there is certainly none near me. However a 'Find Us' section on the website lists 46 stores mainly in the South and describes The Entertainer as the largest independent Toy retailer in the UK with over 25 years experience.

TheToyShop.com stocks a wide range of toys from all the well known brands including Lego, Fisherprice, Crayola, Zapff, Mattel and many more. They supply toys for Babies up to teenagers for both indoor and outdoor use, as well as having a section selling character bedroom accessories.

~ The Website ~

I found the website incredibly easy to navigate. The home page is bright and clear with all the different heading sections along the top. These include, to name a few:

Action toys and figures
Arts And Crafts
Dolls and Soft Toys
Games and Puzzles
Infant and Pre-school
Outdoor
Pretend Home and Household
Tv and Film

I liked this sectioning of the toys as it made it easy for me to find the type of toys I was looking for straight away. I was shopping for my daughter, so could head straight for the dolls section and give the vehicles a miss. I also liked how I could browse a category such as arts and crafts, without actually knowing what I was looking for. There is a search function on the home page if it is a particular product your after, but browsing wise I did find this one of the most easy to navigate websites of it's type.

Once you click into your chosen section, the products are then split and regrouped again. For example the Dolls and Prams section then has a choice of baby doll's, prams and pushchairs, fashion dolls, and doll's houses. Some section are also separated by brand, such as Baby Born or Baby Annabel. Again this makes the site very easily to navigate and find what you are looking for.

Each product is displayed nicely with an attractive picture and clear information on the product. I did notice that the prices seem to fluctuate in terms of being bargains. Some items I knew could be bought cheaper elsewhere, while others where absolute give aways.

Also on the homepage are links to new arrivals and best sellers running down either side. In the middle you will find a link to my favourite part. The Sale advertising upto 75% off. I like how the site gives the sale link such a prominent position, you can't miss it.

A lot of websites don't give much thought about the layout of their sale section. You can find yourself trawling threw pages of stuff your not in the slightest bit interested in to see if there is something you are. TheToyShop are not one of such sites however, and the sale section is as equally easy to navigate as the rest. It is split again into category of toys, and most helpfully it is also split into 'Toys For Girls' and 'Toys For Boys' if you want to be gender specific! There are some brilliant bargains here, and as I was shopping for a girl especially noticed that there was usually 50% off Baby Born stuff, and excellent discounts on Baby Annabel. Anyone with a little girl will no doubt know how extortionate these brands can be, so it is definitely worth knowing about. I have just visited the site again today and their are still plenty of discounted, branded toys so it would seem the sale section is a permanent feature.

I selected a Baby Born Doll, some dressing up clothes and some craft games and was very pleased with my total price.

~ Ordering And Delivery ~

Checking out requires you to register with the site. Don't worry though this only takes a couple of minutes. I have since received a couple of promotional e-mails but no junk post, so your details are not abused.

Standard delivery costs £3.95, express deliver is £5.95 and priority delivery will set you back £11.95. TheToyShop.com will post internationally but you need to request a price from them direct. I seem to remember recieving free delivery as my order was over £20, but I can't see any such offers advertised now so perhaps it is an occasional promotional thing.

Checking out was a simple no fuss process. As well as the usual cards being accepted I was thrilled to find they also accepted paypal. I had just been clearing out on Ebay and had some Paypal funds so chose this option.

I did get a bit confused at this point, as after completing checkout and having my order confirmed, the funds hadn't been taken out of my paypal account. I was concerned that my order hadn't actually been processed and kept checking over the weekend. There is a contact telephone number and I planned on ringing on the Monday, however when I checked that day I had an e-mail stating that my order was dispatched and would be with me shortly. I checked Paypal and indeed the money had now gone, so clearly they won't take your payment until your order is processed and ready to be sent out to you.

I received my order 2 days later, it was extremely well packaged and everything was in tact. A week later I had an email asking me if I was satisfied and I was happy to give very positive feedback.

~ Conclusion ~

TheToyShop.com does have a good range of toys, although not as large as say Argos for example. I did look for a couple of things that just were not on sale, but overall I was impressed with the selection.

I love the sale section and how it is grouped to make browsing easy. I was also very pleased with some of the bargains I picked up, saving myself a pretty penny.

thetoyshop.com kept in touch via email (albeit standard ones) throughout keeping me updated as to the progress of my order. There is even a function to track your order on the site which is very useful. I wasn't expecting such quick delivery, especially given the time of year, and found it quick and efficient. My whole experience of shopping with TheToyShop.com was pleasant and hassle free.

I would be happy to recommend this site to others, and indeed will be visiting again myself this Christmas. I love that they accept paypal and will once again will be having a pre Christmas clear out knowing that I can spend my earnings easily without the hassle of transferring and waiting for them to hit my bank.

Summary: A hassle free and painless christmas shopping experience