Has anyone bought sinks or faucets online??? Please help!
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16 years ago
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linda-z
16 years agoRelated Discussions
Has anyone ordered a mirror online? Any delivery problems?
Comments (7)I ordered two mirrors at the same time, both from homeclick.com. One was a Whithaus New generation mirror, the other a Watermark Loft. Both arrived safely but at wildly different times (Watermark after 2 weeks, Whitehaus after 14 weeks!). Both were well packed, the Whitehaus extremely so, so well in fact I feared I would break it getting it out. The literally entombed the bubble-wrapped mirror inside the box by using some kind of spray-in foam that then hardened. It was a lot like encasing Han Solo in carbonite, only without the instant-thaw wizardry. I finally had to cut the box away and cut through the foam until I heard a bubble "pop" (Oh, that must be the mirror ...). Long story but my advice -- order away. I bought nearly all of my bathroom remodel parts online with few hassles. The only caution is lead time -- sometimes they advertise things they may not have in stock. Most tell you that upfront. Homeclick, plumbersurplus, Vermont Soapstone, Modwalls, Chicago Faucet, eBay, Ira Woods, etc....See MoreHas anyone bought a Diamond from Blue Nile.com?
Comments (26)I'd like to second what pebbles said about GIA certificates. At the higher end of the diamond world, stones are traded based strictly on certificates. They are that important. I'm another one who did a good deal of research a few years back. The way the market is structured, there are cities such as Antwerp and NY and sources in Russia and Israel where the market is centered and the best stones are traded and cut. There are wholesalers who buy stones, make up the rings and then sell them -- even to the high end stores like Tiffanys and Cartier though those often have exclusive styles. Harry Winston has their own workshop upstairs above the store where they make some pieces. But if you are going for a stone larger than 2 carats and with good cut and color -- pebbles again is quite right, chances are you are not going to do very well outside a big market. Even some discounters here have trouble getting larger stones of good quality. Many local jewelers are clueless about diamonds no matter what they say. The industry is structured on fixed pricing per carat, clarity and color. There's a publication used in the wholesale market that determines this and changes weekly or monthly (can't recall). Then there is cut, which is an eye thing developed only by extensive looking and relationships with the 'better" dealers who get the better stones. Point is, there are regional diamond centers in big cities such as Chicago and elsewhere, plus the online folks. With every layer of distance from the source there is an upcharge. Pebbles also makes a really good point about resale. The only fallback anyone has is to buy the best color, clarity and largest carat size you can afford from a name jeweler such as Tiffany, Cartier, Winston, Bulgari etc. as these command a premium if you resell them at auction. But you will pay retail and those brands command premium prices. I had a Cartier engagement ring that I resold at auction after many years and got a good price. But it was registered there with a number and I had retained the original invoice that stated the specs. I had worn it a lot and the engraving had worn off so I took to to them and they reengraved their name in the ring It was a pretty ring and I was able to sell it at auction advantageously because it was a prestige brand. But that's the only reason to pay retail (though styles go in and out of fashion and even values of the prestige brands fluctuate accordingly). If you are going for a larger stone than 2 carats then I would recommend a ton of research and asking everyone you know so you can get through the chain and as close as possible to the source. It might also be a good idea to check around on jewelry auctions where engagement rings are sold with certificates as you can sometimes do a bit better. My youngest brother got engaged two years ago. They had shopped extensively and he really knew his onions, plus the style she wanted and what he could afford. By making the right wholesale connection and shopping in NY (i.e. in a source market) rather than in Arizona or California, he was able to buy a ring that was a carat larger with the same color and clarity, and a better cut within his budget. The dealer was happy to deal with him because he knew exactly what he was buying and knew how good the price was and didn't dither over making the decision....See MoreHas anyone bought a sink from MrDirect
Comments (1)I did - it was installed Sept 1. So far we've been very happy with it. It's a 1-1/2 double bowl that fits in a 30" sink base. Our old sink was a standard 33" double stainless; the large bowl on the new sink is both larger and deeper than one side of the old one, and the small bowl is large enough to be useful. The sink was well packaged, and when I later decided to get grids, the person I spoke to on the phone was very helpful. It's only been a few months, but so far I am thrilled with my sink....See MoreHas anyone bought a camera online?
Comments (14)Thank you for all the different links, suggestions and feedback. I don't remember if I mentioned I have been looking through Popular Photography mag's and found the first links there. I have a canon PowerShot A85 that has worked great for a long time. Last time [maybe a year ago] I came here and got lots of help someone - Maybe Joe- gave me links and info on more things I could do with that camera. So I have had lots of fun and improved a bunch on photo 'how to's' but it slipped out of my hand a while back and I broke the little silver ring covering the lens area where it zooms - I think it probably also protects the lens a bit along with just looking better! LOL Anyway since then I have been looking more seriously. I have have just gotten a new job and will will be able to afford a nice camera so thought I would take the plunge and get the 'Dream' Camera. I want to get as many perks to it on the first purchase as I can afford because I will also be using this for business so can deduct it. Thank goodness for that although even with being able to deduct it I stillneed to be able to pay for it! Thanks again!...See MoreFori
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