Adam & Eve Online Store - Lots of goodies for my toybox.
Written: Apr 06 '07 (Updated Apr 21 '07)
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So how does one write a review about a site that sells sex toys and adult novelties? Very carefully, I suppose. So I'll just stick to the basics.
Adam & Eve was founded in 1970 by Phil Harvey and was part of his master's thesis in family planning. The company went through some hard times in the 80s when the government cracked down on the adult novelty industry, but they persisted and continued to grow and thrive despite the adversity.
So a few weeks ago I placed an order with adameve.com. First off, I was very surprised that there is no nudity on the website. Nude body parts are greyed or blurred so that they cannot be seen. Now there are pictures of people in the throes of passion that you wouldn't want your 10 year old to see, but the parts are not exposed. There are also some slang terms for body parts and explicit video and book names on the site that may make the sensitive viewer a bit uncomfortable.
The main page of Adam & Eve features the top three deals on the site and also the deal of the day which is usually at a significantly reduced price. The products are organized into some of the following categories: Books, DVDs, Toys for Men, Toys for Women, Specials, Clearance, Kits, Lingerie, Contraceptives, and toys in general. Clicking on a product category shows a list of all the products in that category and may be broken down into sub-categories. The items I purchased were part of a sub-category. When I drill down to the lowest level within that category the top section of the page contains a short blurb about the products within the category and what they are used for and the benefits. There is also a section that shows the good, better, and best products in the category which helps to choose just the right product for your needs.
Another nice feature of the site is the Quick View feature. Clicking this button causes a pop-up box to display which contains more information about the product, special features, what kind and quantity of batteries it might need, material it is made from, and other applicable information, such as sizes. You can easily add the item to your shopping cart from this pop-up box as well.
Another thing I like are the customer reviews. Underneath the picture of each item is a series of five stars which indicates the customer satisfaction rating for that product. Customers have the ability to submit reviews of the product with a star rating of 1-5 just like we can here on Epinions.com. It's interesting to read other peoples' opinions on the items that I might potentially buy and to read what they like and don't like.
For the first time customer or novice in adult product shopping, the site is very user-friendly. Each product category contains a blurb that explains the uses and benefits of the product the customer is viewing. There is also a very nice Buyer's Guide that is a comprehensive guide to choosing, buying, using, and cleaning your products. Let’s face it, a lot of people don’t have anyone to talk to about this type of thing so the guide would be most helpful for newbies or if you just don’t know how or why to use a certain product. There are also links to sex education sites.
Shopping is quite easy. Simply add the items to the shopping cart and click the Secure Checkout button to finish. Customers can either create an account or check out as a guest. Adam & Eve accepts Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, personal check, PayPal, and the Adam & Eve card.
The standard shipping charge is $6.95 and orders typically ship within two business days. Orders are shipped by UPS or USPS depending on how quickly the customer wishes to receive the order. Shipping charges increase accordingly based on the shipping times. I found an online coupon code so my order was shipped at no cost. Shipping insurance is displayed on the checkout page but is optional.
Free gifts are offered often and depend on the order total. I received a free DVD with my order but was unable to choose the title. I also received a page of temporary tattoos with my order.
Within minutes of placing my order I received two emails. One was an order confirmation that recapped the items I purchased, whether they were in stock or not, the regular price, sale price, shipping, tax and totals. The other email contained suggestions for additional products that would enhance my experience. I was actually very glad that Adam & Eve suggested those products as I had intended to purchase one of them but completely forgot. The nice thing was that they added it to my original order without an added shipping fee.
Shipping was relatively fast which surprised me. At first I was disappointed that the estimated delivery date was three weeks from the date I placed my order, however I received the first package within four days and the second package two days later.
Shipping is very discreet and the packaging gives no indication of the goodies inside. One of my items was delivered in a padded yellow envelope that simply said Carrboro, NC on the label. The other came in a plain brown cardboard box with the same type of label.
Adam & Eve offers to its customers a hassle-free, 100% satisfaction guarantee. Items can be returned within 90 days of purchase for a full refund of the original purchase price. While I'm quite happy with most of what I purchased, I opened one of my items, took one look at it and thought “I do NOT think so”. I put it right back in the box, filled out the return form, taped it up and sent it back to Adam & Eve for a refund. I really was surprised that items can be returned at all so it was nice to know that I was not stuck with the product. I was thinking I'd have to just keep it or toss it out. What they do with returned, potentially used, items is anyone's guess. I prefer to not think about it.
Bottom Line
While I don’t shop for adult products on a regular basis, I had heard from a few friends and thru the grapevine that Adameve.com is the place to go for such things. The site is easy to navigate, is very helpful for newbies and experienced customers alike, shipping is fast, and the selection is unbelievable. Best of all you can shop from the privacy or your own home. The site is about as clean and discreet as it can be and is not skanky or icky at all. I'd definitely shop with Adam & Eve again.
Recommended:
Yes
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