AccessoryGeeks.com Site and Service Review
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Written To Better Inform Our Visitors Regarding These Deals: • MOTOROKR T505 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone [COUPONS] • Playboy Bunny Licensed Cubic Phone Charm 10% Off [COUPONS] • Universal Windshield Mount Cell Phone Holder [COUPONS] • Parrot 3400 LS-GPS Bluetooth Car Kit & GPS Antenna [COUPONS] |
As the popularity of cellphones and personal MP3 players skyrocketed, so to did the market for accessories. So much so that there are now sites completely dedicated to selling them, and surprisingly, AccessoryGeeks.com has more than 20,000 different accessories in stock. That’s pretty amazing, and if you need something for your phone, this is definitely the place to start looking. But do they deserve your business?
The company is located in California and has a physical store in addition to their online store. They have been in business for the past five years, and have steadily expanded since they opened. Stocking a wide variety of accessories for cellphones, as well as iPods, they have done a great job of trying to appeal to as many phone owners as possible. We were impressed by the selection and the availability of their items.
To be honest, the first thing we noticed when loading this site was the fact that they were using a Yahoo based cart. That’s fine for a little tiny company, but we must admit that we were shocked that a store of this caliber didn’t have their own solution. Granted, this would not be obvious to the average buyer, but it did put a bug in our ear.
Beyond that, the site seemed a tad unprofessional. The front page is chock full of product images, banners, promotions and badges. While there is nothing wrong with any of these on their own, it’s a bit of overkill. We were surprised that they didn’t have a picture of someone’s kitchen sink up there.
They do a great job however of letting you know that they are all about cellphone accessories, so they do accomplish that mission.
Beneath the clutter, there is a great navigation system. We were very pleased with the way they divided up accessories into many searchable categories, such as by cellphone manufacturer, carriers type and model. This is very helpful, especially for new customers that may not be quite sure what they are looking for.
Once you do narrow down what you’re looking for, it gets a little more complicated. For example, you have to click on chargers/manufacturer/model before you get to the actual products. There really isn’t much that can be done here however, and it is vital to find the right product for your phone. However, it seemed like a lot of clicks. Truth be told, they are between a rock and a hard place here so we couldn’t really fault them for that.
If you’re in a hurry, we recommend doing a search to find what you’re looking for. We typed in Blackberry Charger and were immediately taken to a product list where we could easily find what we needed.
The design is very simple, and despite the clutter, the pages load quickly.
If it belongs with a cellphone, you’ll find it here. They stock most accessories for all phone carriers as well as iPod accessories. Everything from cases to cables to headsets can be found right here.
We have to give them major points for their customer service, and this does wipe away most of our other problems. They’ve done a great job publicizing their toll-free number, and it is very easy to find help options on the site. They also have a live chat feature which is very helpful if you can’t find what you are looking for.
Be advised that when they say Support, they don’t mean Customer Support, but rather information on individual products. Changing this button to read Product Support would probably help clear up that confusion. If you want to know more about return policies and shipping, you’ll have to click on Information. Again, changing that to read Help would be a lot easier for customers.
Once you do get to the real help page, there is a lot of information. From learning how items will be shipped, contacting the store directly to learning how to make money on each purchase, they’ve done a good job of putting everything together. However, when you click on some of the pages linked here, they are pretty confusing.
For example, the return page is a little convoluted, and broken up by what you were just looking at in the store. Once you scroll down about half way, you’ll find the actual return policy. If you do need to return something, you’ll have 15 days to let them know. Some of their products are covered longer thanks to manufacturer warranties, but it is best to act quickly if you have a problem.
You do have to get a return authorization, and there is a 15% restocking fee on all returns. This is pretty standard however, and at least they do take returns. Screen protectors, cell phone antenna boosters and products that have had their backings removed cannot be returned.
Many of their products have special return policies, so it is best to read through this page before making a purchase.
While we did find a few things wrong with the site, for the most part this is a good store. You can’t beat the selection and the prices were pretty reasonable. With a couple of tweaks, they would have a really good thing going. We really can’t hold their shopping cart choice against them, but it does leave a slightly bad impression.
If they are truly doing well, they should have the money to get a real cart on a real server. There’s nothing wrong with Yahoo carts per se, but they just don’t say serious business with five years of experience. Since these carts are known to be intended for those that really don’t know much about ecommerce and setting up stores, this just doesn’t mesh with their level of expertise as a business.
Despite that, if you need an accessory, chances are you’ll find it here. At least they do offer good customer service, and there is a lot to be said for that.
About Accessory Geeks
The company is located in California and has a physical store in addition to their online store. They have been in business for the past five years, and have steadily expanded since they opened. Stocking a wide variety of accessories for cellphones, as well as iPods, they have done a great job of trying to appeal to as many phone owners as possible. We were impressed by the selection and the availability of their items.
First Impression
To be honest, the first thing we noticed when loading this site was the fact that they were using a Yahoo based cart. That’s fine for a little tiny company, but we must admit that we were shocked that a store of this caliber didn’t have their own solution. Granted, this would not be obvious to the average buyer, but it did put a bug in our ear.
Beyond that, the site seemed a tad unprofessional. The front page is chock full of product images, banners, promotions and badges. While there is nothing wrong with any of these on their own, it’s a bit of overkill. We were surprised that they didn’t have a picture of someone’s kitchen sink up there.
They do a great job however of letting you know that they are all about cellphone accessories, so they do accomplish that mission.
Site Design and Navigation
Beneath the clutter, there is a great navigation system. We were very pleased with the way they divided up accessories into many searchable categories, such as by cellphone manufacturer, carriers type and model. This is very helpful, especially for new customers that may not be quite sure what they are looking for.
Once you do narrow down what you’re looking for, it gets a little more complicated. For example, you have to click on chargers/manufacturer/model before you get to the actual products. There really isn’t much that can be done here however, and it is vital to find the right product for your phone. However, it seemed like a lot of clicks. Truth be told, they are between a rock and a hard place here so we couldn’t really fault them for that.
If you’re in a hurry, we recommend doing a search to find what you’re looking for. We typed in Blackberry Charger and were immediately taken to a product list where we could easily find what we needed.
The design is very simple, and despite the clutter, the pages load quickly.
Accessory Geeks Products
If it belongs with a cellphone, you’ll find it here. They stock most accessories for all phone carriers as well as iPod accessories. Everything from cases to cables to headsets can be found right here.
Customer Service
We have to give them major points for their customer service, and this does wipe away most of our other problems. They’ve done a great job publicizing their toll-free number, and it is very easy to find help options on the site. They also have a live chat feature which is very helpful if you can’t find what you are looking for.
Be advised that when they say Support, they don’t mean Customer Support, but rather information on individual products. Changing this button to read Product Support would probably help clear up that confusion. If you want to know more about return policies and shipping, you’ll have to click on Information. Again, changing that to read Help would be a lot easier for customers.
Once you do get to the real help page, there is a lot of information. From learning how items will be shipped, contacting the store directly to learning how to make money on each purchase, they’ve done a good job of putting everything together. However, when you click on some of the pages linked here, they are pretty confusing.
For example, the return page is a little convoluted, and broken up by what you were just looking at in the store. Once you scroll down about half way, you’ll find the actual return policy. If you do need to return something, you’ll have 15 days to let them know. Some of their products are covered longer thanks to manufacturer warranties, but it is best to act quickly if you have a problem.
You do have to get a return authorization, and there is a 15% restocking fee on all returns. This is pretty standard however, and at least they do take returns. Screen protectors, cell phone antenna boosters and products that have had their backings removed cannot be returned.
Many of their products have special return policies, so it is best to read through this page before making a purchase.
Overall Opinion
While we did find a few things wrong with the site, for the most part this is a good store. You can’t beat the selection and the prices were pretty reasonable. With a couple of tweaks, they would have a really good thing going. We really can’t hold their shopping cart choice against them, but it does leave a slightly bad impression.
If they are truly doing well, they should have the money to get a real cart on a real server. There’s nothing wrong with Yahoo carts per se, but they just don’t say serious business with five years of experience. Since these carts are known to be intended for those that really don’t know much about ecommerce and setting up stores, this just doesn’t mesh with their level of expertise as a business.
Despite that, if you need an accessory, chances are you’ll find it here. At least they do offer good customer service, and there is a lot to be said for that.