Things Remembered

Full review
For the first Christmas after my son was born, the gift I wanted to get both sets of grandparents, presumably from my newborn son, was a photo album engraved with my boy's name and birth date (which I would fill with pictures for them). I had gone to a Things Remembered store in the local mall and found the perfect album, however the store was quite busy and I couldn't get the attention of a store employee to take my personalization order. I decided that I would probably be able to find something cheaper online anyway...

What is Things Remembered Online Store?

Things Remembered specializes in personalized gifts. They are perfect for the most special of special occasions, such as weddings, births, etc. From engraved photo albums to embroidered throws, you can probably find the perfect item to commemorate a special event there.

Although they specialize in personalization, many of the customizable items look great without any personalization at all.

The Site:

The site (http://www.thingsremembered.com) is quite attractive with its minty green and tan color-scheme. The menu down the left side takes you to gift suggestions grouped by occasion (birthday, anniversary, promotion, new baby, graduation, retirement, etc) or by the type of person who will be receiving the gift (him, her, pets, babies & children, couples, friends, boys, girls, teacher). When you select a category, 3 items (usually sale items) are presented at the top of the page (via a thumbnail image, short descriptions, and the prices), then other sub-categories are presented for that main category (for example, in "Babies & Children" the sub-groupings were: jewelry, frames, albums, banks, throws & blankets, baby feeding sets, religious, milestones).

Tabs at the top of the site take you to other major gift categories (wedding and business), which change the left-side menu to help make navigating even easier. Other top-most tabs allow you to shop by brand or peruse the "What's New" items.

When an individual item is selected you can see larger images and read very detailed information (usually including the item's dimensions -- something I fine woefully lacking on many retail sites).

Overall I'm very impressed with the Things Remembered Online site. It is attractive, easy to use & navigate, and all of the pages load very quickly.

Personalization at Things Remembered Online:

You can personalize via engraving, embroidering and debossing. Things Remembered offers "recommended" messages at varying prices levels. For example, $5 messages include a name, a date, or a monogram/initials. $10 messages include a phrase ("Happy Birthday", "Happy Anniversary") and a date, or a name and a short message ("Congratulations on ?? Years of Service"). You can also create your own message, which will cost anywhere from $6 to $50, depending upon the length of the message ($3 per word of 3 characters or more, maxing out at $50).

Via Things Remembered Online you can type in the message you want on your item, then press the "Preview" button to see what it will look like (or just change the font -- my browser automatically reloads to show you your message). You can continue to change your message and font style over and over until you are satisfied with the personalization. The site also limits the number of characters you can type in, based upon the space available on the item you are personalizing -- ensuring that your message will fit.

Some "soft" items (pillows, throws, etc) have additional custom designs that can be added to your personalization.

Orders that are personalized will ship within 3 business days of purchase.

Things Remembered Online can also digitize and engrave your signature or company logo on gifts as well (some additional charges and restrictions apply).

How to Order:

Things Remembered Online is a fairly typical shopping cart type site -- the only non-typical thing is the personalization screen, which is very nicely done. After verifying your customization, the checkout process is very typical of what you would find at any reputable online retailer.

You do have to create an account to order from Things Remembered Online -- using a combination of your e-mail address and a password that you select. The site uses SSL (secure socket layer), which is typically how on-line retailers ensure safe & secure data transfer over the web.

Things Remembered Online accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. You can purchase by check, money order, or purchase order if you order by telephone (1-800-274-7367).

After you place you order you will receive a confirmation e-mail. You will receive another e-mail when your order is shipped. You can track your order online, and included in the shipping-confirmation e-mail is a tracking number you can use to track your package at UPS's site (www.ups.com).

Shipping:

Shipping rates are based off the total of your order (excluding personalization charges). The grid (for standard shipping) is:
Up to $25: $4.00
25.01 - 75.00: $6.25
75.01 - 150.00: $9.50
150.01 - 250.00: $12.00
250.01 : $15.00

There are 3 shipping options:
Standard - your order will arrive within 5 business days from the date it is shipped
Second Day Air - for an additional $6, your order will arrive within 2 business days from the date it is shipped
Next Day Air - for an additional $12 your order will arrive 1 business day from the date it is shipped

Customer Service:

Things Remembered prides themselves on their "100% Satisfaction Guaranteed policy. If you aren't completely satisfied you can return or exchange it, even if it has been personalized. You can either return it to any of their 800 stores, or call them to arrange a free pickup. There are some rules & restrictions (based on whether or not you have your receipt/packing slip and how long it has been since your purchase was placed).

I did not have any problems at all with my order, thus I never had to deal directly with their customer service.

Extra Details:

Online Coupon Codes are frequently available.

A store locator is also available online. With 800 stores in 48 states (many in malls), there may be a store near you.

Because Things Remembered does have store locations in 48 states, chances are you will have to pay sales tax on your Things Remembered Online purchase (I did).

For an additional $3.95 your item will be sent in an attractive bronze gift box complete with a handwritten(!) card.

If you are purchasing in bulk/spending over $200 (including personalization), you can receive a discount on your total purchase.

Our Experiences:

I tend to not buy from a retailer's online site if there is a brick & mortar store just down the street, however in this case I actually saved money by using Things Remembered Online! I was able to find a coupon for 20% off my online order, and it just so happened that my "perfect" photo albums were part of an on-line special offering free personalization!

The site was very user-friendly and easy to use. I purchased two items and wanted the same personalization for each -- the site asked me if I would like to use the same personalization for both, saving me from typing it all in again (which I appreciated).

Final Thoughts:

I couldn't be more thrilled with my Things Remembered Online experience. My parents and my husband's parents were absolutely thrilled with their adorable pewter baby albums, engraved with my son's name and birth date and filled with baby pictures. It was a very special and wonderful "first gift" to his beloved grandparents, and I'm so glad we found Things Remembered Online!