Recently a potential customer called and asked if one of our angel figurines could be purchased somewhere else, like a Hallmark store. The answer to this was "perhaps."Whether you will find your desired item in a brick-and-mortar store -- someone who has an actual storefront as opposed to selling online -- all depends on what merchandise the buyer for a particular store selects for their store. Then if they do happen to carry it, will it be in stock?
You can take the time to call around to various stores in your area to see if they have your desired item and, if so, make the trek to the store to buy it. But then how much time in your daily schedule did you save when you can literally purchase a gift online in minutes? How much money did you spend in gas to get to the store? Did you have to pay sales tax on that item? If you're purchasing online and the online retailer is not in your state, you do NOT have to pay sales tax. That's a savings to you right there.
The Kindred Spirits Gift Shop will not carry merchandise that you can find at your local Walmart and the like. If you find something similar, the quality won't be there. We specialize in unique, hard-to-find items that are only available to retailers. We attend the major gift shows only open to retailers. We've already done the major shopping for you.
We offer gift-wrapping services. Does your brick-and-mortar store offer this value-added service? Perhaps maybe only around the major holidays. Do ask them. Or maybe you need to purchase the materials and wrap the gift yourself.
Additionally, we give 5 percent of each purchase to one of the animal-based nonprofit charities which you select during the checkout process. This percentage of your purchase is NOT added to the cost of your purchase. This is yet another way our shop differs from many others. We believe in giving and making this world a better place for our furry friends, all year round. Every cent makes a difference in the lives of those who need it the most.
No one likes to pay shipping, especially when shipping costs rise every single year, but keep in mind that as a retailer, we have to pay shipping costs also. In our shopping cart, you are able to choose the least-expensive shipping option to have your package delivered straight to your door. All of a sudden, the maybe $5 or so you would pay to ship your package isn't looking so bad when you consider how much time you've saved in your day.
Certainly your time is worth more than a few dollars for the convenience of purchasing safely online 24/7, isn't it?
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