Large Selection of Innovative Merchandise Overrides Some Questionable Tactics.
Best Mobility
My father recently passed on at age 80. For some time before his death, he had some mobility issues. While his health plan should have been paying for the many items that he needed to make life easier for him, they rarely do so we, his family, often bought him things to make him more comfortable and self reliant. One site we have purchased from is Best Mobility. This is en enormous site with a large variety of items for anyone mobility impaired.
Navigation
The home page is busy, busy, busy. There are pics of the latest products, links all over, flashing banners telling us there is free shipping (I hate flashing banners but when they say that, I will overlook them!), and more. But really, navigating is easy. There are links down the side and categories with photos in the middle of the page. Some items they carry are scooters, lift chairs, walkers, adjustable beds, ramps, and — our favorites — accessories, which are the little things that come in handy on a day-to-day basis for people with mobility or balance problems.
A click of the link or the photo shows you very good quality photos of all the products, gives a good description, and the price. To buy you click on the "customize and buy" button next to the item. Click and you are taken to a page that asks for the standard info — name, address, email address, etc.
Once you input your info, you then pick a shipping method. Shipping is free for orders over $150 and $14.00 for orders under that amount. I will note this again later but the site clearly states they have FREE SHIPPING yet once you go to buy something you find you must pay $14.00 if you didn't spend $150.00. I didn't like that bait and switch tactic at all.
Selection and Variety
This place has a load of things for people who need help with mobility. Many are very high priced items such as scooters, adjustable beds, and wheelchairs. They do have a clearance section with some preowned items and other specially priced things but still, these items are not cheap by any means.
As far as selection goes though, if you can't find what you want for yourself or your loved one here, it may not be out there. There are a load of things to choose from and many styles and sizes.
The accessories area, where I tend to focus, has many lower priced items like baskets for walkers and light up canes (which I got my Dad and he just loved). Lots of innovation on this site!
My Experience
I bought my father the light up cane because, as a deaf man, his balance was off all the time but worse in the dark. This cane was prefect for those restroom runs he made in the middle of the night. I was surprised to see that I got free batteries and an extra bulb as well included in the price.
One unique thing about this site is that everything that takes batteries to work comes with free batteries. Don't you hate when you buy something and it doesn't come with the necessary batteries and you have to run around looking for then right ones? This site alleviates this hassle and was a welcome change from the "batteries not included" messages I often see on websites.
I shopped with confidence because the site proclaims loudly (and very flashingly) that they will beat any internet price and that they have a low price guarantee. That means if I found the same item for cheaper elsewhere, they would match the price. They also tout that they don't charge any sales tax on anything which is another savings especially on large ticket items.
After I got over my anger with this misleading "Free Shipping" claim, I paid the $14 for shipping. I got an email immediately after I ended the transaction. I received a second one notifying me that my item had been sent out with a tracking number. The cane arrived in about 12 days.
The cane itself was sturdy and exactly as advertised and my father really liked it. It could hold his weight just fine and there were no worries that it would bend or buckle. I am pleased with the purchase. We also picked up a few other items on this site and they have all been of high quality as well.
Shipping and returns
Although the home page screams that they have free shipping, a look at the shipping and return page tells you that it is free on orders over $150.00. Otherwise, you pay $14.00. I am not sure if that is a flat rate but we were charged that amount three times for accessories we bought there. Nowhere does it specify what shipping is for orders under $150. You find out when you go to check out. My guess is that very few people buy things under that amount at this site since most items are very expensive.
There is no sales tax, as I mentioned, to any state in the US.
Returns seem a bit complicated. You may return anything — except certain hygiene products — within 10 days of receipt "if the issue cannot be solved". You must pay for shipping back to the company and you must pay a 15% restocking fee. Plus, if you did pay any shipping to get the product, you lose that too. According to the site: "There will be a 15 % re-stocking Fee minimum charge based on the condition of the return. In addition to the original outbound shipping charges. Item will be inspected before refund is processed."
Sounds scary, doesn't it? That is why I would never invest in any large ticket purchase from this site. If you want something that costs a few thousand dollars, the best way is to actually physically get the item or at least see it and try it before it is delivered. Buying such purchases over the internet could save you a few bucks but what if you want to return a scooter? With shipping back, a MIMIMUM restocking fee of $15% and whatever other charges are tacked on, you could lose a large chunk of cash on a transaction like this.
However, for small items like the cane and other helpers, this site is innovative and fairly risk free.
Customized orders cannot be returned for any reason.
Price Guarantee
The site says this about their price guarantee: "If you purchase any product from us and within 10 days you find the same item advertised and in stock elsewhere at a lower price, we will REFUND YOU 120% OF THE DIFFERENCE."
Conclusion
If you like what you ordered, you'll love the website. If you want to return what you got, you'll hate this website.
The prices are comparable with many others on the net and they do match any lower prices you can find. You don't pay sales tax or shipping — if your order is over $150.00. There are some discount codes on the side of the home page you can use to save a few bucks as well so look for those when shopping on the site.
I was pleased with the quality of the item I bought. The price was good, the item was sturdy, and my father really got a lot of use out of it. I was not pleased that I had to pay shipping after being told on the site in huge letters that there is free shipping, however.
The price guarantee is reassuring but I never bothered to search too hard for lower prices. I always comparison shop before I buy, so I know I found the best price for what I want.
They have a live chat customer service rep to answer questions on the site but but the two times I clicked it, no one was available and I had to email my question to them. They did get back to me in a timely fashion.
I like this site for the selection of things they have and for the price guarantee. I don't like the bait and switch tactics they employ about free shipping and that really should be addressed by the company. The prices are comparable and the selection is vast. I would never buy a large ticket item from this site though. The very thought of trying to return anything there makes my skin crawl.
It's hard to rate this site. They have some obvious good features and some obvious not so good ones. I guess, all in all, I would have to rate the site four stars. The reason? I checked other websites that sell similar equipment and they have similar return policies and similar shipping deals. They don't usually provide batteries and extra things like I got and they don't have a low price guarantee, so, when I added it all up, this site came up as above average for sites of its kind. Still, buyer beware on the large or customized items.
Recommended:
Yes
