KristenR Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I'm getting ready to purchase some odds and ends. I never used Rainbow Resource before but see it mentioned often enough here. I just tried pricing a few things and everything was slightly cheaper on Amazon. Is there some sort of added benefit to Rainbow Resource? Also, I'm ready to invest in AAS. Is there any reason to get it from Rainbow Resource versus directly from AAS? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 If it is cheaper on amazon, I would buy it on Amazon. I have been waiting for 2 weeks to get my order and I get free 2 day shipping on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I don't order from Rainbow Resource anymore because it takes to long to get what I order. I would suggest Amazon, unless there is a huge difference in price. I can also tell you that AAS comes superfast from their site directly. Each time I have ordered, it arrived within a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 If everything you ordered is in stock, it'll take a week or so to ship from RR. You might consider paying extra to move to the head of the processing line. If it's available on Amazon, I'd buy it there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osmosis Mom Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 However, gals, don't forget that we also need to sometimes focus on supporting our fellow homeschoolers and people who only sell to us. I have always been impressed with how much RR carries and have never had a problem ordering from them. I am saying this even though I love Amazon and prefer buying from there rather than my local Walmart etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I buy from both. Whoever has it cheaper when I am ordering gets the order. I have never had any issues with Rainbow Resource and I love their phonebook of a catalog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satori Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I have Amazon Prime (now Mom Prime) so I get free 2-day shipping. They have my payment/address in their system, so it's just a few clicks, and a quick 2-day wait. Rainbow Resource takes time to get the free $150 order for free shipping, then I have to pay $10 for them to expedite my order, and then, an agonizingly long week wait. I love the reviews on Amazon. I love how Amazon tracks my orders so I can see what I've purchased. Huge Amazon fan here overall. I do purchase from Rainbow Resource BUT only for things not on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skueppers Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I buy lots of stuff on Amazon, but RR has many homeschool-specific things Amazon doesn't carry. I also find their product descriptions helpful. I always use the free shipping on Amazon, so I'm used to waiting around for my order. I've never felt that a RR order took a particularly long time to arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakarimom5 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I refuse to buy from RR. I called them one time to ask about a product and they were very rude. I believe in supporting HS businesses but not if they have bad customer service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxing Hare Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I buy from both. Whoever has it cheaper when I am ordering gets the order. I have never had any issues with Rainbow Resource and I love their phonebook of a catalog. I love that catalog! Each time I look through it, I find something new that I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I order a ton from Amazon -- but some things just aren't available from Amazon. When it comes to home school-specific things, sometimes Rainbow is my best bet for ordering a bunch of things together at one time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Thank you everyone! As always, its appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 It really depend on the product. I open them side by side and compare prices. I buy from whoever has the best price, and I can get free shipping from. Amazon does not carry some of the workbooks, and other books that I need. Also Amazon likes to change their prices frequently(especially if I leave a product in my cart), so you need to compare before you purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccabillington Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 i buy from whoever is cheaper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I purchase what I can at RR, and then buy elsewhere if I need to. I've never had a problem with RR. I had a backorder once (during a peak ordering season). They called me to let me know...and gave me a chance to pay shipping to have a partial order sent immediately. I just waited, and my order came...in excellent condition. I think they provide a major service to HSers with the information in their catalog, so I feel good about supporting RR.:001_smile: (I wish I could support them MORE...:tongue_smilie:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I have Amazon Prime (now Mom Prime) so I get free 2-day shipping. They have my payment/address in their system, so it's just a few clicks, and a quick 2-day wait. Rainbow Resource takes time to get the free $150 order for free shipping, then I have to pay $10 for them to expedite my order, and then, an agonizingly long week wait. I love the reviews on Amazon. I love how Amazon tracks my orders so I can see what I've purchased. Huge Amazon fan here overall. I do purchase from Rainbow Resource BUT only for things not on Amazon. :iagree: I only buy things from RR that I can not find elsewhere for a comparable price. I have to admit to being spoiled with my near immediate instant gratification of shopping at Amazon, too. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyTN Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 If I'm buying a lot then I'll order from RR, other wise I love the 2-day Amazon shipping. I've had problems with RR and will only order if I absolutely have to. I definitely know that I'll have to wait though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I buy from RR when I can. I've always received awesome customer service--if I have a question about a product and email, I usually get a detailed reply within a day or two. I do like Amazon for the fast shipping and use that sometimes too, as well as CBD. For AAS, one other consideration is the guarantee--AAS has a 1-year, money back guarantee even if it's used, while I think RR it has to be returned in new condition. Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 However, gals, don't forget that we also need to sometimes focus on supporting our fellow homeschoolers and people who only sell to us. I have always been impressed with how much RR carries and have never had a problem ordering from them. :iagree: Rainbow for us here in Canada offers better shipping rates on large orders. I consolidate my orders and purchase from them. I always deal with the same lady (Marybeth) and the customer's service I have received has been excellent. Issues that have come up have always been dealt with in a satisfactory way and they have shown me time and again that they value my business, where as my Amazon dealings have always been very impersonal and it took weeks to deal with an issue when I had to contact them at some point. I also love that I can find pretty much everything I want through Rainbow and this way I don't have to order from various suppliers, which would mean huge shipping costs for us. I even placed our order for my boys' Christmas presents through them. The order shipped within a week and reached us in one week. Also, Amazon is primarily a book supplier and does not carry many of the programs I want anyway. The only other supplier I use besides Rainbow is Bookdepository.com. They ship free worldwide, which for us is a big deal. I use them for smaller orders and books that I cannot find from Rainbow. Amazon however for someone living in the US does have its perks. Personally, I would not use them exclusively if I lived in the US though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowfall Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I just placed an order w/RR this week (Tues, maybe) and my tracking # says it should be here Monday. My orders have always come quickly and I've had no problems adding onto my order when I've forgotten something. I've never ordered during peak season, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I buy lots of stuff on Amazon, but RR has many homeschool-specific things Amazon doesn't carry. I also find their product descriptions helpful. I always use the free shipping on Amazon, so I'm used to waiting around for my order. I've never felt that a RR order took a particularly long time to arrive. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I'm getting ready to purchase some odds and ends. I never used Rainbow Resource before but see it mentioned often enough here. I just tried pricing a few things and everything was slightly cheaper on Amazon. Is there some sort of added benefit to Rainbow Resource? Also, I'm ready to invest in AAS. Is there any reason to get it from Rainbow Resource versus directly from AAS? Thanks! I personally like Amazon better. It is much faster and many times less $$. I have prime with Am. and if you do used books at all they are many times cheaper with prime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I place orders with both RR and Amazon. Why do you need to choose one? I buy a lot of books for our history program (Biblioplan) and I do significant research ahead of time in order to save money. I figure which books we will get from the library, and then for those that we buy I will price them on the used market, new from Amazon, and new from RR. RR usually beats Amazon on price for typical paperback books. There are also books that are popular in the home school world that they carry but that Amazon does not. I always have enough to order at RR to get free shipping because I place one big order in the spring for whatever I need for the coming year. And because I shop early, it's really no big deal if I get it in two days or two weeks. I will get it long before I'm ready to do anything with it. Amazon is convenient for smaller orders--only need to reach $25 for free shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I use both and tend to go with whoever has the lowest price. That said, if the price is within $1 or so I will go with RR. I like supporting a smaller company and compared to most other hs'ing sites, I am thoroughly impressed with both the selection RR has to offer as well as their pricing! I guess for their size I just expect amazon to be cheap :o but when I see a company like RR offering quality products at amazing prices- and all related to hs'ing- I like to support them to make sure they'll be around for a long time. I've also been really impressed with RR's Bargain Bin books. Most of the time the damage is minimal and the one time it was really horrid they simply refunded my money and let me keep the book. I've been fortunate to have had nothing but positive experiences with the customer service from both companies but I tend to side with RR because they need my business more than amazon does and I'd be really upset if they were to disappear. That said, I don't have the funds to pay substantially more just to support them but RR is my go-to whenever possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I buy from both. Whoever has it cheaper when I am ordering gets the order. I have never had any issues with Rainbow Resource and I love their phonebook of a catalog. :iagree: Every once in a while CBD has things cheaper than both of them. Also ordering directly from the publisher can have benefits if they have a money back guarantee, like IEW has. I don't know that you can get your money back if you go through a middle man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibrarianMom Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I prefer RR if I'm ordering numerous things. For the one at a time items, I prefer Amazon although ebay beats both if I can get something for half of RR's price. You may want to keep in mind that RR is located literally in the middle of nowhere. I think it is great how they are able to hire individuals in what would be an otherwise economically depressed area as the only other large business in the area is a furniture store. I also enjoy being able to order in state. What they are able to do is amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3lilreds in NC Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I have had nothing but great service and response time from Rainbow Resource. I have emailed with them several times to ask about curriculum (math, especially) and they have been very patient and helpful. I recently ordered art supplies from them, because even without the free shipping, they had the best prices. This is convention season, so they are busier. I'd also imagine they are down to fewer staff with the economy the way it is, so they may not have as many people to get the orders out. That being said, I order from Amazon frequently, but not just for homeschool stuff. If I need just one book, since we do have Amazon Prime, I get it from there. I like ordering from RR. I try to use them when I can. We've been trying to do more CM stuff lately so they haven't necessarily carried what I needed, but I have been very pleased with them when I've ordered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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