Store Links:
Joan River's Killer QVC Queens
http://wpasadicrush.tripod.com/Welcome to our Boutique.html
MeanLaureen's Hallmark Hellraisers
http://mlshh.tripod.com/shop/index.html
Judge Reviews:
EmilyAR
MeanLaureens Hallmark Hellraisers
Wow Hellraisers, I loved your store. I found it really easy to get around in and locate the merchandise I wanted. I preferred your method of displaying the merchandise in a list form. It was simple for me. I browsed your shop and found 8 items Id love to purchase totaling $270. They are: Ceramic Mugs by Our Name is Mud $20, Magnetic Art Ocean $10, Bellagio Gourmet Hot Chocolate $20, Chocolate Paintings $40, "PARTY" snack dishes $40, Shaggy Saucer Chair $40, Chocolate Fondue Fountain $50, Digital Picture key-chain $50. I loved all your extra sections like the credit card app, store membership, etc. My favorite page was the contact us page. Very humorous! You did your homework on the judges and your recommendations were great! I like your color scheme and layout for the place too.
Overall score this week: 4.5 out of 5.
8 items for $270
QVC Killer Queens
Your boutique set up was very creative. Definite thinking outside the box. I must say I found it harder to navigate and choose my items though, constantly clicking forward and back. I thought it was creative and cool but I found that it complicated my shopping experience. I found your catalog in the garage and thought maybe this would be an easier way to shop but it turned out to be a distributors catalog with your source prices. Good addition to the boutique. I really liked your virtual shopping cart! That was a brilliant addition to the boutique. I found many of your items to be more houseware-ish than boutique-ish but I guess its OK to have a home type of boutique. It wouldnt be my preference but it fit perfectly with your décor and layout. I loved your recommended items; I see that your team did its research on the judges as well. Anyway, I found 7 items to purchase and they totaled $190. They were Multimedia Storage Tower $40, Corduroy Down Throw $10, Designer Home 300 Thread Count Sateen Sheet Set $40, Ice Cream Bowls $30, Fondue Set $20, Double Mirror $30, Joan Rivers Beauty Kit $20.
Overall score this week 3.5 out of 5
7 items for $190
WPASADI Expert
Nice job done by both teams this week. Looking back to the entries from week #1, the overall improvement in the quality of the entries is easy to see.
I enjoyed browsing through both stores... both teams created a unique and different experience, though one won me over. My reviews are based as we were instructed, 1/2 the score as "usual", and 1/2 the score based on how much we actually "spent in the store."
I was disappointed when on the "judges suggestion" lists, neither team had me listed. Man, a judge gets busy for a couple weeks, and entirely forgotten about, LOL.
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Joan Rivers' QVC Killer Queens
Cute idea for a store. Great use of wireless handheld barcode scanner technology.
As for the pictures of your decor/displays... you have a different "type" of store than most, with only one of each item on "display" and then you pick the ones you want to purchase up at the end. This gives your store a quaint feel, and enables the consumer to get a good idea of how the product might fit in with their own home. However, you might want to reassure customers that the wait at the end to pick up the products selected will not be long. I know I wouldn't want to have to wait long at a gift shop for the products to be picked from the back.
My favorite part of your entry was how you spent so much time and work putting all the pictures together. Nicely done. All the products fit into the rooms, and you can see them on 'display.' Course, once I clicked on something in a room that wasn't for sale, and realized this could lead to confusion with customers as to what parts of the home are/aren't for sale. Overall, that part of your entry was very creative though.
Overall, a lot of your items were "nice" but not the type I would likely pick up while in a gift shop. If I'm picking out sheets and pillows... I want to be in a store with more than one set to choose from, I want a big selection and will pick there. Won't likely pick them up as a spur of the moment type purchase in a gift shop. I was looking for creative items that aren't going to be found "everywhere" so that it encourages me to pick them up while I see them, even if they are at "overpriced gift shop prices." A lot of items just didn't scream out to my "unique, interesting, different, buy me NOW!" Maybe I just don't fit the target market for your audience very well. Will be interesting to see how the other judges split up their purchases.
I would have liked to see all of the items for one room on one page together, so I didn't have to click on 50 items and wait for each page to load.
Was glad when I was finally able to find your list of sources... it was very hidden and until the very end I wasn't sure I was going to be able to find it, but I did. However... on the Timex Nature Sounds... you dropped a $49.88 item down to $40.... seems a bit extravagant, and that probably should have been a $50 item or you won't be making any profit on it. I didn't check every item, but clicked on some for both teams. Also unfortunately found a spelling mistake in your catalogue - cotten instead of cotton. Whoops! Better check that before you send it to print.
For this part of the challenge, your score is 2.1 out of 2.5.
Okay... onto my purchases:
I wanted to buy a set of Mickey Checkers. From the Playroom, there is a link that says "Mickey Checkers", and when clicked takes you to this link: wpasadicrush.tripod.com/checkers.html
However, that link has a Mickey Photomosaic Puzzle, NOT Checkers. Guess I'm not buying any Mickey Checkers.
1 - Corduroy Down Throw ($10)
2- Block Train ($10)
3 - 17 piece fondue set ($20)
TOTAL = $40
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MeanLaureens Hallmark Hellraiserâs Store
I really liked your store. Your layout was great. I liked how you could shop by category or by price point. I browsed by category, but then was able to use the price point list at the end to select my purchases. You had the source listed clearly which was great, and in all cases I checked, the price you were charging the customer seemed reasonable. I also liked how I didn't have to click on each of the 50 items individually (sorry QVC, but that did take a lot of time and effort, especially since each page took a fair amount of time to load)... so that made for a better shopping experience. I was able to quickly navigate between like items without having to open multiple pages.
Your items... very good selection. Creative items, and ones you won't find at your local department store. Not all were items that I will purchase... have no reason for a dog house... but man, what a great dog house! I'm sure it will appeal to the correct target audience. Same with some of the kid's stuff... I have no reason to purchase a kid's inflatable bed, but those were reasonably priced, and oh-so-cute and different! Your selection of items (even if they weren't all ones that I need or will purchase) made it interesting to browse through your store since there were many 'unique' products to look at.
Nice extras with the credit card descriptions etc, but with a late payment fee with a flat rate of $29, I won't be taking one out, LOL. I rarely miss paying a bill on time, but if I'm a couple days late on a $100 payment, I wouldn't want to be dinged $29, ouch, lol.
I would have liked a better idea of what your "store" looked like, but overall, liked the individual components that you showed us.
Your score for this part of the challenge is 2.35 out of 2.5.
Now, onto my purchases:
1 - Magnetic Art Ocean. ($10)
2 - Talking Photo Ornament ($10)
3 - Snuggle Pooh ($10)
4 - Tree To Be - Tulip ($20)
5 - HugOO Body Pillow ($50)
And I will think about purchasing a Digital Picture Keychain ($50) on another trip. Love it, but not sure I can justify $50 on it without a purpose for it at the moment (i.e. gift etc). Makes me want to come back to your store though, and that's a good thing.
Total = $100
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Overall:
Okay, so overall, I spent $40 in QVC, and $100 in "Hallmark". That means I spent only 40% in QVC as what I did in Hallmark. Thus for this part of the challenge, I will award Hallmark 2.5 out of 2.5, and QVC will receive 40% of the points, or 1.0 out of 2.5.
From part A above, QVC received 2.1 out of 2.5, and Hallmark received 2.35 out of 2.5.
Thus total scores:
QVC = 3.1 out of 5
Hallmark = 4.85 out of 5. Congratulations
Gordon Ramsey
I've been having a right "bleep" of a week too "bleep"-ing much to do and no "bleep"-ing time to finish.
*Just as a note, I have 4 children, not 3 as one of the teams mentioned. Megan is 8, the twins, Jack and Holly are 6, and Matilda is not yet 4. I try not to spoil them, but I do miss them something fierce, as I do my dear wife, Tana.*
I also can't say how "bleep"-y impartial I'd be, so I skipped the "judge" the stores part of this. Seemed to me both teams hit the high points. Joan's Killers had a cute theme, Lauri's Hellraisers had a great selection. I thought "bleep" it and went shopping.
At Joan's Killer store I wandered around a bit lost. Once I started actually mucking about, I did find quite a number of things I liked. The putting green, the Diving book, the media tower for my eldest, the apron "I'm the chef", the appetizer plate, the lamp and oil (I liked the Sun, Sand and Sea scent-not too poofy.), the pillows and matress pad, the guest soaps, the spa bath set and the heated towel bar. I spent $440 in that shop on 12 items. (I bought 4 of the pillows, one didn't make any "bleep"-ing sense to buy, everything else was single item purchases.)
At Lauri's store, I went more than a bit "bleep"-ing nuts. Screen saver reminded me of diving, so into the cart with that, Bongo buddy's, would be great for my 3 youngest, Matilda and the twins, Swear box would make my Tana laugh, so that's in, another apron is useful, bath salts set-right any excuse to pamper my wife and maybe have a quiet bathe with her...
Sorry, me mind wandered off for a moment. Back to shopping. Joy of tea set, into the cart, porcelin flower spoon would make either Tana or my eldest Megan, happy, inflatable kid bed for Matilda-princess please, 2 of the 2-in1 slumber chair for the twins, Spider-Man for Jack, Spongebob for Holly, Thyme to go set, light up shirt for Megan, I'll try one of these Yankee candles, the silver leaf top was appealing, love the chocolate painting-I want 5 of them gift wrapped please, one with heart paper, three in different floral patterns and one masculine. I think these would be brilliant gifts for my family and are by far and away my number one favorite thing offered in either store. Charles Tipton gift set looks nice, into the cart, 7-in1 game set looks useful, and the digital key fob would be perfect for me to carry photos of my family. I needed that for myself.
I spent $610 in that store, on 16 items, with only three multiples, the bongo closet buddies, the slumber chairs and the chocolate paintings.
Joans' QVC Killers 4.5 from me.
MeanLaureen's Hallmark Hellraisers, 4.9 this time.
Julia Roberts
Joan and QVC Queens
LOVED the links to suggestions for what we would like and links to bios if available!
I really liked the barcodes to click and the link to the pay pal account! Might just put you over the top. Coffee in the bathroom, Joan, can we talk? I bet that is some QVC chic I am unaware of! I liked that you had a house set up! It was not your typical store, and I liked it! I had a hard time finding the source page, (actually I needed help) but I did and managed to do a little pre Christmas shopping! I considered your fixtures to be the rooms, so I counted that as enough images. You had your fifty items, it was a solid entry. I would have liked to receive any of the items you had for sale as a gift!
Part 2- What I bought I will highlight, but there was a lot I bought, especially for the kids, two pianos, two rocking horses, the kiddy wall art. The puzzle too, though I thought I was buying checkers. I needed a new knitting basket! I also thought the Dog bed was cute. Ihave been looking for a fireplace screen forever. I got one of those too.
I also got some good smelling stuff and pillows, and to pamper myself, I got the Joan Rivers Pink set! She is a doll that Joan Rivers! I thought Phinneus and Hazel would like their own Mickey toaster and of course an ice cream maker. MY total for the shopping spree is 840.00! I went a little crazy.
My score 4.8 because I wanted to buy checkers and not a puzzle. Otherwise it would have been a 5! Wonderful job!
ML and the Hallmark Killers
AWWWW you thought about Kick and Me (Phinneus and Hazel) with the Pooh and the tub toys!! Oh they are close to my heart even though when I named them it was in an attempt to get them both kicked, a lot. Lots of nice suggestions for little ole me? Might give some to WPASADI Expert.
I think your items are very the new and trendy type. Definitely Christmas list material.
I liked the extra touches like credit and gift wrapping. Nice touch, but are those images over the fifty plus 10 for fixtures? It is an iffy thing, so I will not count off, because it was just an extra and not the end of the world.
Even I with more money than Oprah would not buy my babies, Kick and Me the $40 dollar bath toys! My alter egos kids loved the rest and she is grateful to have the link to the beds for Christmas! Nice array in every area. Things seem kind of overpriced. I didnt feel like the value was there for the money I spent. I have not even paid $20.00 on a mug at Disney! I know I have more money than Oprah, but a girl has to save a little money!
Part 2
I will also highlight what I bought like I did for QVC and give my total, because I went little nuts. I loved the Pooh! Oh so cute, got two of those, and the soft cuddly blankies! So soft, I love them. Two of those as well! The soap leaves were nifty, got some of those too! I had to get my dog the personality tee! Cute. I had to get the Ballagio Hot chocolate. Had to remember the hot and heavy affair I had with George
Did I just type that? Oh well. I got the bath salts to keep my perfect skin soft, and the doghouse too! Great stuff. I got the chocolate fondue fountain, to look at, but not eat. It sounds so good! I also got my husband the diaper dude, he is ever so thankful, that one day he goes out without the nanny he can have that! I love the digital keychain so I can look at Kick and Me while I am at the movie set!
In total I spent 500.00 at your store, I liked a lot of the items, but some were just overpriced. I grew up with less money than I do now and you just cant take the saver out of me.
It was very hard to choose between the two, both very good work done. This week the other guy wins in my opinion. Your score, 4.5
Dr. Phil
Meanlaureens Hallmark Hellraisers-
Dog house- 40.00
Back to school-bound care kit 40.00
Digital picture key-chain 50.00
Total: 130.00
I noticed that you recommended the serene screen aquarium screen saver for me but when I clicked on the link I saw a description and picture for gourmet chocolate candy that looks like master works of art almost too beautiful to eat. It was a sweet thought but not what I was looking for. Since I am so close to my dog I thought the dog house would be a nice choice. When Jordan went off to college he gave his Mom a 5x7 photo frame that has a message that he left on it. I am sure Robin could fill the photo key-chain. Jay is starting college in the fall. Now that I have explained my shopping choices
..tells you a couple of things. I dont shop. Robin does the shopping. I liked the way your store looked. It had a lot of extra added details. When youre busy as I am its nice that you can one stop shop. Buy it, wrap it and take the darn thing home. It was nice to see a return policy. How thoughtful of your team to think of the other team and make suggestions on gifts for them. No extra points for that but I did want to mention it. My score this week is a 4.6
Joan Rivers QVC Killer Queens-
Fish & Dive Book- 10.00
Total: 10.00
Now I really did like your recommendation because I bought it. Unfortunately its the only thing I bought. Now if my wife Robin was doing the shopping in your boutique she would probably like it. I on the other hand
..didnt enjoy myself. Dr, Phil isnt interested in looking at sheets or items for the kitchen or bathroom. You did try and make it easy for shoppers with the scanner and barcode. That was a nice touch. It was easy to see the items you had for sale just wasnt sure if I liked the set-up or not. I was waiting for Bob from QVC in the kitchen to walk out any minute. Everyone has there own style. My score this week is a 3.9
Walt Himself
My decision is done
~Ahhh my friends, another close game...here are my findings~
I shopped at ML's first - The shopping and store set up were very well laid out. All in all it was well done.
I did find that the amount of items in each department was a little lopsided. I find the same problem in the Disney Stores, it tends to offer too much for little ones and not enough for the big kids. Selection is key to attract all types into your shop.
In perusing the departments you had repeat items, that was a bit confusing.
At checkout I found I'd spent a total of $600 in your store. I will even go as far as listing for you what I purchased...
Light Up Shirt
Shaggy Chair
Soothing Pooh
2-in-1 sleeping bag
Paws of Endearment
Yankee Candle
Thyme to go
Outdoors Blanket
Digital Picture Keychain
Tree to Be
7 in 1 Game Set
Soap Leaves
Around the World Coffee
Bamboo Fragrance Sticks
Body Pillow
Chocolate Painting
Chocolate Fondue Set
Write your own t-shirt
My score for your team came to a 3.5
Then on to Joan's shop-
You'll be glad to know I spent more in your store than in Mean Laureen's. $630 was my total at checkout. Your selection was excellent. The maneuvering through your store was not. I found it to be laid out too much like a home. I also found licensed merchandise in your store. I noticed that Joan's perfume may be a QVC only product and the Mickey toaster is clearly a Disney product and should not have been used. I needed help to find your product list, it seems to have been hidden in the corner at the checkout counter.
Here is a list of what I bought...
Mickey Mouse Book
Shea Butter Soap
Corduroy Down Throw
Wallies Wallpaper Art
Mickey Mouse Puzzle
Tissue holder/Magazine Rack
3 piece Discovery kit
Kid's Standing Easel
Animal Pillows
Heated Towel Bar
Puppet Theatre
Ice Cream Maker
Nature Sounds CD Player
Mickey's Dance Print
Dog Bed
Pooh Table & Chairs
Cotton Bathrobe
Thermo Kitty Sill
Putt'n Hazard Mat
Rocking Horse
Learn to Play Piano
The fact that I spent more in your store seems to have been your saving grace. Mind you, you may want to add some shelving so I don't have to break my neck climbing over things to get to the product.
Your final score was 3.9995
Congratulations to both teams on a job well done-
Have a Magical Day!
Walt...
Phil Keoghan
Joan Rivers' QVC Killer Queens --
First you have a very interesting theme with the Nantucket beach home feel.
I like the online layout with the rooms and the ease of selecting items and checkout. With the barcode scan this site almost appears ready to be an up and running store.
A lot of great items, but a lot of them, especially in the bath and bed sections and some in the kitchen, look more like things found in Bed Bath & Beyond or Linen & Things, not a gift boutique. Even the Mickey book doesn't really belong in the bathroom selections; Uncle John's Bathroom Readers would have been a better choice.
And where is the description and pictures of the fixtures and interior of your store? You created a great online store, but where are the plans for the actual store? If what we saw is it, it's very poor and wouldn't entice me to buy anything or to come back. It looks like you spent 90% of your time on the flash and 10% on the substance.
Also, some of your items didn't seem to fit into the price point from your sources. For example, the clock radio you listed for $40 was priced at $49.88 on your source. This should have been in the $50 price point with the Select-a-Spice carousel that was in the $50 price point and priced at $49.99 on your source.
My purchases --
corduroy throw @ $10
jigsaw puzzle @ $10
Total = $20.00
There was more I would have bought, but I limited myself to the things you offered that I would expect to find in a gift boutique that I would buy. The challenge indicated you should only include things you would find in a gift boutique.
Mean Laureen's Hallmark Hellraisers
Great balance of the online store and showing what the actual physical store would look like. Really liked the colors and fixtures, very inviting and relaxing atmosphere to shop in.
You had a great mix of product. I especially liked the different categories you had for your gifts, and that's how you succeeded where the Queens failed. Their gifts were designated for specific rooms, which made it seem more like a home store. This seems more like a store where you buy items for people. That's what make this much much more like a gift boutique than the Queens' entry
The only problem I saw was that some things were very high end boutique-y like the chocolate paintings and the photo keychain, while other things seemed very inexpensive
WalMart-y like the inflatable bed. The actual store design seemed very high-end and might appear to be out of the reach of most average people, but the term "boutique" tends to imply "high-end."
Again, the little touches -- the gift card, the store membership, the return policy -- these are things that can make or break, and they really make.
I also loved the disclaimer you included for anyone that might stumble across the web site.
My purchases --
doghouse @ $40
desperate housedog t @ $10
hot cocoa @ $20
magnetic darts @ $40
write own T @ $30
soap leaves @ $10
digital picture keychain @ $50
Yankee Candle @ $30
Pet stroller @ $30
chocolate painting @ $40
Total = $300
I scored for the purchases the same as wpasadi expert with a percentage curve.
Joan's -- 1.25 for the design + 0.16 for the purchases = 1.41 total
Laureen's -- 2.45 for the design + 2.5 for the purchases = 4.95 total
Judge Rupert
First ML's store
I Spent $ 400 dollars actual money and Loved the Gift card idea so i could have really spent alot more on gifts for everyone .
I loved the digital picture keychain and the Outdoorsman blanket.
Your online store was easy to shop and I liked the layout and fixtures for your real store
i had a great time shopping and found stuff not only for me but my wife and daughter to she loved the shaggy saucer chair.
my score is 4.0
Joans store
I loved the online layout of the differnt rooms but i am confused as to what your real store will look like???
shopping was fun here to but I was really interested in buying the Mickey checkers but wheni clicked on them it was a puzzle so i passed.
I spent a total of $180.00 in your store I bought the dive book and i liked the Nature alarm clock. I would have liked to see a little more variety.
My score here is a 3
Spending Totals
MLHH
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WE 4.85 $100 3 items
GR 4.9 $610 16
JRs 4.5 $500 10
DP 4.6 $130 3
WH 3.5 $600 18
PK 4.95 $300 10
RJ 4 $400 3 (listed)
EAR 4.5 270 8
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35.8 points $2910 spent 73 items
points amounts individual items(duplicates not counted)
JRQK
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WE 3.1 $40 3
GR 4.5 440 12
JRs 4.8 840 12
DP 3.9 10 1
WH 3.99 630 21
PK 1.41 20 2
RJ 3 180 2(listed)
EAR 3.5 190 7
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28.2 points $2250 spent 60 items
I really enjoyed the opportunity to work on this project and hopefully some day you guys might like to team up with me again 
