What’s on your purchase list? Each week, we’ll analyze a few products that may be viable for you to consider. These products are well received on places like Amazon or Walmart. But we will provide more information than the product itself. We’ll share our analysis of these products, where you can find them, and other research that we feel is relevant.
We also include a video for each of the products or at least, general information about the category of the products. We promise to keep these videos short but useful. With that, let’s get started with this week’s updates:
Today Is the Official Blowout Mardi Gras Day
We know that the partying starts well before today, but this is the last day for people to go hog wild before Lent starts. Although this usually happens in the winter, it is always a sign that spring is not to far away. Therefore, we felt it fitting to find a product that can cool people off.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Also, there may be other affiliate arrangements on this page that will pay me for qualifying purchases that you make.
Product Profile #1 – Bladeless Cooling Portable Neck Fan
One product that fits well in this category is a Bladeless Cooling Portable Neck Fan. The great aspect of this product is its portability and flexibility. It can be reshaped to fit your needs.
It’s also lightweight and small enough to carry with you wherever you believe you’ll need a quick cooling down. The gym is the perfect candidate for this.
Analysis
The reviews on Amazon for this product are quite high, with the majority at five stars (*****). There are no published one-star, two-star or even three-star reviews for the fan on Amazon. That could be a good sign, but sometimes warrants further investigation. For instance, with so many reviews, one would expect to find at least a few of the lower ratings. Still, the product is simple enough where it’s possible not to have any low ratings.
Both Amazon and Walmart allow third-party sellers on their websites. On Amazon, it seems the company is selling directly and not via a third-party seller. Walmart, however, has what appears to be a distributor that marked up the price rather substantially from even the product seller’s price. You should take that into consideration if you decide to purchase this product.
In general, when shopping for most products, check out the company’s website, Amazon, and Walmart. You may have an aversion to buying from a company’s website as opposed to the big name ecommerce sellers like Amazon or Walmart. The opposite may be true as well. That’s why it pays to check all three.
Our concern with the company’s website with this product, though, is it doesn’t seem to be as polished as an ecommerce website should be. The product has no reviews on it, which likely means they aren’t selling much directly on the website.
Several of the reviews on Amazon mentioned that the battery life for the product is quite long-lasting, even after using it. That is welcome news. Also, one reviewer stated that he bought the product for his wife, who has long hair, and she liked the fact that her hair doesn’t get caught in the fan (because it is bladeless).
Alternative Sourcing Option Disclaimer
Some people like to source their products outside the United States. It is controversial and it does not always work out as they hoped. Buying products from outside your domicile is risky as you don’t always get what you pay for and often you have no recourse. Also, there have been complaints of taking weeks or even months for items to get shipped. If you decide to pursue this channel for purchase please do so at your own risk.
Bottom Line
If the Bladeless Cooling Portable Neck Fan seems like something that you would find useful, our suggestion is to purchase it from Amazon.
Are You Working From Home Now?
As the video suggested, many companies are looking to make working from home a more permanent option for employees. This presents a challenge for many as they don’t set boundaries for personal and business time. They either work too much while at home, or they are distracted.
The way around this situation is to turn a room into an office. Set rules for your family that regular business is off limits for them, unless it’s an emergency. This includes neighbors and non-immediate family members. Sometimes, when they discover that you “work from home” they think that you can run errands for them or visit whenever they get bored. NO!
This situation is a bit more tempered when you work for a company compared to working on your own. When you telecommute for a company, they will expect you to produce for them. You’ll be more inclined to stop all the external forces (family and friends, etc) from distracting you.
When you are run your business from home, though, you have no one expecting daily work. You are responsible completely for managing your time.
Whether you work for yourself or someone else, we truly believe that creating a workarea is one of the best methods for succeeding when working from home. To that end, the second product that we are profiling is a computer desk. You would be amazed at how much of a difference this makes.
Product Profile #2 – L-Shaped Computer Desk
Every home worker should have the right desk. This is the focus of a home office. Think of it as the command central of your operation, because that’s what it really is.
We found this desk on Amazon and at the time of this writing, it was reasonbly priced (click here for price).
The ratings are overwhelmingly high with a significant number of people reviewers. Its rare to find the quality of the ratings being so high when you have many reviews.
Analysis
You will need to assemble this desk. However, according to several reviewers on Amazon, it wasn’t difficult. Although, one reviewer stated that there are no instructions, only pictures.
Other reviewers mentioned that the desk is sturdy. According to some, you’ll have spare room with the desk for typical uses.
The most recent reviews are from people classified as Verified Purchasers. This adds to the quality of the reviews. It is possible for verified purchasers not to tell the truth, but the chances that they leave a reliable review is greater. Also, competitors are not likely to buy higher ticket items, although this product is generally reasonably-priced for the type of product and the quality.
There aren’t nearly as many reviews on Walmart. However, the ones that exist, are in line with much of what the reviewers on Amazon have been saying.
Vendor Website – the manufacturer does not sell the product direct. It has a Send an Inquiry form that you would fill out. This indicates that they aren’t a retailer in the true sense of the word. They are most likely a distribution center. It does seem that the company sells retail on both Amazon and Walmart. There was no indication that the listings were via third-party distributors, but that is always possible.
Bottom Line
If you want to get your home office set up right, consider starting with a computer desk. Even if you don’t work with a computer for your job, you’ll find this desk to be quite useful and from the reviews, you’ll be in good company.
Conclusion
That wraps up this edition of the Gadget Press. Be sure to check back next week for our latest edition. Until then, happy product hunting!
Leave a Reply