Good products, good service, good companies
By Gina Spadafori
March 19, 2008
A few minutes ago I pulled the furniture throws out of the dryer, something I’ve done every week for about 10 years. Same set of throws, originally purchased from Drs. Foster and Smith. That means they’ve been washed in excess of 500 times, on heavy duty cycle, and then dried on high heat. Every week they’ve been pretty well loaded with dog hair, and when I was living on the beach in north Florida, the dogs left hair, salt and sand on the throws. Recently, cat hair has been added to the blend.
Honestly, I have no idea how much I originally paid for these four couch-sized throws, but it’s safe to say I’ve gotten more than my money’s worth. And they’re good for a while longer, but not too much so. They’re getting pretty threadbare, and one of them has a 14-inch gap in the middle of it.
So I went back to Drs. Foster and Smith, but they don’t have the same color choices. Drat. I’d seen some furniture covers in the Orvis Dog Book, so I hustled over there.
I love the Orvis Dog Book. Sure, some of their items can be found anywhere, and probably cheaper. But they always have a few items exclusive to them that show that they know what dog-lovers like. Over the years I have bought some wonderful small Stephen Huneck rugs (which are no longer exclusive and are now on sale at his own Web site, just FYI). From Orvis I’ve also ordered the WaterTrapper mats and a pet memorial or two. Always liked this company, especially after a zipper broke on a piece of five-year-old luggage and they replaced it without hesitation. That’s customer service.
Orvis has a new couch cover I was considering, and then I read the comments. The people who took the time to review the product all pointed out that it was too small, so the flaps protecting the couch kept coming loose. The fact that Orvis let this discussion go on and emphasized again and again that they’d refunded the money to each unhappy customer was really impressive.
No, I didn’t order the couch cover. But I will, when they get the bugs worked out, which I bet they do before the next catalog cycle.
The dog on the cover of the Orvis Dog Book is so captivating! It reaches into my cat-loving heart.
Comment by Colorado Transplant — March 19, 2008 @ 6:28 pm
I’m a fan of both Orvis and Drs. Foster and Smith (I do find Orvis a bit pricey, though). I’m happy with my recent purchase from Orvis. Those with big dogs know that dog beds can take up a surprisingly lot of room! So I bought from Orvis dog blankets—fleece on one side and the other either a microfiber or a canvas (the material of their dog bed covers). Folded over, the blankets provide warmth and some real padding—and they are easy to fold up and put in a corner when I want them out of the way. My dogs are young and they work fine as a bed (for an older dog, I used their orthopedic bed, which worked well, too).
Comment by Arlene — March 19, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
I ordered the couch cover without the flaps. It is just a little short but I love it. My dogs love it and it is so easy to wash. Just un-zip the bolster and pull out the inner pillow and wash. I have been doing this once a week unless of course someone has thrown up and it still looks brand new. I have had it for 5 months I think.
Eliza
Comment by Eliza Wingate — March 20, 2008 @ 1:59 pm