BestShopSites
Bottom Line Rating*

Best Sites

Description

Accolades

SmarterKids.com
www.smarterkids.com

Forbes Review:  

"Educational toys reign at this content-rich site. Shop by child’s age (up to 15), favorite character (Elmo, Arthur, Curious George), theme (knights, dinosaurs) or subject (math, geography). All products are rated and reviewed by site staff and teachers. The selection of items for middle schoolers ranged from books and word games to electronic handheld Yahtzee. My Kid’s Store helps you choose toys based on your child’s learning style. Not sure what that is? Take the survey. (Does she do mental math with ease? Sing or hum even when there’s no music?) The Grade Expectations detail what is generally taught at each grade level, with product links. The Family Resource Center has activities, advice columns and news. Special sections offer recommendations for gifted and special-needs kids.

BEST: My Kid’s Store.

WORST: No matter what your kid’s learning style is, books and software turn up as a recommended choice."

"A-"  : Entertainment Weekly Fall 1999

Forbes Top-Rated Favorite in Best of the Web 9-11-00

EToys
www.etoys.com

 Forbes Review: "Great selection and product detail, including customer reviews and parental warnings. Gift advice sliced and diced a thousand different ways: age, award-winners, bestsellers—you name it. Play@Etoys lets children play online; parents can log on and get a peek at what Junior likes to play.

BEST: Attention to detail.

WORST: Glowing book reviews vary in quality and lack author bios.

Time Digital Review:
"Best selection and stellar service"
Ease of Use: A
Delivery: A
Returns: A-

Macworld Review:
"If you're looking for the widest toy selection online, plus a crisp layout that lets you shop by age and category, then eToys is for you. The site offers many gift-wrapping options and personalized cards. Amazon Toys doesn't offer the same variety, but it stands out for its well-written descriptions, customer rankings, and the ability to download sound files of toys that make noise."

"A" & "Best of Breed" : Entertainment Weekly Fall 1999

TechTV's Best Toys Shopping Sites Pick

Time Digital 12/00

Best Toy  Site : Macworld (January 2000)

Amazon.com
www.amazon.com

Forbes Review: "There's nothing about Amazon's toy site that stands out from the rest. There are a lot of product reviews and customer testimonials, the same as what Amazon does with books and CDs.

BEST: One of the age categories is grownup.

WORST: Lacks the attention that other toy-only sites get."

Time Digital Review:
"Santa wishes he were this reliable"
Ease of Use: A-
Delivery: A
Returns: B

Macworld Review: "Amazon Toys doesn't offer the same variety, but it stands out for its well-written descriptions, customer rankings, and the ability to download sound files of toys that make noise."

"A" : Entertainment Weekly Fall 1999

TechTV's Best Toys Shopping Sites Pick

Time Digital 12/00

Runner-up Best Toy  Site : Macworld (January 2000)

ActionAce.com
www.actionace.com

"A-" : Entertainment Weekly Fall 1999

BEST: Can’t find that 1978 Hardy Boys game? Try the Game Museum Store.

WORST: Demo Arcade is thin."

KBkids.com
www.kbkids.com

BEST: Tina the Toy Mom.

WORST: Otherwise stale editorial content."

Time Digital Review:
"Took two weeks to ship our Poo-Chi"
Ease of Use: B-
Delivery: C
Returns: B+

Time Digital 12/00

BEST: Tips on playing with your kids.

WORST: Can’t ask KIDsultants a question.

BestShopSites
Bottom Line Rating*

Other Sites

Link to Reviews

"when you pick an age range, you can browse through many different categories within that age. The inventory is decent and the prices are on par with other large e-tailers...The 1999's best and Award Winners categories list all the products in their inventory that have won recognition" (Forbes--click here for full review)

 "Now little girls can not only play with the many new Barbie dolls, but also with the Web site. There are games, activities, pictures and more" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"The Disney Store obviously sells only toys that are licensed by the mega-giant entertainment corporation. You'll find action figures, dolls, bean bag toys, activity sets and stuffed toys" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Simple, colorful design" (Forbes--click here for full review)

TechTV's Best Toys Shopping Sites Pick

 (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Their Web site is just like their toy line: bold, colorful, fun and expansive. There's just one huge problem: you can't buy anything here" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"If you have a kid that's really into those small die cast metal cars, this site is right up your alley" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Very unimpressive... The site is ugly and the navigation is far from intuitive. Only those really in need of a bargain should come here." (Forbes--click here for full review)

"The navigation of this site is unbearable...Nifty Cool may have good selection and decent prices, even a large clearance section, but you'd have to spend all day to shop here" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"A good feature is "Saw it Somewhere?" If you saw the character on Nickelodeon or Fox Kids, etc., Nutty Putty will list all the toys that relate to those channels. Lists of award winning toys, weekly favorites and All-time favorites" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Makers of dolls and action figures, such as The Simpsons and Water Babies. The site is just brochure-ware" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Rumpus.com provides the funnest way to buy toys online. An avid purveyor of Macromedia Flash animation entertainment" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"top maker of electronic and interactive toys and was the company that hit it big with Furby in 1998.... The site doesn't have much going on besides the product information of its line of electronic toys and games" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"tailored to the adolescent crowd of Net shoppers. They even offer shopping music in the form of always cheesy sounding MIDI files of Hanson and N'SYNC songs. The inventory consists mostly of video games and electronic toys" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"For the most part, everything in stock here is just a bit lower than retail, but sometimes you can find a real bargain.... Inventory is dicey, though. And you won't get any extras. Check here after you decide what to buy, just to make sure you can't get it for less" (Forbes--click here for full review)

"Low prices and simple navigation...Web site is glitchy and slow" (Forbes--click here for full review)

Time Digital Review:
"Site not well organized"
Ease of Use: C
Delivery: B
Returns: A

Time Digital 12/00