BestShopSites
Bottom Line Rating*

Best Sites
Capsules/Description

Accolades

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The Company Store
www.thecompanystore.com

EW review: "The Web equivalent of a California king-size bed with 310-count cotton sheets, two fluffy comforters, and an upholstered headboard, this site goes beyond functional to luxurious. It's also easy to navigate as you shop for name-brand linens, scope out the soaps and shower curtains, or read about the density and "fill power" of pillows. Unfortunately, some of the prices here are roughly at retail level--but in the site's sizable clearance section, you can find markdowns of 30 percent or more. You can even send in your tired comforters and pillows for refurbishing. All that, plus slumber-related quotations ("Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore and you sleep alone." --Anthony Burgess)."

"A" & "Best of Breed" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99

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Eldridge Textile Company
www.eldridgetextile.com

EW review: "This Web merchant purveys top-notch, deep-discount bed-and-bath linens from the likes of Laura Ashley, Royal Velvet, Charisma, and Wamsutta, categorizing its vast selection by manufacturer, fiber content--even by thread count. Conveniently, bedroom ensemble pages (where you can also find coordinating wallpaper accents) link to pages with matching bathroom accessories. If you buy extra fabric in your pattern, you can arrange with Eldridge to upholster boudoir accessories (headboards, benches, chairs) for you too. Now, if only you could order up the perfect bedfellow."

"A" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99

bedandbath.com
www.bedbathandbeyond.com

EW review: "You can catch zzzzzz's for fewer $$$$$'s at this snore store: President Alan Mennel guarantees customers he'll beat any lower price--plus ship orders of $250 or over for free. In fact, Mennel and his minions do offer some remarkable deals on major mill brands (Martex, Fieldcrest), including bath towels for $9.99, beach towels for $7.99, and entire full-size beds-in-a-bag for $79.99. And customers seem to be satisfied: Just peruse the site's gallery of thumbs-up testimonials."

"A-" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99

Linens Online
www.linens-online.com

EW review: "Though it offers comparatively few wares and comparatively small discounts, this may be the Web's best money-saving option for small orders: All purchases are shipped absolutely free. The simple site, as unadorned as its title, also gives you a smattering of useful information (how to take curtain measurements, for example) and access to a bridal registry. You might say it's cheaper by the dozin'."

"B" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99

Southampton Marketplace
www.shampton.com

EW review: "Non-parents can close their eyes to most of the so-so selections on this slow-to-load, rather muddled site--but anyone shopping for kids will consider it a bedtime bonanza. Pillows and blankets bear team logos from college and pro football, basketball, and hockey--not to mention NASCAR and World Championship Wrestling. Younger tykes, meanwhile, can lie down with characters from Disney, Looney Tunes, and Rugrats. And many of these prices--down in the clearance-to-closeout range--may seem like a waking dream."

"B-" : Entertainment Weekly 11-12-99