Be A Master of Your Muscle With MuscleMaster!
Written: Jan 13 '05
| Ease of Ordering: |
 |
|
| Customer Service: |
 |
|
| Selection: |
|
|
| On-Time Delivery: |
|
|
|
| Full Review |
Over the past few years I've used a lot of different online sites to order bodybuilding and fitness supplies and supplements. Most of the time I got great service and competitive prices but as of late my usually sites are slow to ship or are out of the things that I really want or need. Most of what I buy is in the low carb / no carb area and in most cases these items need to be fresh to get the best taste from them. Get something that’s been sitting around for a while and you will most definitely be able to tell that there is a huge difference between the fresh and older stocked items. This is something that really makes or breaks a company in my eyes. If they are selling old stock at a reduced price that's great; you win with low prices and they don't have to write stuff off or take a loss. But when companies are advertising things at rock bottom prices and they are a few weeks or a month from expiring, then there is a huge problem. If sites don't disclose this kind of information when they are advertising a sale then you won't have a clue when they expire until it arrives on your doorstep and then you are faced with having to send it back at your expense or plow your way through the whole box of bars before they go bad.
As I said, most of the sports supplements that I buy deal with weight loss, low carbohydrate foods and snacks and retaining muscle. Everything that I’ve ever purchased from the site has been fresh and sealed with most having at least three to four months from the expiration date. If you are thinking about ordering from an online site and are worried about the expiration dates, call them and ask them what the "window of opportunity" is in regards to the expiration date. If they say "that's impossible" or "I have to go all the way to the warehouse" then find someone else to deal with. If they want you as a customer then they will try their hardest to answer your questions. The only time this might not be possible is if they are drop shipping items to you directly from a manufacturer or warehouse out of state.
Selection
The site carries some of the biggest names in sports nutrition; American Bodybuilding, Power Bar, Biochem Sports, Optimum Nutrition, Genisoy, EAS, ProLab, Stacker / NVE Pharmaceuticals, AST, BioTest and more. To see the complete list use the drop down box on the main page, chances are there will be more than a few that you never heard of along with some of the biggest dogs in the industry. They carry everything from diet products to low carb bars, protein powders to weight gainers and pretty much everything in between. I'll be completely honest here; some of the prices aren't the best around. A good example of this is the Genisoy protein bars. The site sells them for about $1.29 each but you can get these at Wal-Mart or Target for about .99 cents. That might not sound like a huge difference but if you are going through several a day and average about a box a week, the price difference does add up over time. That's not to say that they are overpriced but you definitely need to know the going prices on things before you hit the site.
Methoxy-Pro Chocolate from Cytodyne [two pound container] is a great example of their lower priced item. This will set you back a mere $31.95, almost ten dollars less than competitors. ProComplexPM Chocolate from Optimum Nutrition [30 servings] is only $29.99, almost eight dollars less than most competitors. Since I just complained about the Genisoy protein bars I thought I'd add that if you buy them by the box [12 per box] you pay $11.85, less than a dollar a bar. This is a great way to save some money but make sure that you like the flavor before you invest in an entire box. If you are someone that knows what they want from a sports supplement or have ordered items from another website and want to save, buying by the box is a great way to save some extra money. And speaking of knowing things; the site isn't just about selling stuff. There are a ton of informational guides and articles scattered across the site that you can use to educate yourself.
Payment Options
You can pay for your order using MasterCard, Visa, American Express or The Discover Card or you can opt to pay with a check. Checks must clear before an order is shipped so you may want to try to use a credit card [or a debit card with a MasterCard or Visa logo on it] to speed up your delivery time, an alternative to this is to use a money order [mail to: MuscleMaster.com
455 Whitney Street, Northborough, MA 01532] to speed things up a little over using a check. I’ve only used my MasterCard at the site and have never had any trouble with my transaction, being billed an amount other than what was quoted at the time of my check out or being double billed for an order. The site has more than adequate safety features for protecting your privacy so if you are leery about online shopping, there's no need to be when shopping at this site. If all else fails you can have your order shipped C.O.D. [cash on delivery] but they will add on an extra six dollar fee to the total in addition to the order amount and shipping fees.
Customer Service
MuscleMaster
153 Northboro Road, Unit 15
Southborough, MA 01772
service@musclemaster.com
www.musclemaster.com
[707] 276-1875
[800] 800-9688 – customer service
[508] 393-8435 - fax
Customer service is quick to answer and helpful if you have questions about what they sell or just need advice about which products or brands would work best for you. In most cases the person answering your call will be able to give you all the help that you need but on the off chance that they aren't able to help, they will know the exact person to transfer you to.
Return Policy
Items ordered through the site can be returned providing that you obtain an RMA [Return Merchandise Authorization] number from them first. You only have ten days to make your return so don't dawdle. You will receive a full refund on items that are returned within the ten day time frame and no returns will be accepted after 30 days. There is a 15% restocking fee for items that are returned after the 10 day window so again, don't drag your feet making returns. To me not offering a 30 return period without a restocking fee might scare off some customers but in most cases people don't read about a return policy until they need to make a return. The return policy for equipment is a little different so make sure you read up about that before you place an order.
Shipping
The site ships most things using Ground shipping but you do have the option to upgrade but you will have to pay the difference. Most of the orders ship out via UPS but they may use other carries if it saves money. They offer customers a flat fee for shipping, $5.95 for almost all orders shipped Ground but this doesn't cover equipment. It would take too long to explain all the different ways that they ship out heavier items but suffice it to say that they try to get it to you in the quickest but most inexpensive way. Be sure to read about which items have the cost of shipping included in the price and which don't. This way you will be able to see what the bottom line is and get the best price.
The Bottom Line
So far I am pretty pleased with the service, products and shipping time that I have received from this site. Customer service is extremely helpful and they seem to have some knowledgeable people working for them. I am sure that now that I am on the East Coast my orders will arrive a little quicker and my shipping fees [when applicable] will be less, even so, when I lived in San Diego they weren't overpriced in regards to shipping [in my opinion that is] and my orders arrived well within the time frame they quoted me in my confirmation email.
As always, thanks for the read!
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2005 Freak369
Related reviews ....
Big Fitness Online Store
Worldwide Sport Supply
Advantage Supplements Online Store
Speedo Online Store
EAS.com
The Vitamin Bin
CVS Pharmacy Online Store
Fitness One Sports Nutrition
Bally Total Fitness Online Store
MuscleDepot
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Powders, protein bars, weight loss products
|
|
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.