Best Online Homeschool Store? What online homeschool supply store is best? Why do you prefer it over others?
Well if you are looking for a bit of everything and anything then I would have to say Rainbow Resource.
Are you with Lifeway? (Not that it matters! I'll tell you anyway! First of all, I am looking for "All American History" from Bright Ideas Press. There's a Lifeway not too far from us, and I'm one who would prefer to actually get my hands on a book and look it over first. So I called to see if they had it there. Well, they were totally unable to tell me yes or no. The person who answered the phone had no idea about anything to do with homeschooling. I figured they just had a not-so-bright person working for them, and dismissed it. Then I get a catalog, labeled "The Homeschool Place!" from Lifeway. I always get Horizons Math. My third child will be starting the 2nd grade book in the fall. I already have the Teacher's Manual, and only need to purchase the workbook. Well, on page 7 of the catalog, it has Horizons Math listed, with the cost of the SETS by grade level. It also states: "Individual Student and Teacher Books are also available." But no prices are given for that. So I called the number on the front of the magazine. The guy who answered the phone had NO IDEA that they even sold homeschool stuff!!! When I told him I had just got the catalog, he told me it must be a different division. I read him the number off the catalog, and it was him! So he TRIED to help me. (He WAS very nice and polite!!!) Anyway, he couldn't even find Horizons listed on his computer AT ALL! I read the number for the set, and that didn't come up! Finally, het got his supervisor. The supervisor found a catalog, and the number in HIS catalog was different from mine! So he checked out things, and came back to tell me that no, regardless of what the catalog said (both mne and his!), I could NOT purchase the student book by itself. To me, this is more than a misprint. It is false information. Then I went to the web site. I had an extrememly difficult time trying to find ANY information there. Finally, I sent them an e-mail explaining my troubles. The form said that I would receive a reply within a certain number of days. THAT never happened!!! Lifeway does a good job selling expensive trinkets and Christian books. But they have no concept of the needs of homeschoolers. They would be better off sticking to what they do well, and let those who kinow what they're doing deal with the curriculum!
Add to that... Lifeway is typically more expensive than other stores. Rainbow Resource just about has the best prices all around!!
