# Favorite shopping sites for unusual gifts **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 15, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361 "2005-10-15T15:42:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/1 "2005-10-15T15:42:06Z")
I’m starting my Christmas shopping early and trying to do a lot of it on-line. Most of the things I want to find are ethnic, moderately priced, small items either hand made or unique. So far, I’ve visited Hay House, NPR, KangaUSA, and Chronicle Books. So what are your fav sites that may be hard to find but worth the effort? I know that Amazon has just about anything you could possibly want, so that’s my fall back. But I’m really looking for those special items that you buy for someone but want to keep for yourself. Thanks, beckwall ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/2 "2005-10-15T15:56:50Z")
I’ve bought things that I wanted to keep for myself from [www.redenvelope.com](http://www.redenvelope.com). Not all that exotic, but stuff that’s not in stores – at least it’s not in stores around here. They ship really fast, and they have a nice print catalog too. I like their jewelry. ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/3 "2005-10-15T16:37:20Z")
Design Toscano–I drool over their catalogues, and everything I’ve bought from them has been top-notch quality. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/4 "2005-10-15T16:42:15Z")
For quirky stuff, I always head to [Think Geek](http://www.thinkgeek.com). ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/5 "2005-10-15T17:30:55Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > For quirky stuff, I always head to [Think Geek](http://www.thinkgeek.com). That’s what I was going to say. I like the T-shirt that says, “You are stupid” in binary. ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/6 "2005-10-16T13:07:49Z")
If “unusual” means inexpensive then check out [ABC Distributing](http://www.abcdistributing.com) They have some unusual items, and you **don’t** have to buy three like they suggest. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/7 "2005-10-16T13:33:46Z")
Not hand-made or unique, but [Archie McPhee](http://www.mcphee.com/) is definitely a one stop shop for the cheap and unusual. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/8 "2005-10-16T17:24:09Z")
Ok, it’s deeply, deeply uncool. But they have some really nice edible and decorative things, and it’s good for card making and minor craft supplies. They’ll deliver outside the UK too, and are renowned for their great customer sevice. [http://www.lakelandlimited.com](http://www.lakelandlimited.com) ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Violaceous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Miss\_Violaceous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Violaceous)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/9 "2005-10-17T03:41:56Z")
The site you seek is [novica](http://www.novica.com). ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/10 "2005-10-17T18:53:23Z")
> [@RSSchen](#): > > If “unusual” means inexpensive then check out [ABC Distributing](http://www.abcdistributing.com) > > They have some unusual items, and you **don’t** have to buy three like they suggest. > > Good luck! Oh, it took me about five minutes after I clicked that link to realize it was ABC _distributing_, not disturbing. That makes a lot more sense now. ---
**Author:** ![dmartin29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@dmartin29](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmartin29)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/11 "2005-10-17T19:11:38Z")
I second Novica. Wonderful service, great items and a genuine “good dead”. ---
**Author:** ![dmartin29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@dmartin29](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmartin29)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/12 "2005-10-17T19:13:19Z")
> [@dmartin29](#): > > I second Novica. Wonderful service, great items and a genuine “good dead”. Would you believe a “Good Deed” instead! ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/13 "2005-10-17T19:39:49Z")
Man, that Archie McPhee Cubes stuff is oddly compelling. I think I would like working in a cube farm, unless the cubes were really small, or my co-workers were annoying… Ahem. As you were! ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/14 "2005-10-17T21:22:43Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > For quirky stuff, I always head to [Think Geek](http://www.thinkgeek.com). Thanks for the link! This site has “me” all over it…and I simply have to get 0url=http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/7830/] this! ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/15 "2005-10-17T21:23:55Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Thanks for the link! This site has “me” all over it…and I simply have to get 0url=http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/7830/] this! Oops…I meant [this](http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/7830/). ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/16 "2005-10-17T21:37:33Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Oops…I meant [this](http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/7830/). Got that for a friend’s b’day when we went out to dinner at a small restaurant. Was a very big hit – the yuppies at the other table behind me kept goggling, one of them twisting around in his seat to stare as my friend tested the thing to make sure it worked. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/17 "2005-10-17T21:44:14Z")
Oh, and I forgot to list one of my favorites: [www.techbargains.com](http://www.techbargains.com) They provide links to all sorts of places, and have the best deals of the day on 1000’s of items. Also, for those who know what Black Friday is (day after Thanksgiving sales), this site usually has a link to all the sales the day before Thanksgiving. But the best thing is that they update the site regularly, so you can see what deals there are on any given day/week. Check in regularly to get those clearance items and discount coupons! ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-shopping-sites-for-unusual-gifts/326361/18 "2005-10-17T22:07:25Z")
You want geeky? I got geeky (with a big dose of kid- and layman-friendliness): [American Science & Surplus](http://www.sciplus.com/) Got my nephew a gift certificate from the place. He loved it.