Comparison shopping for religious items

I have had occasion (my pocketbook says more than occasionally) to purchase items from a number of online religious items retailers over the years, and I though I'd give my impressions of the experiences.

Light & Life Publishing - The selection is quite extensive. They have a print and online mailing list to subscribe to. They respond to emails and calls in a timely manner and ship things quickly. On the other hand, the items are often more expensive here than from other retailers and the shipping costs are equally hefty.

The Holy Transfiguration Monastery - I buy a lot of icons from them and also have an affinity for their Psalters. They have a great selection of icons, some books, and all the other stuff you would expect. The prices are very reasonable and the shipping costs are as well. It's a monastery so if you send in an order during Lent expect a delay. There is also the added bonus that they use sheet music as packing material.

Orthodox Goods: This is a little known ministry of Christ the Saviour Seminary (ACROD). The staff is primarily seminarians. They have a few books you won't find other places - primarily Carpatho-Rusyn materials, amazingly good incense, and a few icons. If you shopped there right after they opened, I should point out that they dropped their prices quite a bit. Shipping is reasonable and they occasionally throw in a trinket or two with your order.

Fullness of the Faith - They sell Ancient Faith Radio items, coffee and mugs, clothes, and jewelry. If you're a fan of "Orthodox gear," this is the place for you. They ship quickly as well. Full disclosure: they were quite helpful in providing reduced-cost prizes for winners of the Eastern Christian New Media Awards.

Orthodox Christian Education Commission - This store provided pan-Orthodox catechetical material for youth and adults. If you homeschool, teach church school, or just want to read quality teaching, this is the place to purchase from. Items ship quickly, but I tend to think their shipping cards are over-the-top.

God with Us - A wide collection of catechetical materials (books, videos, education programs). While run by Eastern Catholics it is stamped as an Eastern Christian company and I can say that there is not much that an Orthodox believer to object to. Items are shipped quickly and shipping costs are reasonable. I will admit that my last big purchase had some hiccups (sent some wrong materials), but it got worked out in the end.

St. Tikhon's Bookstore - They are a complete retailer. If you want it, they probably have it. Items are priced appropriately and shipping costs are ok. I will complain that the website navigation is difficult and at times disfunctional (e.g. the search function has never worked properly for me), but you can always call them. I will mention that the liturgical calendar matters as far as getting questions answered and things shipped, so on big feast days expect the phone to ring for eternity.

St. Vladimir's Seminary Press - An excellent site for good books. The navigation is great, the book synopses are helpful, and the book images are large (good if you want to blog about something you just read). Orders ship quickly and the shopping experience is smooth overall. To speak honestly, SVS Press is often the more expensive choice for purchasing than other sites selling their wares. I have been known to peruse St. Vlad's site and then actually purchase a book from Amazon.

Come and See Icons - I've only purchased an item or two from this retailer. The web experience is bare bones and the order form is a tad paired down. What it lacks in professional gloss it makes up for in having a selection of icons that you can't find many other places. Give them a try.

Monastery Icons - They aren't Christian. Don't buy from them.