Rainbow Resource Center
Ratings Summary:
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Category
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Average
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Count
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| Effectiveness |
4.67 |
3 |
| Usability |
4.33 |
3 |
| Price/Value |
5 |
3 |
| Overall Average |
4.67 |
3 |
Rainbow Resource Center offers over 35,000 quality products in all subject areas, for grades Pre-K through 12 and beyond.
http://www.rainbowresource.com
User Reviews
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| Reviewed by Marjorie |
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Created at
9:51 PM EDT on
July 24, 2008
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Category
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Score
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| Effectiveness |
5 |
| Usability |
4 |
| Price/Value |
5 |
| Overall Average |
4.67 |
As other reviewers have noted, Rainbow Resource has a huge catalog. There are few to no pictures and it is printed on newsprint style paper, so visually it is not enticing. It's attractiveness to homeschoolers comes from its sheer size and breadth of material covered. Most, but not all, products have at least a one paragraph review. Because of the amount of products carried, many of the products reviewed have not actually been used by the reviewer. Those that have been are noted in the review.
One thing I'd like to point out is that Rainbow Resource is a Christian company. Though they do carry secular materials, you won't find materials from another religious viewpoint other than those products that compare Christianity favorably with another religion. If you're looking for Jewish, Pagan, Buddhist, or Islamic materials, you won't find them here.
I have ordered from this company several times and have never had a bad experience. I've ordered both online and by phone, and I've found their telephone service to be courteous and helpful. They ship orders quickly and they are packaged well.
In terms of usability of their catalog, I would rate it a 4. I do not give it a 5 because the sheer size of the catalog can make it difficult to use at times. There have been a few products that were not under the heading I expected to find them under, and the index lists only by exact title. This is definitely the sort of catalog to go to when you know you want to look at, say, elementary science programs but aren't sure exactly which one you want to use. It's good for browsing, narrowing your choices, then doing further research online. It's also not the sort of catalog you can tuck in your purse to read while waiting on errands.
I find their print catalog easier to use than their online catalog, however. Several times I've typed in a title and had it come back not found because I'd spelled it a letter off or forgotten the exact title. I also find their online browse feature cumbersome. To be fair, there are over 1300 pages in the print catalog; I'd imagine the creation of an online catalog for that many items to be a huge task.
I compare them to a homeschool Amazon.com. Their prices are normally discounted over other retailers, and their service is fast. I recommend them.
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| Reviewed by christinabean |
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Created at
8:34 PM EDT on
July 8, 2008
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Category
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Score
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| Effectiveness |
5 |
| Usability |
5 |
| Price/Value |
5 |
| Overall Average |
5 |
I have ordered from Rainbow Resource for the last seven years. I love to stop by their booth at conferences because they are so very large and people are bustling about. They have such neat things as well.
Rainbow Resource’s catalog is huge. It is like the yellow pages. It has an awesome index in the back where you can look up a word or an exact title. This is necessary because it is too hard to flip through and find an item. I have price shopped and compared prices on many things in their catalog and I always, consistently find them to be the lowest priced on everything I have looked for. I don’t think many companies can compete because they are buying in such quantities and are able to offer discounts that most companies cannot do and still make a profit. If you purchase at a state conference, you can get free shipping and if you purchase more than $150 (not as a business) you get free shipping. I have combined orders before with friends to get this free shipping but honestly haven’t needed to as I buy most of my curriculum needs here and it most often totals $150 or more.
In addition, every single item is reviewed. This is incredibly helpful, especially if you are buying sight unseen. They are positive reviews that pick out the best qualities of each item but tend to be somewhat honest. They are also extremely discerning. I was interested in buying some prints/postcards of an artist and it mentioned there was some nudity in one of the prints. I appreciated them noting that.
I have only had to return one item and had a problem returning it initially but they made good on it and I ended up very satisfied.
Just today I was checking on an order and they were holding it because a book was backordered. When I investigated there was a couple of things that they no longer carried that I had ordered (I had ordered from the old catalog and hadn’t received the new one yet). Although I thought they should have called me, the customer service lady easily resolved it and helped me find something else that was comparable. If I hadn’t have called though, they would have shipped the order without the items I needed and I would have not been able to get the free shipping if I wanted to order something else. (I do think had this happened and I would have complained that they would have made good on it.) My point is that I would stay on top of your order. In all fairness, I ordered by sending a check with my order. Had I ordered online or over the phone, they would have been able to tell me instantly that these items were not available.
Ultimately, I highly recommend Rainbow Resource. I am a happy customer :) !!!
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| Reviewed by AprilD |
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Created at
4:01 PM EDT on
June 2, 2008
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Category
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Score
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| Effectiveness |
4 |
| Usability |
4 |
| Price/Value |
5 |
| Overall Average |
4.33 |
New homeschoolers quickly learn to identify Rainbow Resource as the company with the catalog the size of a phone book! They maintain what must be one of the largest inventories of homeschool supplies available in one place. Most homeschoolers would do well to request one of their free catalogs, as they serve admirably to inform you about many of the potential learning options for homeschoolers that exist these days.
Not only does Rainbow Resource list a huge number of items in their catalog, but they also include reviews of many of the items. The reviews often provide details about how a program works or comment on particularly outstanding elements of a resource. Because they are trying to sell products, however, you will notice that they typically emphasize the good points of a product, rather than pointing out the drawbacks. Nonetheless, this catalog is a good place to learn about your options and start thinking about possibilities for curricula and resources. Before you buy, I’d recommend checking your product out on some review sites like this one, so you can research a variety of opinions about your selection.
You can make catalog orders from Rainbow Resource by phone or mail, or you can hop on the Internet and visit their website to purchase your desired materials. Rainbow Resource is also a fixture at many, if not most, homeschool conferences. If you buy in person at a convention, you avoid shipping charges. You may, however, need to pay sales tax on those purchases.
Because Rainbow Resource deals in such a high volume of purchases, they generally can discount their prices significantly. Most of their items are sold for something below retail price. They typically offer free shipping for any purchases that are over $150, and I’ve found their shipping rates to be reasonable for orders under that amount. Orders are usually processed promptly, and I’ve never had trouble getting any of my desired items.
The Rainbow Resource catalog has a definite Christian orientation, although they do stock both Christian and secular materials. I’ve noticed that their science selections tend to avoid the topic of evolution or approach the subject from a Creationist perspective.
Although Rainbow Resource has a truly massive catalog, you should be aware that they do not offer all homeschooling products that are available. There are certain products that only sell through company-sponsored representatives or directly from the publishers, instead of in retail venues. I mention this so you know that you can’t use their catalog to find out about ALL the possible options for homeschoolers, but it is definitely a good place to start, especially if you are looking for items to supplement or spice up a resource! Review sites like this one also help me discover all the most widely used homeschooling materials.
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