And I wish we could give a Free Lunch too!

Earlier this summer we began offering Free Gift Wrap on any order. We knew some folks would appreciate this, but we have simply been astounded at the number of customers that are taking us up on this offer! We are, quite frankly, thrilled. And the best thing – we’re hearing back from recipients of these gifts – they are every bit as delighted as we are – both in the wind chime AND in the presentation of the gift.

You see, if we’re going to offer Gift Wrap to our customers, we’re going to take the time to do it right. We know that a gift reflects back on the giver, and as our customer, you deserve to have that reflection be appreciation and thankfulness (and hopefully, a bit of surprise and delight too!). We never want a recipient to get a box that’s been poorly wrapped or shipped. And so we make sure (and then check again) that there’s no pricing information with the gift, that the paper and card match the occasion for the gift, that the outer shipping box adequately protects the gift, and so on. And from customer feedback, it appears that we’re doing it right!

Not to worry – we’ll keep wrapping gifts for free for the rest of the summer. And remember, if you’re not quite sure which wind chime to select as a gift, just call! We’re happy to help you pick out just the right chime.

- Carolyn
BuyChimes, LLC

Customers often wonder why some wind chimes sound like church bells (or chapel bells) and others don’t. Many, many of you look for a deep-sounding chime, so here’s a wee primer to answer that question…

The chimes that most sound like church bells are the biggest in height.  In fact, around here we call them “the tall, skinny chimes.”  The long tubes on the chime, coupled with the relatively small diameter of those tubes, create this sound.  Whenever I’m downtown at noon, I hear the local Catholic church chimes – THAT’S the sound of these chimes.  Every line of chimes we sell has a chime that sounds like this.  You simply need to look at the overall height to find it; look for the tallest chimes. 

You don’t need to look for the most expensive chimes, because the costliest chimes are large in both tube length and tube diameter, which creates a more gong-like sound. The Corinthian Bells 74-inch chime is a perfect example of a church-bell chime; the Corinthian Bells 65-inch chime is a gong-like chime.

The sound and tone that resonates with one customer can be completely different from what another customer is looking for – so be sure to listen to each chime’s sound file on the site! Customers often wonder if the chime really sounds like it does online – I always answer “YES, it does – even better!” And really, that’s the truth. No sound file can capture the random sounds of a chime blowing in the wind. The sound files will capture the basic tones; but the actual chime hanging in your garden will surpass that sound every single time. So if you like the sound online, you will LOVE it in the backyard!

As always, simply give us a call if you want any advice or an opinion about a chime, especially if you’re gifting one to someone else. We’re here. And we know these chimes. (To be honest, we wouldn’t be selling them if we didn’t.)

- Carolyn
www.buychimes.com

Twice every year, we run a sale. This year, one happens to be during the el primo time of when you should be buying something for mom. You DID remember that Mother’s Day is approaching, didn’t you?! (It’s on May 8!). Our most popular chime lines are on sale, including Bells of Vienna, Corinthian Bells, Gentle Spirits. As an example of the savings you can have: The Bells of Vienna 44-inch chime (BV406), normally $105.98, is now $99.98.

This year for Mother’s Day…

we are offering a new take on an old gift—an engraved version of a popular, medium-sized chime: the Shenandoah Melodies 34-inch chime in plum. The wind sail says it all…

Happy Mother’s Day!

Included in the price is gift wrapping (pink & purple for the gals), our standard free shipping (to destinations in the contiguous 48 states), and, of course, our exceptional customer service. If you have any questions, special requests or instructions for your order, please contact us. We will be happy to help you.

—Jeff
www.BuyChimes.com

Spring is finally here. In fact, it’s all over the place in Northern Virginia. The bright daffodils and forsythia seem to surround every house in my neighborhood! Yesterday, the 80-degree afternoon coaxed the wisteria buds out of hiding…welcome, you plump harbingers of spring!

Like the buds, spring brings everyone out of winter hibernation. Back yards are filled again with families playing baseball, grilling and saying, “Hi, haven’t seen you for awhile!” over the fence.

As you are enjoying these warm days on your deck, think of how delightful a hand-tuned wind chime would sound—the melodies drifting across the yard as you plant pansies, those favorite spring annuals. And think of Mother’s Day, which is right around the corner (May 8).

BuyChimes has a wonderful gift in mind for Mother’s Day—a very special chime, with a very special promotion—just perfect for a mom, wife, grandmother, aunt…. We’re still putting the final touches on the promo—planning to unveil it next week. Stay posted for that, and be sure to order while supplies are in stock!

—Carolyn
BuyChimes.com

Maybe it’s because it’s in the key of C, which is always a pleasing sound to my ears…. or maybe it’s the petite size of the overall chime (just 27 inches). Either way, the Gentle Spirits 27-inch chime, the 108 model, is one of my favorite chimes.

This chime is available in three popular colors: Black, Green and Patina Green – but I’m partial to Black. In fact, I think all the Gentle Spirits chimes are best in black—the understated color blends with the simple design so well. But it’s the sweet tone of this chime that captivates me most….it’s light, lilting and rings easily.

Unique to all the other Gentle Spirits models, the 27-inch chime has eight tubes, which means all the notes in the C-scale ring when the wind blows just right. Perfect!

And the size makes it not-too-big and not-too-small for gift-giving. Maybe for Mom in May? She’d love it!

—Carolyn

www.BuyChimes.com

As many of you already have discovered, wind chimes are quite simply the perfect gift. Whether the occasion is birthday, Christmas, new home or “just because,” a well-crafted chime is always a thoughtful gift. And of course, Mother’s Day is a wonderful time to gift your mom with a new chime. Think ahead now to which chime would be the best one for your mom, wife, mother-in-law, girlfriend.

BuyChimes offers the best wind chimes made right here in the U.S. They are hand-tuned and come in a fantastic array of colors/woods to fit anyone’s personal tastes. Compared to the cheap, “tinkly” chimes you see in big-box stores, these chimes are special,  particularly as a gift.

To help our customers, we initiated gift wrapping last summer, and it’s been tweaked to perfection by now. All boxes are wrapped in either a glossy navy or silver foil paper, then entwined with appropriate colored ribbons. (We’re not going to wrap your husband’s gift in pink and purple, we promise!) We hand-write your message on a high-quality panel card, then slip it in an outer envelope, along with a gift receipt. All this for only $5!

Right now, I’m busy thinking of a truly unique add-on to offer along with the gift wrapping for all mothers. When I come up with it, I’ll let you know!

It almost sounds like a Halloween post – but that’s not for another 10 months!

The Treats bit is for a special we’re offering for Valentine’s Day. For each chime we ship as a Valentine’s Day gift, we will gift-wrap it and include a romantic gift bag for free.  What’s in the gift bag, you ask?  Silky rose petals and delicious, organic, 55% cacao content dark chocolates are nestled with your special message in a white organza bag.  The bag is entwined with ribbons attached to the box.

While it’s not diamonds, your sweetheart will love both the chime and the gift bag, not to mention your personalized message.  Contact us if you have questions about this special offer.

The Thanks bit is for a successful, busy 2010 here at BuyChimes.  You, our loyal customers, continue to purchase chimes from us year after year, and we are so thankful.  As you may know from our About Us page on the site, Jeff and I care deeply about promoting products, in particular, wind chimes, that are made here in the U.S.  There are many top-quality, well-made U.S. products out there, and too often, people simply don’t know about them.  So thank you for your continued patronage, which enables us to continue offering the very best of U.S.-made wind chimes.

Carolyn

For several days now, we have been running our holiday sale. This is one of our two annual sales events. So it’s one of the few times you can save money on your purchase of a wind chime. The chimes on sale are those in the Corinthian Bells, Bells of Vienna, Gentle Spirits, Shenandoah Melodies, Arias Elite and Majestic Spirits lines.

Stock up now for your holiday gift giving!

Also, while our gift wrapping is no longer free, we are charging a nominal fee of only $5.

—Jeff

BuyChimes.com

We love the idea of giving wind chimes as gifts. We already offer free shipping. What can we do to make giving a wind chime gift even more appealing? How about, for a limited time, offering free gift wrapping? That’s what we’ve done, as of today (normally $5.00). To get it, just select the check box when adding the chime to your cart:

Then, during checkout, be sure to add the gift message to the recipient. We will write that message by hand in a card, and enclose it with the gift-wrapped chime in a protective box for shipping.

Enjoy this while it lasts!

—Jeff

BuyChimes.com

Do dads get the short shrift on Father’s Day gifts when compared to mom and Mother’s Day gifts? Well, Mom usually IS the favorite so, yes, maybe they do a little. Who can compete with Mom? Dads are a little easier to buy for (aren’t they?). We’ve got a good solution for a Father’s Day gift.

When you order a wind chime for Father’s Day, BuyChimes will throw in a free BuyChimes carabiner. That’s right, in addition to enjoying the beautiful wind chime (and the fun project of picking the perfect spot to hang it and then getting to hang it), he’ll get a cool gadget to hang it with! What father wouldn’t love another gadget?  Just check the appropriate check box when you’re purchasing the chime.

No, it’s not breakfast in bed, but it should help put a smile on dad’s face.

—Jeff

BuyChimes.com