Note:  Before I tell you about about a fantastic new site that will give you GREAT reason to avoid Black Friday mayhem (which will only lead to cries of "" anyways…!) it's kinda cool to know the background of my acquaintance with it. ~~~

My whirlwind trip in March to SXSW had been unexpectedly educational, my brain overflowing with ideas and dozens of new names and faces.  But after a looong weekend, I was ready to get home and see my babies, not continuing to network when I boarded the plane.

So much for best laid plains–I had a crush on her the second I saw her black and white zebra-striped shoes; their red trim sealed it.  My mama taught me better than to judge a book by its cover, but I sure liked the sass I was hearing from those feet. 

She spoke first, my seatmate on the flight from Austin to Dallas, and as our conversation became real, my first impression became a lasting one.  I liked Paula Drum.  I hoped we'd stay in touch.  In a world filled with tweets and status updates and invisible strands of cyber connections, it seemed reasonable. 

And so we have in bytes and pieces since March.

Following her on Twitter, I knew she was making a job change, leaving behind "the world of taxes" and stepping into the role of General Manager for a new e-tailer, Gettington.com.  In just a few minutes of skimming her blog posts related to Gettington, you'll see her passion, her professionalism, her commitment to excellence in crafting a business to succeed.  Her enthusiasm, palpable, makes you want to join in Gettington.com's success.  Paula is a sharp and savvy businesswoman, and the care and concern for the people in her life carries over into her work.

But this post isn't about Paula…it's about introducing Gettington.com to all of you who don't yet know about it (I can't help it!  I'm always interested first in the story behind the story!! 🙂 ).  Thanks to the folks at Gettington for sending me on a mini-shopping spree and asking me to tell you what I discovered.  The "pluses" are many.

You'll love:

• The Goodie Bag!  Every time you log into your account, you have a goodie bag waiting on you with secret deals and sometimes freebies inside.  Right now (I don't know how long it will last), receive a free Gettington shopping bag with your purchase.  What's so special about that?  Plenty:  it's a shopping bag made by women in India (), rescued from forced prostitution.  I love my bag because it's got that cute Gettington logo, it's bigger than most similar bags…but mostly because it represents a greater good.
• Multiple payment options.  Pay immediately with your credit card, divide your purchase over four months, or extend it for up to 24 months.  You'll receive longer grace periods, NO default APR, a lower-than-typical interest rate and more.  Gettington wants your business and has constructed payment options that allow you greater flexibility.
• VIP~Very Important Perspective.  Gettington wants to hear from YOU.  The site is new, they're customer driven, and this is an opportunity for you to help SHAPE your shopping experience.  They're listening…and it comes with reward.
• Exceptional customer service.  I'll be honest with you–I haven't yet received my order; there was a problem with the gift card sent to me.  I called Gettington's customer service line yesterday after work to explain my issue, and I spoke with the most engaged customer service rep in the history of customer service departments!  He's working to resolve my problem–it's more about the newness of the site than anything else–and will get back with me today.  And the thing is, I KNOW he will, I could just tell!  (Plus, I'll let you know if he doesn't!)

Soooo, I'll be sure to update with pictures of my uber-secret purchase when it arrives, and in the meantime?  PLEASE get to know AND !  You'll WANT to shop there because you'll like the way they do business!  They'll have MAJOR Black Friday deals, and as added incentive PENSIEVE readers can get 15% off their purchases by entering GT273 (through December 30th!).