Revenue’s November/December cover story was about search alternatives. Senior Writer Alex Wharton opened the article with an anecdote about someone cruising around on Digg.com and stumbling upon popular story about “the Slanket” and then purchasing the item.

Alex did a great job of illustrating how people can serendipitously “find” things they want when they weren’t even looking for them. I highly recommend you read the story.

The disappointing part of the tale was not on the printed page of the magazine, but rather it took place in our office. Several Revenue staffers were also immediately taken with the concept of the Slanket. It’s a fleecy blanket that has sleeves – perfect for many of us San Franciscans that have cold homes, often no heaters (it’s an SF thing) and want the freedom to lounge on the couch while using our laptops, knitting or whatever might require our arms to be moveable for all our multitasking or serious TiVo use.

There was a minor office frenzy to order the Slanket for ourselves and loved ones as gifts. Some lucky folks were quick enough to secure their bundles of warmth before they were sold out on Slanket.com. Others found the Slanket sold online at other sites. My sweetie tried to order one but it was completely sold out and on backorder until after Christmas.

He abandoned the idea of the Slanket and went on to purchase a bunch of alternative gifts for me. However, after some not-so subtle hints from me, he realized that I really wanted that dang fleecy, sleeved blanket, so he tried again to order it about one week before Christmas.

This time around the Slanket.com website appeared to have everything in stock. He excitedly placed his order, paid nearly $20 bucks extra to have it before Christmas and then made the mistake of telling me my Slanket would be arriving on Friday December 21st.

However, on Thursday he received an email from the Slanket.com folks notifying him the product was out of stock (again) and would be shipped at a later date. No talk of a refund on the shipping charges, no apologies, nothing. No damn Slanket.

By now other sites had sold out of the Slanket and both of us were very disappointed. Part of this stems from the fact that I never have a list of things I want for Christmas or my birthday. If there is a book I want to read, I just buy it – the same with gadgets or clothes. Very rarely can I tell a loved one (no matter how many times they ask me) that there is something specific they can buy me. The idea that I gave my sweetie a particular item to purchase for me lightened his gift load and the anxiety that his present would receive only a lukewarm reception.

While I was blessed with an abundance of holiday gifts (both material and non-material), I’m still miffed about not receiving the one item I really wanted. I think setting expectation is important. Had the Slanket site simply stuck to showing potential buyers that the product was on backorder, I would have been okay with receiving my gift after Christmas. However, I feel it was completely misleading to let us (and other buyers) think the product was in stock and available only to pull the Slanket out from under them.

So, while I love online shopping I have to say this experience left me cold - very cold.