Remember when shopping on the Internet was a big deal? You could buy anything, from anywhere at any time you wanted. It was way cool. Now it's just expected.

Shopping on the Internet has become routine -- click, click, click, you're finished. And your item -- whatever that item is -- might or might not bear any resemblance to the photo that might or might not have been posted next to that "add to cart" button.

What was once cool and cutting edge is now nothing more than convenient at best. Predictable. Humdrum. Dull. And on some sites, even tedious.

I shop online all the time, mostly for the convenience factor. It had lost its "wow" for me some time ago ... until I logged on to ShangBy.com.

ShangBy.com

ShangBy.com has put both the "whoo" and the "hoo" back into Internet shopping.

As founder and CEO Steve Bell puts it, "ShangBy is QVC on steroids. It's QVC for the smart, savvy, connected shopper." And how.

You can shop ShangBy.com like you would any other online store, but what really makes the site shine is the live component that lets shoppers browse stores in Shanghai (yes, the one in China) without ever leaving the country. Heck, without ever leaving their living rooms! It's international shopping without a wicked long flight and jetlag.

Every Sunday-Thursday night -- that's Monday-Friday morning in Shanghai -- you can log on to the site and watch as hosts Claire or Nina chat with the owners of various shops.

Claire Bartels was my host when I took ShangBy for a test spin, searching for a gift for my sister's birthday (the big 4-0).

I have to admit, I was somewhat leery, but it was seriously fun.

ShangBy.com

With the help of two cameras and the Internet, host Claire Bartels and shop owners like Annetta can interact with customers live.

I called a toll-free number and within just a couple of minutes, I was chatting with Bartels and Annetta, owner of Jewelry by Annetta, on the phone and watching them live on my computer. They were in Annetta's Shanghai shop. I was more than 6,700 miles away, curled up on my living room couch in Phoenix, Ariz.

I happened to really like the pearl necklace Bartels was wearing at the time. (The Shanghai jewelry markets are known for great deal on luxury items, including pearls.) Bartels and Annetta showed me a couple of similar items. Close up. Turned them around. Paired them with other pieces so I could get a feel for how the necklace would look. Showed me a couple different ways the necklace could be worn. It was almost as good as being there in person, and I didn't even have to shell out $1,000-plus for a ticket or spend more than 14 hours (up to 33, depending on connections) on a plane.

Bartels and Annetta spent a chunk of time chatting with me, and there was no pressure to buy. I decided to go with a necklace, though, and Bartels encouraged me to bargain with Annetta, which is common in China. Not so much in the states. The necklace I chose would have gone for about $400 here in the U.S. Annetta's initial price was $150, but Bartels helped me talk her down to $125. Like I said, it was way fun.

ShangBy.com

The price I negotiated for the necklace is available to anyone who shops on the site.

Within minutes, they had posted the necklace with the price I negotiated so anybody could buy it. I waited a couple of days (until my AmEx closed), hopped online and hit that "add to cart" button. But I wasn't buying blind. Far from it.

More than just great deals on unique pieces -- jewelry, silks and more -- ShangBy is about the experience.

Bell and Bartels are beyond enthusiastic about ShangBy, and it's contagious. When I talked to the two of them one evening (He was in Austin, Texas, she in Shanghai), it was impossible not to get caught up in the vision.

ShangBy isn't a shop that imports Chinese goods, it's a venture that takes the shopper halfway around the world.

The idea was born a few years ago, when Bell and his son were in Asia.

"I was overwhelmed at just how much I learned in the first week," Bell said. "There was so much I didn’t know. All the travelers I met with and I saw had the same experiences."

As he and his son walked through a market, his son with a video camera, Bell had a thought -- if only he had an Internet connection, his wife could be there with them. That thought eventually grew into ShangBy.

"We're able to transport people from anywhere they are to the coolest shops in the world any time," Bell said. "Shoppers get things at the local price, and deal with the local people directly.

"Claire is there to be the shopper's friend and make sure the shopper had a good time."

And she does.

"China is completely different from Western countries, absolutely different in every sense," said, Bartels, who has lived in Shanghai for about three years. "It's bringing that experience to people that's so exciting."

Bell agrees.

"It's how we bridge that gap between cultures," he said.

ShangBy.com

The ShangBy Web site lets people shop the Shanghai jewelry markets and even negotiate prices with shop owners.

The shopper, who can be located anywhere in the world, needs only a phone and a high-speed Internet connection.

The ShangBy team uses a two-camera setup in the stores to show shoppers everything they need to see in real time. It's perfect, especially for those who want to actually create their own jewelry.

"It's been an interesting lesson in how far you can go with technology," Bartels said.

If you're not ready to call in, you can still participate via live chat. I'll admit, I lurked in the background and watched for a bit before picking up the phone.

Customer experience is ShangBy's biggest focus.

"ShangBy is not about us pressuring people to call in and spend a bunch of cash," Bartels said. "We want them to have fun. ... We want them to feel like they're in the stores. We want to bring Shanghai into their living rooms. "

And if my experience is any indication, ShangBy is definitely heading in the right direction.

Catherine Holland

The necklace was exactly what I expected, having already seen it "in" the shop.

Not only did I have a great time talking with Bartels and Annetta, and virtually browsing Annetta's shop, I received my necklace from Shanghai in less than a week, which was faster than a package from Los Angeles, a mere 375 miles (give or take) away. And the L.A. package was sent first.

Shipping, by the way, is via FedEx Air. It's a flat fee of $30, plus a 15 percent handling fee that covers, well, handling (customs, etc.). ShangBy does offer free shipping for orders that total more than $200.

From first click to shopping to shipping to follow-up, I have nothing but good things to say about ShangBy and its team. I got not only a beautiful necklace at a great price, but also a neat story and the coolness of having bought it in Shanghai.

That's exactly what Bell is going for.

"Customers are saying very positive, encouraging things," Bell said. "We’re on the right track."

And racing down it.

"If anybody has a complaint, we take care of it," Bell said. "The only way we can do that is by thrilling our customers -- thrilling every customer, every single time."

ShangBy.com

ShangBy plans to add new stores, new categories, and eventually new cities.

Since I bought my necklace, ShangBy has added stores to its roster. As of now, there are 12 stores in three categories.

"I'm very excited about the direction ShangBy is taking, excited to bring China to people in the west," Bartels said

Bell said he's not only looking for more Shanghai shops, but also at adding new cities.

"We're in this for the long haul," he said. "We want to bring Asia to America. More cities, more categories, more stories. Making it more and more like you're in the stores.

"Women want more options and versatility. We're bringing it to them -- live."