Online Shopping Revisited

My second ever post was one in which I rambled about online shopping. Today I thought I would revisit the realms of online shopping, providing some hints on how to tackle the possibly dangerous world of virtual retail. Now, I will not address any actual threat to your life (though keeping personal details online safe is very important), rather I will protect the balance of your bank account, and your guilty conscious from “treating” yourself. Pen and paper at the ready (or Word document open), here are my tips that I have learnt by engaging in a little too much online shopping:

1. Where possible, look at the pictures online of the garment in other colours. Often the piece that you want may be in black, which can be hard to see the detail in on a screen. If you look at the same item in blue, however, you are able to see the detail in the fabric and the design. It is amazing how many times I have thought a black dress had a solid design, but when looking at another colour there are all kinds of seams and textures that were not visible in black. This tip is perhaps mostly applicable to websites such as Missguided and even Asos’ own brand, where one style of clothing is repeated in various colours. 

2. Always look at any customer reviews. Often similar comments are repeated, which can truly tell you the overall appraisal of an item of clothing. For example, if various customers commented that something took three weeks to ship, it is a warning that shipping may be long. On some websites, however, customers can earn reward points for commenting on an item, so try and avoid any comments that appear as if the person has never actually purchased the piece of clothing. You can usually also find a rating scale which customers can rate the fabric quality, the fit, the colour and many other important characteristics. 

3. Sign up to the mailing list for online shopping websites. There is no reason to pay full price as there are always codes for 20% off, an extra 10% off sale and so on. Many people complain about the amount of websites they have signed up to (I know firsthand as I work in retail myself!), but I once read a tip somewhere to create a mail account dedicated only to emails from websites. For example, you can have your personal account or work email, and then an email account that you use when signing up to mailing lists. Checking in a couple times a week will ensure you never miss out on the closing date of a coupon code.

4. Don’t buy an item based solely on the colour. I know how hard this is to do when the colour on screen just looks so beautiful, but more often than not the colour does not translate in reality. I have been disappointed more than once lusting over the colour of a certain top or skirt, only for it to arrive and look much different to what it did on screen. Instead, focusing on the tailoring and the expected fit of an item will ensure you will actually wear it, rather than merely liking the way it looks in your wardrobe.

5. Don’t obsess and impatiently wait for the mail to arrive. If you attempt to consciously forget about the pending mail, you will be pleasantly surprised when it arrives. Sometimes I even stop myself from looking at the postage information slip, just to enjoy opening the package, not knowing what is inside. Think of it as a mind game with yourself!

6. Try and avoid returning items as much as possible. I have actually never returned an item (except for one that was faulty and therefore had free shipping). Return fees are usually quite high, and override the savings you made to buy it initially. I was at the post office recently and a lady wanted to return an item to Germany, and the postal worker asked her if it was really worth it. I had to smile slyly to myself as I don’t see the point in returning items, especially overseas. Conversely, if the item you purchased was very expensive and the only option left is to return it, then sure. Otherwise, see if your mother or grandmother can sew it in for you, or get a quote from a tailor. Sisters and friends will be more than willing to accept a failed online shopping purchase if they appreciate your taste in fashion!

7. Look at the size the model is wearing. On most websites the size of the item the model is wearing is listed in the description box, and sometimes even their measurements. It’s probably quite frowned upon to compare yourself to the model but I advise you to! If you judge that you may be about the same size, a little bit bigger in the bust or smaller in the hips then this can assist you in choosing a size. Even just looking at all the pictures available can tell you if a dress may be too short, or if you might have to go a size up in a top for extra length. 

8. Check the online sizing chart, which is a feature of majority of websites. Get someone to measure you around the bust, waist and hips and make sure to write it down somewhere. The amount of times I have had to get my mother to measure me is ridiculous, because I fail to take my own advice and just write it down! After a while you will know what size you are at a particular online store, if you shop there often enough (an alarming reminder you are engaging in too much online shopping!).

So there are my eight tips to online shopping. There is no doubt that future purchases will teach me even more lessons. There it is, the justification to shopping online; it’s an outlet to learn. I guess it’s the deluded fashion world I live in. Comment your online shopping tips below, they would be much appreciated!