I have never been a big online shopper. I’m very petite (I’m only 5’1”) so I usually have to try everything on to see if it works for me proportionally. Even petite jeans are usually too long for me, I can usually get away with capris for pants. I also am big on textures and materials, and love to feel the item before I buy it. Let’s be real, nothings worse than an itchy sweater. Being in a pandemic, I’ve had to shift and rethink how I shop. I can’t go into my favorite stores with handfuls of items to try on, I have to go off pictures and bulleted descriptions and pour over every review ever written. People are also less likely to return items bought in store rather than purchased online, mostly because you have already tried it on and know it fits.
It’s now so easy to just click a few buttons and have your items sent directly to your doorstep, and if it doesn’t work out you can just send it right back. But there’s also the flip slide, paying for shipping. A lot of places offer free shipping if you hit a certain dollar amount, but sometimes they are unrealistic. I am always sure to get free shipping and returns when I can, mainly because it makes it lower risk and of course who wouldn’t want to save some money. Let’s just say each time you order its $10 for shipping, and you order something once a month. In one year you’d be spending around $120 JUST in shipping. And if you return the item you don’t get your money back, and you’re out that shipping cost. To me, that’s just wasting money. If you can’t hit that dollar amount, there are a few other ways you can get free shipping and most importantly, free returns. There are also add on apps on your computer that will check coupons available so you know you’re not missing out on any deals. Below are a few ways to save money by shopping online:
- Shoprunner
Shoprunner is a service where you can get free 2 day shipping and returns at over 100 stores. You can sign up for a free 3 month trial, or you can get a year subscription for free if you are a paypal member, or a MasterCard holder. It works on some of my favorite stores that often don’t have free shipping like Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, CB2, American Eagle, and so many more. If you’re shopping on a website and you see their logo, you know you’re eligible for your free 2 day shipping. I have paypal, so I get a year for free and it’s SO worth it, especially when I’m ordering a lot more online. And I love that I don’t have to worry about if something doesn’t work out, because returning an item is also free and so easy to do.
- The Yes App
The Yes app is more of a personalized shopping app where you can “yes” or “no” certain items and it will help curate recommendations of items just for you. You add what your favorite stores and what size you are, and it will start suggesting items for you. It will save all your yes items to a “yes list”, and you can add directly to your cart. And yes, shipping is free. It has so many different brands from high end to low end (literally everything from Zara and H&M, to Acne Studios and Gucci and Prada). If you like an item, it also suggests similar items at different price points, which I love!
The one downside is don’t expect everything from each website to be on the app, it’s only a small selection. But they do change items often so it’s good to check often! I’m obsessed with the Aritiza TNA sweatshirts, and check the app often to snag one when they show up in my size.
The best part about the app is you can send a link to your friends and get a $25 credit to use for both you and your friend!
- Honey
There are a few different websites out there that pretty much do that same thing, Honey, Rakuen, etc. What the sites do is basically search through for coupon codes, and find the best ones for you, and you get points. Those points can then be used towards futures purchases, so there are two different ways to save! If you are a frequent online shopper, these sites are great because it can save you a little each time while adding on points!
- Google it!
The list above are just some ways you can help save money shopping online, but the best way is to do your research. If there is something you love online, is it sold anywhere else for a lower price? Does a different website offer additional perks by shopping there? Just shopping around and googling for a few minutes can save you a ton! Most recently, I got my mom a dress to wear at my wedding. It’s this beautiful pink Alice and Olivia shift dress. I searched online comparing prices from different websites, and looked for what place at the lowest price or the best deals going on. I was able to find it for her for $125, on other websites it was listed at $330. Just a little searching got me 60% off! It was still the same dress, the same brand, just the website i was on happened to have a sale. You don’t always have to sacrifice quality for price, sometimes it just takes a little extra effort 🙂
Shades and Stripes 
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