13 Tips Every Woman Should Know Before Online Shopping
Online shopping is the simplest way to purchase anything and everything you want. It allows you to get what you need without leaving the house, waiting in lines, or even changing out of your pajamas.
While online shopping comes with so many benefits, it has some drawbacks as well, like that beautiful dress arriving three sizes smaller than expected. Not every online shopper is satisfied with their experiences.
This article will provide you with 13 tips that will help you shop from your favorite online women’s boutique and will make your online shopping experience more enjoyable. Let’s get started!
- Create a List of What You Need
Shopping on online platforms usually comes with a lot of options as well as distractions, and it is easy to deviate from your main purpose. That is why it’s best to make a list of all the items that you primarily want or need.
Also, when you are looking for one kind of product, try not to look at others. For instance, if you are looking for pants, search for pants only. Do not scroll through tops, shirts, or other clothes. This will also help you to avoid spending money on products you don’t need.
- Learn Your Measurements
One of the major drawbacks of online shopping is that you do not get the chance to try clothes on. Therefore, to avoid purchasing the wrong size, measure yourself.
Sizes and measurements differ based on the brand, retailer, type of the clothes, and sometimes even the batch the clothes were made in. Therefore, before purchasing any products online, you need to know how tall you are, your bust, waist, hip, inseam, and so on.
If you do not know how to measure yourself, get help from someone or visit your local tailor or seamstress to make them do it for you.
- Look Over the Size Charts
As sizes differ for different brands and products, it is crucial to look over the size charts of all the online shopping platforms you visit before purchasing from them.
Size charts may not always match with you, and sometimes your actual measurement can be between two sizes. In such cases, always purchase a size up as larger sizes are easier to alter. Also, some fabrics shrink when washed. Therefore, going for the bigger one is a smarter move.
- Go Through the Fit Notes
Most websites have fit notes that describe how tall the model is and the size of the dress she is wearing. This can be helpful when you are trying to work out where the waistline, hemline, or neckline of a dress will fit on you.
If the model is taller than you, then you know the measurements will be a bit longer. If she is shorter, the measurements will be a bit shorter. You may also know from the fit notes if a dress or cloth is particularly tight or loose, so you will realize if you need to size up or down.
- Check Customer Reviews
All companies tend to give their items an unbiased review, which makes it difficult to realize the standard and quality of a product. Reading the customer reviews is the best solution to this.
Customer reviews can help you know if the product you wish to purchase is actually as described by the company. Also, you will get a good idea about the fit of the item and whether you should upsize or downsize it.
However, reviews can be fake as well. Always be careful of overly enthusiastic or positive reviews. Similarly, we all have different expectations. What works great for someone else may not be a good fit for you. So always keep these things in mind while shopping.
- Look Out for Sales and Discounts
Not every day or even month is good for online shopping. Try to avoid going on a shopping spree in March as there are rarely any sales or discounts. January and November are the best times of the year for online shopping. Prices are usually more reasonable during these months, and more sales and discounts are given on different pages and websites.
Moreover, Tuesdays and Thursdays are the most productive shopping days. You will find a lot of offers these days. When shopping online, always make sure, to begin with, the sales section first as products in these sections are usually sold earlier than other sections. Then you can go for other categories with comfort and without any concern of missing out.
- Research on Different Fabrics and Materials
Just like the size, the feel of a product is also very important. Nothing is worse than finally getting the dress you have been waiting for, only to realize that the material feels like sandpaper.
As you cannot touch the product on online platforms, and it is difficult to differentiate the texture of an item by simply looking at a photo, the best idea is to get familiar with the material and fabric types.
Check your wardrobe and determine the clothes that you’re most comfortable in. Also, note anything that feels uncomfortable, stuffy or itchy. Make a list of their materials and use it as a reference when shopping. The details of a garment piece always describe what kind of material it was made from.
- Be Flexible
Keep in mind that the color of a dress you see on-screen may not exactly be the same in person. Moreover, color can also differ a bit from batch to batch. So keep in mind that your order may arrive with a slightly different hue.
However, if the color is completely different than advertised, for example, if you ordered neon green and received burnt orange, you can certainly send it back.
Also, do not simply return a product if it doesn’t fit like a glove, particularly if you like it otherwise. Take it to your local tailor or seamstress and allow them to make some alterations. Of course, this will usually only work if the item is a bit large. If it is too small, you may need to return it.
- Do Not Pay with a Debit Card
This is something that most women shopping online are not aware of. While using a check or a debit card to pay for online products, you are not protected by law like you would be if you were using PayPal or a credit card. That means if the products you bought are fake or not delivered, you may not have a good chance of receiving a refund.
- Read the Return Policy
Another important thing you need to know before ordering anything online is the return policy. Different stores and sites have different return policies, so it is always good to check them out.
Check to see if returns are allowed and how many days you have to return them. Also, check if you can make exchanges and if there is a refund or restocking fee. Avoid the stores that do not allow returns. You will often notice a link to the return policy at the bottom of the website.
- Save Time to Deliver
It may take 2-3 weeks for the garments to reach you from the storehouse or outlets and even longer when you are shopping internationally. Usually, it is not a big deal; just do not order that piece of jewelry or the dress you want for your friend’s wedding the day before the big day.
- Clear Your Cookies
Your web browser history has a great impact on your search results. For dynamic pricing, retailers will check your search history and will use it to raise their prices. To avoid price hikes like these, always remember to clear the cookies and history on your browser before shopping. If you wish to be safer, try shopping in incognito mode on your web browser so that any clues of your previous searches are all but gone.
- Keep Notes
Maintain a list of online brands and retailers you’ve shopped from, creating notes on the sizes you bought and how well they fit. By this, you will not only have a document of brands you like, but you will have cut out the guesswork regarding their products and service. This will make your future shopping a lot easier.
The Bottom Line
Online shopping is increasing every day. People like online shopping more because of the convenience and ease it offers, the availability of a large number of products on a single platform, and also because of huge discounts and offers. Buying products online can be fun, but there can also be problems. So be careful!
