Where I Shop Online

I live in an area where there are very few places to shop. The city recently opened an H&M store in our downtown area, which was very exciting (the joys of living in a small town). When I go to L.A. or San Francisco, I take a day to visit all of my favorite stores. However, I do most of my shopping online. I love the variety and the convenience of shopping online. There are so many different online stores to choose from and all from within the comfort of your home. Not to mention, I love coming home from work to see a package on my doorstep.

Most of my friends are nervous about shopping online. This is mainly because they are unsure of how the clothes or shoes will fit so they prefer to try the items on. I’ve also heard people say they do not like to pay for shipping costs to receive the item or to return it if it does not work out. I understand their hesitation, but today online stores have made it so easy to return what you buy if it does not work out. Most online stores offer free standard shipping if a certain amount is purchased.

I started shopping online years ago so I’ve had plenty of time to know where I like to shop, what I should buy online vs in store, where to shop for clothes, and shoes that fit me best. I usually stick to the same stores, however I will try out new online stores once I hear of them and like their fashion selections.

Here are some of the stores that buy from online (in no particular order):

H&M. I love this store because they have so many fashionable options for fairly low prices. They have good quality in their clothing and accessories. I will buy clothing, handbags, and accessories at H&M online. I have bought shoes at H&M before, but they usually do not fit or are very uncomfortable. They usually have discount codes that offer free shipping or discounts on merchandise. They have a good return policy as well and provide a return label.
Steve Madden. I shop at Steve Madden for most of my shoes. The shoes fit me really well and I know what size works best. They usually have a promotion and offer free shipping if a certain amount is spent. They have a good return policy and provide a return label. Please note, you can’t return sale or clearance merchandise.
ASOS. This is an International store that offers so much variety in clothing, accessories, and shoes. They offer their own brand, as well as many other brands and the price point ranges from low to high end. You might have to try a couple of times to get the sizing right, but once you know which sizes work for you it’s a great experience. Since this is an International site, you have to choose your country so the size and prices will display correctly. They offer free shipping if you spend over a certain amount and free returns.
Nordstrom. This store has so many brands to choose and the quality is always great. They always have their Half Yearly Anniversary sales, which you can find great deals. They offer a rewards program (without getting a credit card), which will give you a credit towards of your future purchases (basically spend money to get discounts). The prices range from low to high end. They offer free shipping and free returns.

Here are some helpful hints when shopping online:

Look for discount promo codes. Most places online usually have promotional markdowns for a limited time (usually during the weekends). This is especially true during holidays and weekends. The online store’s home page will usually state if there is a sale or you can use a promo code site such as Retail Me Not to search for online store promo codes.
Read the item descriptions. This will help you understand an item’s fit. The description will tell you lengths, heights, etc. A lot of times you can find note stating, “runs a half size too small” or “runs a size large”.
Read Reviews. Some online stores offer reviews from other shoppers. This could help in your purchase decision or understand how other shoppers felt about their purchase.

I hope this article was helpful to you and encourages those who are a little afraid to try out online shopping. So tell me what are your favorite online stores?

This article was not sponsored by any of the stores mentioned above, these are my own thoughts and preferences.

Photos by Rachel Neumann Photography