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As you all know by know, I am a huge advocate of online shopping. In fact, if there were online grocery shopping available in my area, I'd point and click my way to a full pantry.
But the other day something happened. I was browsing J.Crew.com and looking at pants - between all the styles, I was in a state of panic over which to choose. I was literally on online shopping overload.
Which would fit? Would they be too long? Too short? What about those slit pockets - would they make my hips look ginormous and wider than they already are? And the rise.....we all know what happenes when you buy a pant that has a too-short rise....muffin tops! Gasp! Oh the travesty!
I was in the middle of an online shopping meltdown when a little CFL lightbulb went on over my head: I had two pairs of my favorite J.Crew pants right upstairs in my closet - and both fit me perfectly! All I had to do was look at them to know which pants to buy! Shopping crisis averted!
But that little episode did get me thinking, "do other women have near mental breakdowns when it comes to shopping online? Are there millions of men and women missing out on great, online-only deals because they're worried about ill-fitting clothes and the potential hassles of returns?"
Well, if you're one of those people afflicted with this potentially paralyzing predicament, I'm here to help with 5 tips to getting started with online shopping.
1. Start with what you know. If you have a favorite shirt from Old Navy, log on and find it. You already know that it fits, so just go for it!
2. Read the return or exchange policy. If the online site is a store that also has a physical location near you, chances are, you'll be able to return an item in-store. In fact, I've never been turned down when I had this happen. But, if the store is an online only entity, such as Zappos, take a minute and find out what you'll need to do if the item you buy doesn't fit. Many online-only stores are now offering free shipping both to your house, and back to their store if you need to make a return; at the end of the day, this is actually a better deal than having to take it back to the store because you don't need to drive anywhere.
3. Start small. Buy something easy the first time, like a long sleeve t-shirt, or a sweater, where there's a little more play with the fit. These purchases are a good way to ease into online shopping, and to see how easy it really is.
4. Try on and buy. This is my favorite method. If you're out shopping anyway, try on some stuff you like. Take notes of the size and style, and then go home and shop through Upromise Online shopping. This serves three purposes: it curbs impulse spending, you get college savings, and many times, you'll find the item is less expensive, online so you'll save money too!
5. Don't get discouraged. How many times have you breezed through a store and just grabbed something off the rack thinking, "it's the right size, I love the color, it's all good." Only to get home and find out that it is decidedly one of the worst purchasing mistakes you've ever made. So, you return it, only to exercise the same "grab and go" purchasing power only a few weeks later. The same will be true for online shopping, you won't pick winners every single time. But don't let mistakes like this one discourage you from getting back on the horse and trying again.
Once you've made a few clothing purchases online, I can promise you that you will never look at the mall the same way again. Not to mention, with the holiday season right around the corner, now is as good a time as any to make a few purchases to fulfill some of those wish lists. There is something so gratifying about opening your front door, only to find the UPS man standing there with an armful of boxes, just waiting for you to open, wrap, and hide somewhere - no aggravating trip to the mall required.
But the other day something happened. I was browsing J.Crew.com and looking at pants - between all the styles, I was in a state of panic over which to choose. I was literally on online shopping overload.
Which would fit? Would they be too long? Too short? What about those slit pockets - would they make my hips look ginormous and wider than they already are? And the rise.....we all know what happenes when you buy a pant that has a too-short rise....muffin tops! Gasp! Oh the travesty!
I was in the middle of an online shopping meltdown when a little CFL lightbulb went on over my head: I had two pairs of my favorite J.Crew pants right upstairs in my closet - and both fit me perfectly! All I had to do was look at them to know which pants to buy! Shopping crisis averted!
But that little episode did get me thinking, "do other women have near mental breakdowns when it comes to shopping online? Are there millions of men and women missing out on great, online-only deals because they're worried about ill-fitting clothes and the potential hassles of returns?"
Well, if you're one of those people afflicted with this potentially paralyzing predicament, I'm here to help with 5 tips to getting started with online shopping.
1. Start with what you know. If you have a favorite shirt from Old Navy, log on and find it. You already know that it fits, so just go for it!
2. Read the return or exchange policy. If the online site is a store that also has a physical location near you, chances are, you'll be able to return an item in-store. In fact, I've never been turned down when I had this happen. But, if the store is an online only entity, such as Zappos, take a minute and find out what you'll need to do if the item you buy doesn't fit. Many online-only stores are now offering free shipping both to your house, and back to their store if you need to make a return; at the end of the day, this is actually a better deal than having to take it back to the store because you don't need to drive anywhere.
3. Start small. Buy something easy the first time, like a long sleeve t-shirt, or a sweater, where there's a little more play with the fit. These purchases are a good way to ease into online shopping, and to see how easy it really is.
4. Try on and buy. This is my favorite method. If you're out shopping anyway, try on some stuff you like. Take notes of the size and style, and then go home and shop through Upromise Online shopping. This serves three purposes: it curbs impulse spending, you get college savings, and many times, you'll find the item is less expensive, online so you'll save money too!
5. Don't get discouraged. How many times have you breezed through a store and just grabbed something off the rack thinking, "it's the right size, I love the color, it's all good." Only to get home and find out that it is decidedly one of the worst purchasing mistakes you've ever made. So, you return it, only to exercise the same "grab and go" purchasing power only a few weeks later. The same will be true for online shopping, you won't pick winners every single time. But don't let mistakes like this one discourage you from getting back on the horse and trying again.
Once you've made a few clothing purchases online, I can promise you that you will never look at the mall the same way again. Not to mention, with the holiday season right around the corner, now is as good a time as any to make a few purchases to fulfill some of those wish lists. There is something so gratifying about opening your front door, only to find the UPS man standing there with an armful of boxes, just waiting for you to open, wrap, and hide somewhere - no aggravating trip to the mall required.
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