Online shopping is great – you can do it from home, in your pj’s, and not have to fight through crowds at the mall. Often sites have online specials and flash sales are a girl’s best friend (or at least her credit card’s best friend).
Sadly, online shopping has a downside – you can’t try things on. While overheating and getting irritated in a too-small fitting room isn’t ideal, it is better than buying something with no idea of how it is going to fit.
Here are some tips to make your online shopping experience even better.
Get to know the brand.
Each brand fits differently. Even with the concept of consistent sizing, a 12 on one site might be equivalent to a 14 on another, or an 8 on yet another.
Fortunately, no matter which outlet you choose, the same brand will have the same sizes. Once you find a manufacturer you like, you’ll have a better idea of how their sizes fit and how accurate their descriptions are.
Look for sizing charts.
An inch is an inch, regardless of the name on the tag. Sizing charts are great for determining the size of each item for each brand.
Finding the size chart might not be easy. If it isn’t listed on the retail site, you may need to do a little digging. Visit the website for the manufacturer, and if it isn’t posted, try emailing their customer service department.
Review the return policy.
Any store that values return customers has a decent return policy. Let’s face it, 14 days is not sufficient when it takes that long for the item to arrive.
A return policy is necessary for brick and mortar stores but is essential for online retailers. After all, not everything is a perfect fit. If you’re buying from a retailer that doesn’t offer a return policy, or isn’t able to accommodate a reasonable request (i.e. having the item delivered within the time specified in the policy) you should probably take your money elsewhere.
Read customer reviews.
Reading the reviews others have left will give you a much more accurate idea of how the items fit than the description. The description of the item is great for facts such as the material used, colour, or washing instructions, but doesn’t always hit the mark in terms of fit.
Customer reviews will give you information about how things fit, especially in regards to whether they are big or small compared to other brands.
Also, take note of any negative reviews. When you can’t find a single negative comment (such as “delivery took forever”, or “fits way too small”) it is likely that the company is deliberately deleting those reviews. After all, nobody can make everyone happy all the time.
The way a retailer handles other customer service issues is an excellent indication of how they would handle any issues you may have. Ignoring the situation is not handling it, so you can assume your problem would also go unanswered and unposted.
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