The internet has made clothes-shopping easier than ever before. Who needs to go to the mall when you can shop online and have your items delivered to your doorstep? Not us.
Those who are seasoned online-shoppers know that there are dangers associated with this shopping trip from home. How do you know that you’re getting the product you asked for? How do you know that you’re getting a good price? We want to help you out. Keep reading for some of the most frequent online clothes-shopping mistakes that some people can’t stop making.
1. Only Shopping for Prices
It’s tempting to look around for the cheapest price when we’re shopping for clothes. We’ve all been there. We want to find an outfit for an event but we know we’re only going to wear it once. Why not pick a budget option? Saving a few dollars now and again is perfectly reasonable, but be careful when you’re shopping online.
There are plenty of hilarious accounts of people buying what they thought would be a high-quality product just to receive a lookalike that’s held together with safety pins and hope. These products have scratchy materials, wacky sizing, and they’re overall poor quality. The wisdom that you can take from this is “if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
2. Not Shopping for Prices
Okay, hear us out. We know what we said before and it stands true. However, it doesn’t hurt to do a quick price check before you click that “purchase” button. You can do this by searching Google by image. Take the image of the item you want and put it into the Google search. Then you can search in the shopping section or the photo section to see if the item is available at other stores online.
Once you see where else it’s being sold (if anywhere) check out the prices. If you have the best price, great! As we mentioned before, you need to be cautious with this approach. Don’t buy anything too cheap. It’s probably fake. You want to search for reputable clothing websites.
3. Visiting One Store
When you’re shopping online you have so many options. Why limit yourself to the big shops like Amazon? There’s a whole world of online stores that specialize in their products. When you have a site that doesn’t specialize, it might not care as much about the product. They only care about your money.
Check through several stores to look into manufacturing details, item quality, and the overall “feel” of the shop. You may also find colours, styles, or quality options that only exist in one store. It would be unfortunate to have a purple coat in mind but give that idea up when the only store you’ve looked at doesn’t have one. If you checked more shops you’d probably find almost the exact product that you’re looking for.
4. Not Checking Measurements
In “real life” shopping, we have the option to try our clothes on before we buy them. When we’re shopping online we have to rely on measurements.
Some online stores offer free returns or exchanges, but you may still have to pay for shipping. It’s a hassle that makes it take longer to get the item you want when you could have checked the sizing first. Don’t rely on “small, medium, and large” sizing options. These sizes vary by country, gender, and even by company. Even sizes that go by numbers aren’t safe. Any woman who’s ever bought pants knows this all too well.
Most stores have measurements that include inches or centimetres. Measure yourself and adjust accordingly. You’ll save yourself an annoying exchange process and some money along the way.
5. Ignoring Care Instructions
We all know our limitations when it comes to how much care we’re willing to put into our clothing.
Some of us are more inclined to choose clothes that can be machine washed and dried without any issue. Others are willing to dry-clean, steam, or hang their items if they know it will yield the best results. Regardless of which of these people you are, check the care instructions before you make that purchase. Buying something that needs to be dry-cleaned when you don’t have a reliable dry-cleaner near you will make that item far less useful to you.
6. Not Having a Purpose in Mind
When we go online shopping without a direction in mind we can end up spending money on things that we don’t need. Make a list for yourself and a budget for clothes and stick to it. If you’ve been learning how to layer for winter and you’ve made those tips into your shopping list, don’t go wandering into the bathing suit section. That’s not what you’re here for.
While it’s okay to browse around just in case there are any good deals on other necessary items, don’t lose focus.
7. Not Taking Advantage of Deals
Once you find the best product in your price range you might be inclined to buy it and go. You have other options. Some shops offer discounts to new site users or new subscribers to their email list. Others post about special coupons on their social media pages. You can also look into if that site has any sales for the holidays.
Some apps and sites can help you track the price of an item or find you online coupons so you can save a few dollars while still supporting the website that you want to purchase from.
Next time you’re clothes-shopping online you’ll be an expert in finding the item you want at a price you’re comfortable with. Remember these online clothes-shopping mistakes so you know that you’re making all of the right choices. For more posts on the best tips for your style, fashion, and more, check out the rest of our site.