Online shopping takes off
March 14th, 2008This recent article in UK Guardian reports that fashion e-tail is a big growth area in the United Kingdom, with 97% of British web users shopping online. Apparently 36% of these shoppers are buying clothes. This is an increase of 40% in the past two years.
I only started shopping online regularly about 18 months ago. Clothing, footwear and accessories are extremely tangible and the thought of purchasing a product without inspecting it or trying it on was beyond my comprehension. In the end it was the frustration of not getting a particular size, colour or style in brick and mortar stores that won me over.
I started doing the Zappos thing and was pleasantly surprised at how painless it was. Their product reviews are accurate and the shipping is free. I gained online shopping confidence and started ordering a variety of product categories from Esprit, Nordstrom, Tulle, Spiegel, Macy’s and Bare Necessities. So far so good.
I’m still discerning about what I order on-line. It isn’t always possible, but I prefer to order a clothing item via the internet after I’ve seen it in the flesh. I also like to order from sites that allow in-store returns. I buy a small proportion of my clothes online - probably less than 5%. But for underwear and shoes the online percentage is closer to 50%.
Tell us about your online shopping habits. How much of your wardrobe is purchased through e-tail? Do you return a sizable portion of what you purchase through the internet? Which items do you prefer to buy online and which do your prefer to purchase in store?
March 14th, 2008 at 7:12 am
I totally agree about buying things that either have free or in store returns. I am tall so I end up buying alot of pants online( some stores like Ann Taylor Loft do not carry longs in store).
March 14th, 2008 at 7:23 am
We purchase a lot of things online - from laptops to electronics to books to drugstore and even grocery shipments. But when it comes to clothes, I’m with you: I want to see it first. Also I will not pay return shipping because sizing is so inconsistent and sizing charts completely unreliable.
With that said, I do buy clothes online fairly frequently. I will see something in the store, and instead of buying on impulse, go home, think about it for awhile, then if I still want the item, a few days later, purchase online. Or, I will see something in the store but it’s not in my size or the color I want, so I go home and order online.
I am most apt to spend my online shopping $ at Banana Republic and the GAP, because their sizing is very consistent. I have had very little problems with those two vendors. Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft come in a close second. Jcrew - I would love to buy some items but I don’t trust their sizing consistency, having been burned in the past. Same goes for Macy’s and Nordstrom’s and Bloomie’s, I’m afraid!!
More often than not, I will see something online first, and go to the store to see it in person.
Shoes? I’ve only ordered online once or twice (zappos) and that worked well. But overall I prefer to try on in the store, because I’m so picky about shoe comfort.
If any online vendors are reading this: offer free return policies like zappos, OR provide detailed measurements of the CLOTHES (instead of useless size charts)… and I would probably take a chance on you!! There are many vendors that I would like to try, but these two things stop me.
March 14th, 2008 at 7:33 am
I don’t like the idea of shopping for cloth on line at all. I gravitate between sizes 10 and 12 on cloth. On shoes sometimes I am 7 or 7 1/2. So I wouldn’t know which one to choose and I feel It is too much of a problem if anyway I have to go to the store to exchange the item. Besides I do enjoy the process of trying on stuff in the store.
Nonetheless I do buy plane tickets, Broadway shows tickets and cosmetics as long as it is not make up, which Ialso like to try on before buying.
March 14th, 2008 at 7:40 am
i probably buy 75% of my clothes online — there’s no nordstrom here, it’s easier to keep track of sales online, easier to find your size. i do tend to stick to brands i’m familiar with, and often i look up things i’ve seen in real life. nordstrom is really pretty accurate in offering measurements for its sizes, and noting where a particular brand has its own idiosyncratic sizing.
zappo’s marks up prices to be able to offer free returns, but i guess poeple like that.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:36 am
With two kids and a job, if I make it out shopping, I’m usually really pressed for time. So I online shop and I return a lot, probably at least half. I do try to order from places that have free returns or returns to a store. I also find that online I can get more coupons and discounts. The other thing that’s nice is that if I am unsure about an item, I can try it on multiple times over several days. This is a double edged sword in the sense that if I have an item at the house I’m probably more likely to keep it. (Hence the liberal return policy I try to have.) I agree that zappos prices are higher. I have a whole slew of online shoe stores and most have free shipping. I use zappos a lot for browsing and reviews and then search for the shoe elsewhere to purchase. (Although zappos does have more reliable inventory.) I wish zara and h&m would get online stores because we don’t have brick and mortar here.
One more thing, if you online shop a lot, you should go through something like ebates.com which will give you 10% cash back on zappos for example.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:41 am
I buy my clothes online all the time. I return about half of them but still keeping doing so because I’m a petite and it’s hard to find clothes that fit in local stores. Even BR/Ann Taylor who have petite lines don’t carry all items in petite in my area.
I always try to get a free shipping code when buying online and return to the stores if they don’t fit. I’ve bought shoes from Zappo’s many times, I pay a lot attention to the reviews so I’ll avoid common problems. If a website provides consumer feedbacks I would like to shop there more.
I’m with Jen on the measurement part, I so wish that they could offer more detailed info. Sometimes a regular sized piece could fit me but I won’t try it fearing it may not fit.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Sizes are always inconsistent Ana and this is a given despite your body type. Everyone fits into a few different sizes depending on the brand, cut and item. It’s therefore important to do homework and build up a frame of reference. You need to know whether brands run big or small. I love trying on clothes in stores too. This is where it starts.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:59 am
I shop online for almost all of my clothes… The area I live in does not have the trendier stores like H&M or higher end stores, like Nordstrom’s, unless you count Macy’s. And even the stores we do have do not offer the cuter styles they offer online.
I am very into fashion and like wearing things that everyone else isn’t going to have, so I shop online, literally, everywhere. Especially for my vintage choices, for practically all of my shoes and I also buy my beauty products online. The places I shop online run the gamut from ebay (where I’ve been shopping for years) to BeBe to Zappos and a bunch of vintage retailers in between. I’m able find better deals and selections in sizes and colors online, but will say that I prefer sites who offer free shipping and returns or in store returns.
I buy any and everything online, from cookies to Christmas presents. I pretty much avoid our local mall, and only really go out shopping when I’m on vacation (like while I’ll be in NYC next week!).
So, the pros for me definitely outweigh the cons…and its nice to come home to a surprise waiting for you almost every day!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I shop for shoes online a lot because there are fewer issues with fit for me, and because of the free shipping, but haven’t done much online ordering for clothes. I would love to do more of it, but am not willing to pay so much for shipping (and return shipping). A couple people mentioned stores that offer free shipping, or codes for free shipping. Can anyone elaborate on this?
I’d especially love to shop for underwear and workout wear online, because I just never seem to get around to it (or prioritize it) when I’m in stores. But again, I’m not willing to pay $10+ for shipping and then again for return shipping.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Okay, I am ashamed to say this but I tend to buy shoes on-line b/c I have ugly toes! The thought of trying on shoes where someone is helping me and seeing my
terrible toes is too much to deal with. So I have bought shoes on Zappos and the Cole Haan website. I also buy coats, tops and bathing suits on the Jcrew site but it’s simply b/c I know my size from having been to the actual store and having tried on stuff in the past. Only once did I have to return a top to the Jcrew store b/c they shipped the wrong color & size. I also bought a robe on bluefly, I bought spanx on the Bare Necessities website & a raincoat from Nordstrom. Jeans is something I have to go in person to buy b/c I fall in between sizes.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:53 am
That’s okay Patricia. I’m glad that you found a shoe shopping solution!
March 14th, 2008 at 11:03 am
I do all my shoe shopping online. It’s near instant gratification because of the free overnight shipping, and there is just so much more selection. I was shocked to find a pair of black patent flats in a 6.5WW the other day and didn’t hesitate to order a pair. I just hope they’re true to size! I would have never found them in a b&m store. Zappos’ service also can’t be beat, whereas in-person shoe salespeople are often rude and easily agitated (in my experience).
There are reasons I will and won’t shop online. I like to shop online at Banana Republic because my size there is very consistent, I have a card that gets me free shipping, and a stockpile of coupon codes that I can enter all at once (5 is the limit). I can’t do that in store. Generally, if I have to pay for shipping, then I have to be buying multiple items. I will never buy just one thing online, unless its something substantial. The exception is for places that charge based on the value of your purchase. That gets expensive very quickly and I refuse to pay that much AND possibly return shipping as well.
March 14th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
I do ALOT of shopping on line - even clothes. I know the brands or “designers” I like and my measurements. Usually, like with Ebay or a vintage site, a person can give you particulars about the item, even down to measuring seams if the need is great. I’m polite and nice and they are as well. If they are not helpful, I don’t buy from them.
Also, many B & Ms have specials on-line that they don’t have in the stores, and some have their “special” sizes - often plus or petite only at the online store.
That being said, I like to shop and buy in B & M s as well. Then I can also get the feel and look of the materials, the new styles, the craftsmanship, etc.
March 14th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I love shopping in B&M stores and couldn’t imagine doing all of my clothes shopping online. Basically, I buy CDs and music books online.
I can only think of two items of clothing I’ve ever bought online and they’ve both been this year. One was a formal gown and the other a beautiful silver trench. I adore them both. The gown would have been a disappointment if I didn’t try it on in the store first though. I’m usual a 2 or 4 in formals and it was the size 6 that fit me. The only reason I bought the gown online was the fact that the store didn’t have it in the color I wanted, and I got the trench because it had a code for free shipping that day.
I might shop more online if more places had free shipping without jacking up the prices, but even then, I would hate the hassle of returning half my clothes, and I would probably have even more clothes that don’t fit me in my closet simply because I hadn’t taken the time to return them. That said, online shoe shopping could be a good option for me, because I don’t have picky feet. I do have a wide variety of shoe sizes that fit me though from kids size 3 to ladies 6 1/2.
March 14th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
This is very interesting. There are different reasons to buy online and if you’re careful, it’s a win-win situation.
Contrary to some of your reasons, I buy shoes online precisely because my feet are hard to satisfy. The scope of shoe availability online is endless and I’m more than happy to pay a little extra for Zappos because their service is impeccable and this makes my life easy.
March 14th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I am an online shopping addict and tend to buy as much stuff or more online than I do in stores. It’s hit or miss and I try to stick with reliable stores that I am familiar with that have convenient return policies like Old Navy. It’s so difficult to shop on weekends and I’m don’t have the energy at the end of the day except for maybe a store like Target.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:23 am
I would love to do more shopping online.
Many places that I have read about on your blog don’t post internationally. The ones I have found that do, the postage is very expensive to Australia and therefore I am reluctant to have to risk returns. I am very frustrated about this as I don’t find many clothes that I like locally.
March 16th, 2008 at 5:13 am
We live a couple states away from the rest of our families. My mother-in-law loves to buy us clothing, so I started putting Eddie Bauer stuff on an Amazon.com wish list. Their sizing has been very consistent and we have had a lot of success with this system.
March 16th, 2008 at 5:36 am
When I lived in the US, I purchased approximately 25% of my clothing online. Generally it would be from stores which I had purchased from before (so I would know my sizing), and often it was to find something in my size unavailable in my area, or to get a better deal (e.g. Zappos). Sometimes it was for shops unavailable in my area (I became very fond of Anthropologie when I lived in Boston) or for hand-made products.
Now that I’m in Hong Kong, I rarely shop online, save in the few weeks before I’m planning to visit friends/family in the US. I share the same issues as Deedre — although I like items that I find online, postage to Hong Kong is insane. Thankfully there are a few shops I like locally.
March 16th, 2008 at 9:58 am
I do a lot of my clothes shopping on Ebay. Many Ebay stores buy overstock and discontinued items from great shops like J.Crew and I can get brand new items for less than a third of the price. I just have to be sure to ask for exact measurements before I buy, or I order the item off the original store first to see what size I need, return it, and get the item off Ebay for cheaper.
March 16th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I am an online shop-a-holic. One of my favorite sites is www.figleaves.com. It is somewhat similar to barenecessites.com but I like figleaves much better and have ordered many things. Shipping is never more than $5 but they are constantly have promotions for free shipping and returns are ALWAYS FREE. Love this site…check it out.
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I do about 75% of my clothes shopping online, only because it’s more convenient for me (and I despise malls in suburbia, blech!). I usually tend to shop at the stores I would go to in the stores anyways (Gap, BR, J.Crew, etc.) but sometimes eBay has great stuff and I have been bidding long enough to know what to search for (i.e. “Banana Martin pant 12″). Zappos is great for shoes too, read the reviews!
A great thing about shopping online is that many stores will let you return things to the actual store without paying for postage, a route I have to take sometimes. 
April 8th, 2008 at 6:46 am
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