A Full Guide to Online Shopping: Clothes
Since I get a lot of questions from my friends asking me for advice about online shopping, I decided to do a full blog post about it and give you all the information and advice that I have. It's not like I'm an online shopping queen, but I have quite a few experiences (good AND bad) that I've learned along the way. I still remember my first online purchase. I ordered two party dresses from Asos (that were luckily the perfect fit) and was so excited when they arrived. Unfortunatelly after a few purchases later I didn't have such luck and had to return many items that didn't fir or weren't quite the way I expected. These experiences tought me that even though online shopping seems like the easiest way to buy clothes (you just click and buy straight from your bed), it can be very tricky. You don't know the size measurments, you can't try the item on yourself, you can't touch and feel the fabric, etc.
Since ASOS is one of my favourite and the most popular destinations for online shopping, I'll be showing you my tips on their site with the example of this pretty pink quilted co-ord (that's on SALE btw!).
Before you even start scrolling through the product pages of a particular online store, make sure to check if they even ship to your country. Under the Shipping section you'll find the list of coutries they ship to and information about the delivery time and the shipping cost. If you're from Europe and are buying something from abroad, pay attention to tax fees, which can sometimes be even higher than your purchase!
COLOR
Even though the color of an item might seem obvious from the picture, always read the name of the color that's written in the descripiton box. It might appear bright pink on the photo, but the description would say pale pink, which is quite a difference, no? I've learned that's always better to belive what color is written other than what you see on the photo.
SIZE GUIDE
Of course you know which size you're wearing, but just in case always check the size guide, since measurments can vary from store to store. At Asos you'll find the size guide at the bottom of the product description:
Asos makes it really easy to hit the right sizes. They have measurements converted in different units (UK, US, EU), depending from which country you are and they also give you a very good and extensive description of measurments and sizes + explain how to measure yourself. Unfortunatelly, there's a difference in sizes between different brands, which you usually have to learn the hard way (like I did).
MATERIALS & CARE
It's important to always read all the information about the product and see what it's made of and how you need to look after it. For example - an item can appear made out of thick material, but when you look at the material description, you see that's 100% polyester, which normally means it's light weighted. I'm telling you, photos can be very tricky! It's also important that you know how to take care of it.. some clothes can be dry cleaned only, so make sure you know what you're buying.
CATWALK
Asos has this great option where you can see the item on the runway (you'll find the catwalk button right under the photos). I always watch it so that I can see the actual lenght and width of the item and to see how the fabric acts on the body. It's also great to get a more realistic view of the color. Pay attention to the details - how the jacket fits in the shoulders, how short is the dress and if those cut-outs don't reveal too much.
Asos has this great option where you can see the item on the runway (you'll find the catwalk button right under the photos). I always watch it so that I can see the actual lenght and width of the item and to see how the fabric acts on the body. It's also great to get a more realistic view of the color. Pay attention to the details - how the jacket fits in the shoulders, how short is the dress and if those cut-outs don't reveal too much.
DISCOUNTS
It's always good to get a discount, right? There are a few websites that update coupon codes for a particular online shop, which I think it's worth to check out. The easiest way is to Google '(name of the store) coupon codes' and hopefully you'll find something useful. Online shops also offer discounts here and there (especially on different holidays), so make sure to check their social media pages before you hit the Buy button.
RETURN POLICY
Since online shopping can be risky, it's good to have a guarantee that you can return the item if it turns out to be a misfit. Asos makes it very easy to return the item you don't want. They already send you a Returns Note with your purchase, which you just fill out (indicate the reason of return) and send back to them within 28 days. Keep in mind that in this case an item musn't be worn or damaged.
PAYMENT
Now comes the most unpleasant part of online shopping - placing the order. When it comes to payment, I think Paypal is the easiest, fastest and safest option there can be. You just need to register on their site and once you do that, you just select the Paypal option at the payment section, click Approve order twice and there you go, it's done. Here's a very helpful and colorful description on how to use Paypal.
And that sums up my full guide to online shopping: clothes. I hope I've given you some useful tips that will come in handy next time you're buying clothes online. Now that you've got to know Asos, don't forget to check out other great online destinations that offer chic, trendy and affordable clothing:
Now I want to hear your online shopping experiences - do you have any extra advice? I'd love to hear them! Share them with me and others in the comments. Happy shopping! ;)
Now comes the most unpleasant part of online shopping - placing the order. When it comes to payment, I think Paypal is the easiest, fastest and safest option there can be. You just need to register on their site and once you do that, you just select the Paypal option at the payment section, click Approve order twice and there you go, it's done. Here's a very helpful and colorful description on how to use Paypal.
And that sums up my full guide to online shopping: clothes. I hope I've given you some useful tips that will come in handy next time you're buying clothes online. Now that you've got to know Asos, don't forget to check out other great online destinations that offer chic, trendy and affordable clothing:
Now I want to hear your online shopping experiences - do you have any extra advice? I'd love to hear them! Share them with me and others in the comments. Happy shopping! ;)
