The shopping options in Boone leave a lot to be desired, to say the least. This little problem means our fashion-loving collegiettes are flocking to the Internet for clothing purchases. While we all have our go-to sites, sometimes we stumble across a new site with amazing merchandise. But as many of us know, ordering from a new site can be a nerve-wracking experience. What size should I order? Will this dress be long enough on me? Do their shoes run big or small? Is the shirt in the photo blue or purple? We all know this process, too well. Sometimes ordering from a new site is well worth the risk, but other times, ordering from that site can leave a bad taste in your mouth when it comes to online shopping. Here are ten questions you should ask yourself before purchasing merchandise from a new website!
1. What are the return policies?
A store that does not allow you to return the merchandise, or allows it under strange circumstances, might be a red flag. The website should clearly outline the store’s return policy, and it should be a policy that you are comfortable with. Purchasing clothing from a new site is risky enough without sketchy return policies. Websites that provide free returns or allow you to return merchandise to stores are great because you have some flexibility and can rest assured knowing you won’t be stuck with products you don’t like.
2. What is the expected shipping time?
Most sites indicate an estimated time of arrival when you order the merchandise. In fact, if the website doesn’t, you should be concerned. You’d hate to dish out an entire paycheck’s worth of money for that special dress you need for a specific date and not receive it in time.
3. Where is the merchandise coming from?
This question goes hand in hand with the one above. If the merchandise is being shipped from a warehouse in China, you can bet you’re probably not going to get it very quickly. Even if the store is American-based, find out where the products will be shipped from because that can also play a huge role in the amount of time it takes to receive your order.
4. Do they have a size guide?
We all know those stores whose clothing doesn’t run true to size and nothing is more frustrating than ordering a size medium, receiving the product, and trying it on only to realize you needed to order an extra large. Look for the site’s sizing guide or measurement chart and take your own measurements to make sure you order the right size. In between sizes? I recommend you go up a size instead of down. A little bagginess never killed anyone, but if something is too small, you could risk ripping it just trying it on!
5. Have any of your friends ordered from this site?
This one little question could solve a lot of problems on its own. If your friends have ordered from this site, they can tell you how fast their merchandise arrived, how the quality was, how the sizing ran, etc. Asking around could save you a lot of trouble in the end.
6. What are the customer reviews like?
Don’t have any friends who have ordered from the site? Reading a few customer reviews can save you a lot of time and money when it comes to online shopping. Since you can’t try on the product, feel it, or look at it in person, it’s hard to be certain of whether or not the item will work for you until you’ve already purchased it. Customer reviews can give you great insight about the product—if it’s high quality, if the color is the same in person as online, how easy it is to launder, etc.
7. What is the item made of?
Photos can be deceiving. If you order what looks like a satin dress for a special occasion and receive what is actually a cotton dress, you will probably be disappointed. Check the item description to see what the product is made of. This can also dictate what size you order. Plus, if you have an allergy to wool or other fibers, you definitely want to check the description so you’re not ordering a sweater that will cause you to break out in hives! Not cute.
8. How do you have to pay?
Most websites will take a credit card, but if a website requires you to send in a check or cash instead, or create a particular payment account specifically for their site, you may want to investigate the site further before completing your purchase.
9. How safe is the website?
Punching in your credit card number, mailing address, and other personal information on a new site can be a scary thing. One easy to way to make sure the site is safe is to look at the url. When entering your credit card number and other information, the url should start with https://. The added ‘s’ at the end of the ‘http’ indicates that it is a secured server. When you’re browsing the site, the url may just say “http://”, but the second you start inputting personal information, it should change to https. Example:
10. Do they offer any coupon codes?
Many websites offer discounts for first time purchases or for signing up for their email list. A 10% off coupon code might just be incentive enough to give the website a try.