The 9th Week is upon us. We take this time not only to mellow in our recently given thanks but also to take respite away from our 10-week sprint, an eddy in our otherwise rushing river that, in two weeks time, will pour over the ravine into a finals-week abyss. And as dedicated Stanford students loaded up with 20 units (okay, 17 but hey that’s a lot!) plus a million extra-curriculars, we have to find ways to cope with the stress. Some people take their shots by the bottles while others have their runners’ high. Pick your poison, but for many of us trying to balance school work with work work and a social life all while looking effortlessly put together, Internet shopping can kill multiple birds with one stone. 1.87 carats. Platinum setting. Cartier.
Sequestered away on the Farm as we are, some of us may venture to the Stanford Shopping Center, but for some, the likes of Kate Spade, J. Crew, and Neiman’s simply do not suffice. The pleasures of Internet shopping can calm the anxious heart and stock the wanting closet of many a Stanford girl in a way that in-person shopping cannot. And even if it is Carrie Bradshaw’s cardio, for us it can be a way to unwind, procrastinate productively, and indulge. To find out how to maximize your e-shopping adventures, consult the rules below!
Flash sale sites are your friends—in the way Cady Heron has friends. Yes, flash sale sites like Gilt, Privee, and ideeli have everything from clothes to shoes to macaroons by the dozen marked down to fractions of the original price, but beware of high shipping costs, strict return policies, and delayed ship dates that may put your package a month or more away from your doorstep.
Know your options. It’s a classic story. Girl sees shoe. Girl sees discount. Girl clicks “Add to Shopping Cart” and off into the sunset. This story could be an even happier one if only this girl had checked the other websites and noted that there are even greater discounts to be found if one just shops around. Hint: though department “stores” of the online world offer great discounts, often the original brands’ website have even better deals because they’re basically whole-salers who have no overhead to worry about.
It’s a code war. Yes shopping is like warfare. You have to fight for the product against the enemy (other fearless shoppers) but sometimes the real battle is against the system. But you can beat the man and their high costs with codes that can score you free shipping or even huge percentages off your total purchase. Find these codes semi-obscure website locations like J. Crew’s or Madewell’s banners or footers. Sometimes even entering your email for subscription lists can get you promotional codes that zap your total into a nicer number for the credit card.
Haggle. You’re thinking: What? I’m not in some 19th century market in Greece, are you seriously telling me to drive a bargain? Remember that no store can survive without great customer service (except for maybe Wal-Mart, but that’s a whole other Her Campus article) and the customer is always right. Obviously, this is not easily accomplished over the Internet but calling customer service and politely reminding the associate of your good customer standing, large sum and the holiday season can yield some secret promotional codes that win just as popular discounts.
Know your limits, credit card and otherwise. Yes, shopping is fun, stress relieving, and productive but it’s easy to get carried away. You do not want to end up a Collegiette in debt even with all of Stanford’s great financial aid. Sometimes sales are too good to be true, but picking the best items will ensure a wardrobe cuter than the Mad Men costume room and a closet that’s manageable enough even in a frosh dorm.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Stanford chapter.