Online Shopping: 7 Tips and Tricks from a Shopaholic

It’s as simple as a “click”

Let’s set the stage a bit here… you’ve just put the kiddos down to sleep, have a cup of chamomile tea in hand, and you’re sitting down for those few blissful minutes of “me” time at the end of the day. And for most, that means turning on your laptop and perusing some of your favourite online shops. There’s always something so exciting about checking out all the new items until suddenly you find yourself a bit dizzy by the endless amount of possibilities. A few pages further and you’ve hit a wall. The dizziness turns into exhaustion, so you shut your computer and opt to go to bed instead… even though you really need a new dress for that wedding you have next month.

Sound familiar? We thought so! Well fret not, mamas! We’ve got just the trick (well, seven actually) to cure your online shopping woes! After all, something so exciting should never be so tough! Read on to discover our seven tips to online shopping like a pro!

A cluttered inbox is so 2016! There’s nothing worse than missing out on emails and sale alerts from your favourite online shops. Take five minutes (literally) to visit Unroll.Me to help you unsubscribe from all the email subscriptions you don’t care about.

Not only will you be shocked by the amount of subscriptions you have (many of which you won’t even know about), but it will take you mere minutes to filter through the subscriptions you want to keep in your inbox, unsubscribe from, or “roll up” into a single daily email. (Hello, organisation!) This is a game changer, mamas! You can thank us later.

Keep a mental note of gifts or personal needs for events, vacations or holidays and browse your online shops with them in mind. The earlier you start looking, the more likely you are to find something you absolutely love, versus cracking under the pressure of time and settling for something just so-so.

Better yet, our tried and true method, place your first order with enough time before your event to place a “back-up” order. After all, we’ve all ordered that one dress that appeared to be a beautiful silk, but turned out to be 96% poly and 4% spandex – oh, the horror! Which leads us to our next tip…

Always, always, always read the material descriptions. While online shopping provides us with endless style options, it doesn’t afford us the tangible experience that it’s brick and mortar counterpart does.

Trust us, the last thing you want is to be hauling that stroller up the portion of the escalator that is “temporarily” closed off in a polyester dress that you thought was cotton. (Goodbye make-up and morning blowout, hello sweaty Betty)

When it comes to surviving the relentless Hong Kong heat, look for breathable fabrics like cottons, linens, and chambray and at all costs avoid polyesters, rayon, cotton/spandex blends and heavy denim.

When it comes to judging size, we have a few tricks. First, do you have that brand in your closet already? If so, double check the size and then order away worry-free! But if not, most online shopping sites provide the model’s measurements and size worn in the image which is a good starting point in gauging your own size.

But, if you’re still unsure, Google a review of the product. Also, note that some sites will suggest “your best size.” Reader, beware! This is typically the same size of the previous item you ordered, and we all know that sizing can vary drastically from brand to brand and style to style, so feel free take that recommended size into consideration, but don’t forget our previous tips!

As you browse your favourite sites, add items to your “favourites” or “wish” list. Not only does it help you narrow down the 378 pairs of booties to maybe 7 (ok, ok 14), but you won’t risk forgetting which brand made that pair you can’t stop thinking about and having to search for them all over again.

Added bonus, as long as you’re logged in, these items will automatically save in your favourites so you call mull them over a bit or scour some other options before committing.

DOUBLE BONUS… scroll back through your favourites every few weeks and sooner or later those items that you loved but didn’t want to spend quite so much money on will eventually be on sale! Definitely give this one a whirl, it’s one of our “favourite” strategies.

Speaking of sales, if you’re not in a rush to make a purchase, hit pause until the next sale event. Online retailers have so many sales and discount codes these days, we are almost more shocked when they don’t have one! (Pursing our lips).

Really, even sales have sales, so unless you’re craving that (nearly) instant gratification or simply can’t risk your size going out of stock, do like we mentioned above – add it to your favourites and check back!

Lastly, and certainly most boring-ly, shipping and returns policies. When it comes to shipping many online retailers will ship for free with a minimum spend, and luckily, those minimums are usually pretty reasonable!

Even if some of your favourite retailers don’t ship to Hong Kong, there are parcel repacking services like PacMe, who will forward your orders right to your door!

Beware of companies who limit the number of returns or provide short return times. Instead, look for shops like Revolve (one of our favourites) who provide a 30-day return window for full reimbursement or 60-day return to exchange for something else (AKA store credit). That’s what we’re talking about!

Or, if you love white glove service as much as we do (and who doesn’t when anything you own in white has one stain from each kiddo), order from a retailer like Shopbop who provides a returns home pick-up service through DHL.

Honestly, mamas, does it get any better than that? Well, yes, actually it does! Lastly, check out Rossy Returns, a personalised Hong Kong returns service designed to save you time, money, and most importantly, a wait in line at the post office with (understandably) impatient toddlers! Hassle avoided!

So there you have it! Our tips and tricks to keep the fun and excitement in online shopping. Now put those kiddos down and grab your tea, you have a date with your favourite online store tonight!