Clothes Shopping: Online Vs In Store – the Jury’s out

Desperate to update my wardrobe, and equally desperate to avoid having to elbow and shove my way through (most likely with both of my kids in tow) the hordes of fellow bargain hunters and the inevitable mess they create in the stores, I decided to conquer my fear of buying clothes online and went on a mini spending spree. Why the fear? Well, being classically pear of shape, I find it very difficult to find clothes – particularly trousers – that fit me the way I want them to. Anyway, I digress….. Having now received two of my deliveries out of three; I can only say that I have learned a thing or two about virtual shopping, most of it not so good
.
Lesson number 1:
Items often look nothing like they do on the computer screen.
I bought a ‘lime green Kimono-style Cardigan from Dorothy Perkins, that looked more like a pale, pastelly green on-screen. Well, it was in fact lime green. Very lime green. And not much in the way of a cardigan either. The material is so thin I’d be cold in summer never mind the arctic chill that is currently sweeping the land.
The moral? Not sure really. It was all rather misleading, so not my fault at all really.

Lesson number 2:
Check, double check and triple check the returns policy. I simply assumed you'd be able to return unwanted/unsuitable items free of charge. WRONG!
Case in point, I ordered two pairs of ballet style pumps from Urban Outfitters. I am actually a size 4 ½ in shoes, but sometimes need a 5 and sometimes need a 4. I erred on the side of caution and ordered both in size 5. Well, apart from the fact that yet again the picture didn’t match the real product (the green satin shoes looked more like a pale silver online, but were in fact VERY green – see lesson 1 above), neither pair fitted. They were more ‘flip-flop’ than ‘ballet pump’. I discovered after trying them on, screaming in despair and phoning the company, that I would have to pay for the return and then re-order and pay again for delivery if I wanted another size!!! My other alternative is to return them to my nearest store. Well, I wonder where that is……? Well, I can choose from Birmingham, Bristol or a couple in London. Not exactly near are they! So this weekend we are going back to Birmingham, for the 3rd time in less than 2 weeks, to exchange my shoes. Luckily we have family we can visit or that option would be unthinkable.
Anyway, I sent an email to the Customer Services Department detailing my dissatisfaction and reluctance to shop online with them again.
The moral? As I said above, triple check the returns policy and make sure you are happy with it before you click on ‘submit’.

Lesson number 3:
Don’t have one….yet. I am waiting for my 3rd and final delivery, this time from ASOS. It is probably also doomed to failure as I did order two pairs of trousers in a size 10. Size 10? Ha! After the excesses of Christmas (ok, and the last few months), I’ll be very lucky to fit in a size 10.
The moral? Order your true size, or order 1 of each and return the one which doesn’t fit – though only if you don’t have to pay to return it!

So, which do I prefer – shopping online or in store? I am a true girl. For me, nothing beats going out with a girlfriend for an afternoon spent wandering around the shops and stopping for coffee or lunch – or both. You get to try before you buy and there are no delivery/return costs involved. In reality though, that is a rare occasion to treasure and behold, and online shopping is less stressful than battling the Saturday crowds with reluctant kids and husband in tow, during a snatched hour between a visit to (an also too busy) Sainsbury’s and cleaning the house. You also have the advantage of being able to view the full range on offer and pick out the bargains more easily. Unfortunately your expectation of what you think you ordered, at least in my case, doesn’t always match up to the reality of the delivered item.