Love at First Site

For the last 20 years, online shopping has progressed in leaps and bounds. With a rapid increase in popularity since the launch of 'Amazon' and 'eBay' in 1995, by 2015 every man and his dog has received a gift or ordered an item from an online store. The beauty of online shopping is whatever you're looking for, someone somewhere is selling it. (Although when dad orders yet another television series from Amazon that I "have to watch" I really start to wonder if this is a pro or a con). Being able to browse through stores from your bed, wrapped under a blanket while avoiding sore feet and losing all feeling in your fingers from twisted plastic bag handles is probably one of the biggest advantages, as well as overall convenience. These overwhelming benefits have created a shop savvy generation who more than readily purchase anything from clothing to Justin Bieber's hair (which sold for a whopping $40,668 in 2011). 

Considering the number of hours I spend browsing on online stores, you'd expect my closet to be overflowing! And while the doors may be in the verge of bursting at the hinges, we aren't quite at the stage where my room is just a mountain of clothes I have to conquer in order to get to my bed. I manage to be relatively restrained  when it comes to purchases, and often research reviews on particular websites, ensure they ship to Australia (without ludicrous postage prices) and look at the measurements to make sure I pick the right size. So over my many late night shopping sprees (which result in me filling and then emptying my shopping cart multiple times) I've unearthed a number of great retail shopping websites, some apps to guide you on the latest looks and a few 'what NOT to do's' in the world of online shopping. 

 ASOS: If you haven't heard of ASOS then oh my god you've been living under a rock! Possibly one of the most popular online stores, this UK retail giant offers a number of brands, and sells about every item of clothing imaginable. The service is great, offering a number of payment methods (including PayPal), shipping to just about anywhere, and usually arriving within a week. This company is reliable! And if you are new to the experience of online shopping, then I recommend checking these guys out as the service is as good as a high end department store, without the pesky sales assistant asking "if you're going to buy anything". 

Motel Rocks: while not as mainstream as ASOS, they cater for an edgy style, offering one off pieces with wild prints and bold colours. Certainly if you are looking for staple items like blue jeans and a white t-shirt then this may not be the right site for you. However motel rocks if perfect for party dresses, bold printed crop tops, or if you simply want a piece which will add colour and life into a wardrobe of monochromes.

Polyvore: this app is amazing if you want some inspiration or if you're just nosy like me and love to see what everyone else has their eyes on, and what they plan to pair it with. The app works like an Instagram for clothes, makeup and interior pieces, letting you favourite everything you fancy. However, you are then able to create outfit ensembles or makeup looks, add a background, some Pinterest worthy text and hey presto you can show the world what you would totally rock to that festival on the weekend if your bank account allowed it. Did I mention everything on the site is also available for sale. 

Scam sites; If you're like me these sites usually pop up in your Facebook feed promoting 70% off, unfortunately more often then not these offers are too good to be true. The world of online shopping is filled with sites trying to cut corners or steal your bank details. Many sites are simply just not up to expected standard with shipping taking up to 2 months and items "going missing" and if they do turn up they either don't look like the picture or are of poor quality. Unlike retail stores it's not as easy to

judge whether a website is legit which is why it's important to google for reviews and pay with PayPal to minimise the risk. 

I hope that your virtual shopping carts don't get too heavy and that their virtual wheels don't go haywire like the ones in real life.