DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with Amazon. These are solely my personal tips, tricks, and opinions on shopping with Amazon.
So, I’m sure you all can tell by now I’m all about shopping on Amazon for clothing. It started after I had my first little munchkin. She was a great sleeper for the first few months so going to the mall was a breeze. I could bring her into the changing rooms with me and she’d just sleep sleep sleep while mommy tried on endless amounts of clothes. Ahhhhh, it was great! Until it wasn’t!!!
Once she was like 5 or 6 months, pulling my usual shopping shenanigans were a no go. She didn’t sleep like she used to and would get bored (i.e. cranky) quite easily. So I had to find a shopping alternative. Insert Amazon!
My husband was actually the one who turned me on to it first (the app version). He would buy all kinds of things on there from electronics to household items and occasionally clothes. It felt like we had an Amazon box arriving at the house everyday (and I’m pretty sure we did!).
So I decided to check out what they had to offer (clothing wise) and I was shocked to find tons of cute items! Tons! You could put a whole look together from shoes to jewelry and everything in between! I was so excited! But, then I bought my first outfit and quickly realized uhhhh none of the items I bought fit right! And it was then that I discovered the method to shopping clothes on Amazon.
Lucky for you guys, I’m sharing that method with you today! This will save you time, money & let’s be honest, frustration (am I right, or am I right?).
Here are my best tips for how to shop Amazon (fashion)!
Sign up for prime!
With Prime you get free two day shipping. And most sellers offer free returns as well! In the world of online shopping, there’s nothing like ordering something and having it delivered in 2 days! Especially when it’s something super cute that you can’t wait to try on. Trust me, sign up for Prime. (For students: $59/year, Non-student: $119/year)
Check For Seller’s Size Chart
Super important because Amazon has a generic size chart, but most of these clothing items are from overseas which are made with an entirely different size chart than the US. So, make sure to scroll through the photos of the listing and see if they’ve provided a size chart to refer to. You don’t want to waste time having to return something if you don’t have to.
Read reviews!!!!
Speaking of returns, read the reviews! Probably by far the most important tip on this list. Read the reviews, people!!! (Yes, I’m repeating myself). Thankfully, we’re in the day and age where people are willing to take the time to tell you their experience with an item, so why not heed their warnings (or take comfort in their praises)? When it comes to Amazon Fashion reviews, you’ll find pertinent info that’ll help you decide on which size and color to buy an item in. Most reviewers will put their height and weight in their reviews along with what size they bought and/or what size they wish they had bought. Most reviewers also include a photo of them wearing the item which I love because then I can compare my figure to their’s and get a better idea of how the item will fit. So seriously, read the reviews.
Read The Q&A Section
Like the reviews, the Q&A section will also answer questions you may have about a particular product. Let’s say you’re purchasing a purse but are not sure if the listed dimensions will hold all the items you’re looking to carry (wallet, phone, keys, compact, iPad, etc). You can either ask the question in this section (another purchaser will answer and/or the seller) or search to see if the question has already been asked/answered. Super helpful!
Check the “New FROM” section for best price
You don’t have to settle on the first seller you see. A lot of times, you’ll find the same item being sold by multiple sellers for different prices, so if you’re looking to save a few bucks, always check this section. And don’t forget to look for the “prime” symbol for free shipping 😉 (Note: not all items will have this section, but make sure to look for it).
Buy two sizes (if you can)
This is what I do and it saves me so much time of having to reorder something and wait for it to arrive. What I do is I check the seller’s size chart, read the reviews, check out the reviewer’s photos and then buy the size I personally think would fit me best, as well as the one others suggest (if these two are not the same). Yes, I’m always having to send one back but to me that’s a small price to pay to have the right size in my hands today (well, in two days lol). Which brings me to my next tip…
Use a credit card for purchases
Use a credit card when making your purchases. It makes returning an item and getting your money back that much easier! With a debit card, your actual funds are in limbo when it comes to returns (meaning that money is gone until the merchant refunds you) and buying two of everything at a time can get suuuuper pricey fast. But, with a credit card you don’t have that worry about your real funds being tied up. Just make sure to be responsible and pay your card balance as if you had used a debit card in the first place (that way you don’t rack up debt…we’re adults now so we have to do the adult thing, right? haha)
Write A Review
Last, but not least, write a review! Help a fellow sister out on her future purchase. It’s all about paying it forward, right? 🙂
Hope my tips help make your online shopping career that much easier! Haha 😉 Make sure to sign up for my newsletter where you’ll be the first to receive my fashion tips, tricks & recommendations, as well as receive my discount codes for new products monthly!
XO, Jules
For winter fashion inspo (including items I’ve purchased on Amazon), see my post Five Colors to Wear This Winter and How to Wear A Teddy Coat.