I’m a Shopping Expert and I’d Never Buy These Items in the Sales

November 25, 2020 at 06:00AM

Love it or hate it, Black Friday week is here, bringing with it a slew of fashion brands trying to outbid each other in offering consumers the best discounts and deals. I would have complete sympathy if you’re someone who usually avoids the sales at all costs (lest we forget those apocalyptic scenes that grace the news headlines every November), but with this year’s sales being 100% digital, the landscape looks a little different. We might not have the heaving crowds, but we do have endless scrolling through page upon page of discounted products, and the issues that come with online shopping, such as sizing and delivery.

As someone who has spent many hours scouring the internet to find the creme de la creme of the online shopping market, I’ve picked up a few shopping hacks along the way. From the simplest tricks (make a list and stick to it) to a few rules I always adhere by (never shop when tired or emotional), scroll down to see my dos and don’ts for shopping the seasonal sales. 

When it comes to buying those wardrobe heavy-lifters—think winter coats, boots and jumpers—our mantra has always been quality over quantity, but we also understand that not everyone has the funds to fork out three figures for a pair of lace-ups. However, this is where waiting for the sales can pay off: Create your wishlist on-site and then check back in when the discounts go live. You never know, you might just nab your dream piece at a fraction of the price.

While it might feel totally incongruous purchasing summer sandals or a bikini in the depths of winter, it’s actually a very savvy way to shop, and you can find some real sale gems when you shop out of season (i.e. when demand for warm weather pieces is low). The key is to filter the thousands of sale items by searching by brand—i.e. Marysia for swimwear—or product, as it will allow you to create a smaller pool from which to shop from.

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One of the biggest difficulties of online shopping has to be the fact that you can’t try things on IRL, and while I know that this will sound blindingly obvious, it really is worth checking and double-checking those measurements. That’s right, get out the tape measure and do the work, because it’ll be worth it to get that perfect fit. Some sites now even offer a tool which allows you to input your measurements to get an even more accurate result. Oh, and don’t buy something in a smaller size hoping that you’ll ‘lose the weight to fit into it’—it never ends well.

Sale shopping can do funny things to one’s heads, and in my experience it can result in logic and reason flying out the window the moment you see your fave fashion brand offering 50% off. The adrenaline kicks in, your pupils dilate and before you know it you’ve spent your week’s food budget on a feather-trimmed kimono. Stick to what you know (i.e. your usual personal style), stick to your budget, and repeat after me: Don’t buy things just because they’re on sale. Which leads me to my next point… 

One way to avoid sale shopping apocalypse is to make a list before you start scrolling. This can either take the form of a ‘wishlist’, which many e-commerce sites offer, but personally I love a good ‘ol notepad and paper—in my experience there’s something about writing IRL that helps to keep the mind focused. Take a long hard look at your wardrobe and work out if there are any holes, then take a moment to study your list to make sure these are pieces you actually need. Once you’ve given it the green light, it will not only give you a way to edit down the selection online, but it will also help avoid spontaneous purchases. Trust the list, the list is your friend.

When we’re confronted by the noise of big name brands and their red-lettered discounts, it can be all too easy to forget that both independent and secondhand brands also offer deals on their wares during this time. Check out sites such as Depop, where vintage sellers often offer discounts and bundle deals on their collections, or look on your favourite independent brands’ Instagram feeds and keep an eye out for Black Friday posts. Not sure where to start? Use our small brand shopping guide as a starting point.

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As I have mentioned previously, the search bar function is one of the keys to sale shopping success. Whether you search for your favourite brand, specific item or size category, this is the easiest way to edit down the gargantuan number of products on offer. Specificity is particularly important on big multi-brand sites such as Net-a-Porter and ASOS, so rather than searching for ‘beige blazer’, add in more relevant keywords, for example ‘oversized, double-breasted beige blazer’. 

As we all know, clothing sizes are a bit of a minefield, and it’s not unusual for someone to be two sizes different from one brand to the next—plus sometimes we want certain things to be more oversized or fitted. This is why ordering multiple sizes can be a good tactic for online sale shopping, particularly for tricky pieces such as dresses or trousers. That being said, we should be mindful of not losing our minds and ordering limitless qualities of clothing just because we can. Remember that many brands have to quarantine clothing after they’re returned and also that there is an environmental cost to delivery and packaging. 

Last, but by no means least, is the sneaky stress shop. We’ve all been there: you’re feeling fed-up after a long week at work and suddenly the Net-a-Porter app is winking at you seductively. Shopping when stressed is like grocery shopping when hungry, you’re only going to come out with things you crave rather than thing you actually need. So that means no 1am insomnia scrolling or cheeky retail therapy after a bad meeting. Trust me, you’ll need all your wits about you to find those sartorial gems.

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Author Joy Montgomery | Whowhatwear
Selected by CWC