We all want to look good… but we don’t all have fat wallets and tons of time. Enter e-commerce and the wonderful world of online shopping. Purchase in your PJs on the couch, while dining solo on your lunch break, or waiting to board a flight. Within a few days, your cool new stuff will arrive at your doorstep (just like that). Add high-end name brands and ridiculous discounts to the mix, and we’re talking serious fashion heaven. Here’s a roundup of the top-tier 5…
Beyond the Rack
Proudly Canadian, this Montreal-based online retailer has been all the rage for some time now. Selling everything from pre-owned Louis Vuitton travel bags to bathroom accessories, it caters to men and women who want designer duds and accessories at significant discounts. (We’re talking up to 80% off retail!) To join, you need to be invited by a friend, get a special invitation or request a membership. And the cherry on top: their new shipping policy. Now when you make a purchase, you pay for shipping once, and can make another purchase the same day with no extra shipping charges. This doesn’t seem like a big deal but it is – ‘cause they have a 10-item cart limit and only allow you to reserve those items for 20 minutes.
HAUTELOOK
Private 12-48 hour online sales, giveaways, free membership and stress-free shopping on the go – we say yes (to the dress and whatever else we like). A Nordstrom company that offers between 50 to 75% off today’s best designer brands, this one is a real winner. Sign up and you’ll get an email every morning alerting you of the new sales that day (on clothes for women, men and kids plus beauty products and items for the home). Another lovely bonus is that you earn a $10 credit when a friend you’ve invited to the HAUTELOOK club makes their first purchase. And perhaps best of all, returns are free.
Gilt Groupe
Get your flash sale fix! Featuring cutting edge designers (who you can learn more about through bios and reels that are put up in advance of their sales), the pieces on this site will not disappoint. The only catch is that you must be invited by a current member. So if you’re interested, Tweet and/or Facebook your peeps – surely there’s a super sweet guy or gal out there who’d be happy to welcome you to the club. Offering daily sales on items from a single designer for 36 hours, score up to 60% off. And lucky for us, they now ship to Canada for a fee of just under $10.
Shop Bop
Although not a sales site per se, this Amazon owned online boutique is too fab not to include (and does offer an extensive SALE section and free shipping to Canada). One of the leading fashion retailers in the world, we love that it’s expertly curated with a chic, modern woman in mind. Selling cream of the crop pieces for every style and occasion, this is where to look if you’re in a rush to find a killer outfit and can’t be bothered to rummage through the “clutter” you’ll find in brick and mortar stores. Called “the editors of what’s cool” by Daily Candy and recognized by The Wall Street Journal as having “the best customer service,” you just can’t go wrong with this one.
Fab
On (what we think is a meaningful) mission to help people better their lives with design, Fab.com offers everyday design products by the world’s most exciting designers at pretty darn good prices. The shopping experience is unlike anything else – comparable to a day at a killer art gallery or a visit to a cutting-edge city you’ve never been to. Cool, creative and colourful. We wanna spend forever within its virtual walls.