The birth of online shopping has presented an entirely new shopping experience for consumers. It has opened up a world of choice for bargain hunters and made it much easier to find bargain busting deals. For those of us who love shopping but hate the hassles associated with it, online shopping means we can leave behind the crowds, queues and noisy stores and instead purchase items from the comfort of a living room armchair.
For Irish shoppers in particular, who are at the mercy of the sterling/euro conversion rates set by British high street stores, it has meant that we are no longer forced to pay more for the same items than our UK counterparts. Instead we can buy online and save.
Online shopping is not without its downsides, however, clothes can appear much different in "real" as opposed to virtual life. Selecting the right size can be difficult and clothes can sometimes look absolutely hideous when tried on. Although items can be returned with ease, these hassles often take the fun out of the shopping experience.
In spite of its drawbacks, however, its merits cannot be denied. So I have drawn together my top ten list of online shopping sites. I've tried to focus on Irish sites, sites that offer free delivery and on sites have some of the best deals around.
Probably one of the most popular online shopping sites, asos.com has not only become a regular haunt for what you might call ordinary shoppers, it is regularly used by celebrities, many of whom have been pictured sporting the brand. It offers women's and men's clothing, jewellery, shoes, bags and much more and almost always has a range of items on sale with some pieces as low as £10. It's easy to navigate, features designer brands, has a range of petite and maternity wear and offers free delivery. It is simply heaven!
2. www.ebay.ie
"Anyone buying or selling" I hear you say. Ebay, the site that allows you to put up items for sale in exchange for cash is possibly one of the world's busiest online marketplaces. Almost anything can and has been put up for sale on the site. If it's clothes or shoes you're looking for, it is an excellent place to find cheap designer and vintage gear. If you're not into second hand items, it also offers items that are "new with tags never been worn".
Launched in 2007, the site caters for women aged between 18-35 and sells cocktail and party dresses for very reasonable prices. It has a kids clothes section and has added trousers, jeans, shoes, jackets, bags and jewellery to its list of items on offer. You need to spend €50 or more to get free delivery but the wide range of keenly priced goods means that this website is just too good to ignore. It's sale section has been known to have clothes for as low as €12 and has up to 50 per cent off many items of clothing.
Another Irish site, this is a bit of a mixed bag and is not exactly as its name suggests. It features bridal lingerie, jewellery, club wear, bordello burlesque shoes and boots, fancy dress, office clothing and swimwear among other items. What I found most interesting was its stock clearance section, which has gorgeously unique swimwear for as low as €14.95. It also has free shipping worldwide. Called Trudy Affair, it has a retail shop in Cork.
Staying Irish, Pamela Scott has retail outlets in 22 locations across the country. Probably most popular with women over the age of 35, the store has a huge selection and is, like most shops, always worth a look. Their online site offers free delivery and last time I looked had 80 on sale items. You can also sign up to its newsletter to receive the latest information on offers.
This site is a definite regular must-see for every Irish bargain shopper. The site features a huge directory of Irish retailers and online offers and has free shipping for customers across the globe. Its 'hot offers' section has discounts on a wide array of items including clothing, gift ware, household goods, gadgets and much more. Once you click on an offer, a new window opens leading you to where the offer can be purchased.
The first Irish store opened in Dublin last year and with very keenly priced offers, it has proved to be hugely popular with shoppers. Its website generally always has sale items, with some items as low as £5! Some items are priced so low that they are almost unbelievable. There is no excuse for not looking on trend with forever21 on the scene. However, shipping costs apply to Irish customers.
As the name suggests, this is a site that is all about the bling. A varied selection of very attractive jewellery pieces can be purchased on the Irish site, which was created in response to high prices being charged for so-called "average" jewellery pieces. The pieces are made from Austrian, Czech and Egyptian crystals and the site has the all important "sale items" section bargain shoppers always like to visit. Sequined fashion bags can be purchased in a range of colours. Prices vary depending on the item but if you're looking for a unique piece to dress up an outfit, blingbling.ie should always be considered in your search.
The Irish site boasts an easy-to-search directory of thousands of products and has a large selection of discounted items. Its range is vast and includes car parts and accessories, baby clothes, fancy dress, lingerie, shoes and swimwear. Its most popular section is probably its sports gear items for men and women. The prices are extremely cheap. However, it must be noted that the price advertised on the site is not always the same as that advertised on the site actually selling the item. Despite this, it is a fantastic site worth checking out on a regular basis.
10. www.citydeal.ie
You'd be hard pressed to find a women in Ireland who hasn't heard of citydeal.com. The site has become a daily stop for Irish consumers in search of bargains on beauty treatments, haircare, evening meals, weekends away and other offers. It is a must visit and has allowed many women to continue pampering themselves, as they are entitled to do, despite having to survive on severely reduced budgets due to the recession. The one criticism I would have is that most of the deals are only available to Dublin dwellers, with little on offer for the country bumpkin.
