Last night I was on my way home from Seattle Geek Girl Dinner and I decided to drop into Target to pick up a teasing brush. While I was there I decided to shop a little and hit up the clothing (it is a recession and Target is cheaper than Nordstrom) and Christmas (because I love the holidays) departments. I was so happy to discover Target’s new Limited clothing line. It is some special edition Target clothes and all the pieces seemed well made and looked really high quality. Since they had just come in that morning (one of the helpful Target employees informed me) there was actually some cute pieces in my size–I was thrilled.
I bought two tops–one for a pretty purple top with lattice cut outs for $24.99 (and it really looks expensive) and one for a long sleeve black jersey top for $19.99, and I wore the purple blouse to work today and everyone kept telling me how nice I looked.
The have the collection online here.
Recently there seems to be a slew of new websites popping up that offer high fashion at low prices. So I have two great finds for this post (and I have made purchases on both sites):
- Ideeli – this is an online auction where they sell a deeply discounted item daily. They will send you an email notice and you have a set amount of time (or until they run out) to buy that item (this is a lot like SteepAndCheap which does the same thing with sports equipment and outdoor gear). You can pay an annual membership and shop the sales an hour early (which I am waiting to do until I find something truly great). I have bought a watch (it was a $600 watch, and I paid $135 for it) and it arrived promptly (note that when I made this purchase you had to have the same shipping and billing address). They have big ticket items like Prada bags, Dior sunglasses, etc. It is pretty hit and miss, and sometimes the good things disappear quickly, but every once and while you can find a really great bargain. However, everything is final sale so make your purchases carefully. (BTW, I have no idea how they source their supply–it could be last season’s or last year’s items–or maybe it is just a special deal)
- RueLaLa - this site is like an online sample sale. Once every couple of days or so they sell a few items from one brand in a little boutique. I have seen clothes from BCBG Max Azaria, outwear from Ugg Australia, and lingerie from Cosabella as some sample boutiques. I have also seen them list high end household items like cooking wear, and I purchased some sheets. They have a 30 day return policy for all items and I was impressed with the high quality packaging (and prompt arrival of my purchase). The only thing is, if you don’t buy quickly you are out of luck, things sell out really fast. (I also don’t know how they stock their merchandise, but it also tends to be a pretty good deal–usually around 50% off).
PS: There is also a site called Gilt Groupe that was founded by at least one graduate from Harvard Business School (if I recall correctly) but I have been much less impressed with their site and found it hard to use and not the best experience, so I am not listing it here.
So when can a recession (perhaps?) and decreased consumer spending can be a good thing? When it means great deals! In the event that stores can’t sell their inventory, they lower the prices on items (basic supply and demand–less people spending money means prices must decrease to compensate). Being a big fan of online shopping and bargain hunting I have been keeping an eye on various websites waiting for a good sale.
Last week (despite my do-not-buy-new-things-and-keep-saving-to-invest) I made a purchase at Martin & Osa (only shopping the sales section). M&O is a subsidiary of American Eagle. AE’s clothing is a bit below my “age appropriate” range, but I think they have well made high quality clothing (and I know some people who work in their corporate offices, so I also like to patronize my friend’s businesses)–so I had been wanting to buy something from M&A for a while now. I went in the store a couple of times in the local mall, but the prices were a bit more than I like to spend and they sale selection was pretty picked over (as most chain stores in malls tend to be on weekends).
I ordered some clothing (pictured below) and I got a great deal. In part because they had a lot of stuff on sale, but I also googled for coupons and found a 20% off offer. And I qualified for free shipping. So all said and done I spent $112.
My favorite purchase was definitely the brown silk dress. All of the clothing felt a bit thin (I think they are supposed to be light weight for summer, but it was raining here when the packaged arrived), but overall everything felt well made. The shipping was prompt (and free) and you can return things for free (either in store or via the free shipping return label enclosed with your order). So all-in-all I was really happy with everything I purchased for just over $100.
Martin & Osa Casual V-Neck Top
Martin & Osa Silk V-Neck Sweater (purchased in black)
Martin & Osa Silk Dress
Martin & Osa Crewneck Top (purchased this top in white and heathered grey)
Over the years one of the skills I have managed to hone is my ability to negotiate. People do not always realize almost anything in life has prices and terms that are set in stone. Today we were negotiating a contract and one of my colleagues on the email thread was musing at my response haggling with their rate. I told him “In life you have to look at everything as negotiable.” He then proceeded to tell me about how even chain stores like Best Buy and Circuit City are training their employees to haggle on prices on merchandise.
Having worked a retail job in the past, I have known that most employees have the ability to lower prices (usually around 10-20%) without even consulting their manager. The only times I have really realized these discounts though, is when I was super nice and sweet to an employee and they did me a favor. Often times my friends referred to this discount as the “cute girl discount.” In my single days I became a master of this tool—I had free daily lattes (the cup would appear at 7:40am on the edge of the coffee shop counter with my name on it—I always left a dollar where the cup was and went on my way), free lunch, discounted dry cleaning, and I rarely paid full price for any meals or drinks in restaurants. I don’t employ this discount the way I used to though, perhaps it is because I am older and not as cute, or maybe it is because I just don’t spend money they way I used to, but regardless the idea of negotiating everyday things sounded appealing to me (hey, every girl loves a bargain!).
So here is what I discovered:
- What is typically “haggling” can be achieved by printing out the price for the same item online. If you bring in this print out the store will often meet the internet price in order to make the sale.
- Lots of stores offer “freebies” to make the deal more appealing to consumers. You just have to ask (such as useful accessories or accompaniments for high ticket items).
- Try to haggle at the end of the month. A lot of sales people have quotas and are more willing to wheel and deal when they feel the pressure to meet their sales goals.
- Look for sales and watch advertisements. Often sales people with share this information with you. Generally if you see a sales price on a item and can reference that price most of the time they will be willing to go that low. (This is what I did when I bought my elliptical trainer—I referenced a sale from 6 months ago when I was shopping for it. I also then asked for freebies like the mat and delivery to be thrown in with the transaction)
- Pay attention to cosmetic flaws or ask to buy the floor model. Often times these little imperfections can result in 10% off the price no questions asked.
- This seems to be a phenomenon that has existed for a while, but is coming to light because of the recession and the fact consumer spending has declined.
- And finally, regardless of the outcome—be nice and smile. You want these people to work with you, and people are much more likely to throw you a bone if your treat them politely and respectfully.
See the NY Times article for more anecdotal stories.
