By the time you’re reading this, I am either on a plane or safely landed in LA! Before we get to today’s post, make sure you’re following me on Instagram to check out all the LA highlights! I stopped using Snapchat a year ago so having IG Stories has been fun.

In preparation for my California trip, I spent the past few weeks doing a lot of online shopping. Now that I’m on the other side of it, I’m here to share with you some of the things I did to make the shopping experience better. The busier life gets, the more I’m all about saving time (and money) when I have to shop for new clothes or makeup. Unless I’m out on vacation, I would rather not spend hours at the mall looking for clothes. For that reason, online shopping has been a life and time saver!

Topshop is still having their sale offering up to 70% off, Urban Outfitters has a ton of great items in their sale collection, and Nordstrom is kicking off their anniversary sale today! This is the season of all the good sales, so why not make the most of your shopping experience and use the internet to your advantage?

Tips for Shopping Online

Reference the model’s measurements.

Why? Shopping online means losing the ability to try things on before you purchase.

Even though you may know your size, not all clothes are created equal. What you may think is a midi dress could actually end up being a maxi or mini on your frame. Most stores now include a description of the model’s height as well as the size they’re wearing in each photo.

You don’t have to look like the model to benefit from this information. When a model is 5’9 and wearing a small dress that stops at their thigh, I know it will fall a little longer on my 5’2 frame. Reference the model’s measurements to determine how clothing will fit on you, and adjust your size accordingly.

Shop online and pick up in store.

Why? It saves time and shipping costs!

This is by far my favorite thing about shopping online in 2018. Heading to the mall on a weekend and actually shopping in the store can get draining really fast, especially since my preferred mall is outdoors. Two of my favorite stores, Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom, now have the option of buying online and picking up in store. They tell you that you’ll be able to pick up the items within 24 hours, but I’ve consistently received a confirmation email saying my order is ready within 1-2 hours.

Even though this option isn’t available in every store, I definitely see it picking up steam. I’m sure people with families can benefit from quick pick-ups like this, but even I love the amount of time saved by cutting my mall adventure in half.

Some stores like Forever 21 will at least let you ship directly to the store instead of your home as an alternate option. At first glance, you may wonder why you’d choose this option, right? Well, it saves time! You can pick up what you need in the store, pop into a fitting room to try them on before heading home, and return the items that didn’t work out. This saves you an extra trip to the store or the post office.

Shop your favorite blogger’s style!

Why? It saves time and gives back!

This is a tip I like using to help support my favorite style influencers. As a blogger, I know how much time goes into linking exact items, finding similar options, and browsing the internet for products we think our readers will enjoy. If you’re scrolling through Instagram and see a cute outfit on your favorite style blogger, check the caption and screenshot! Lots of bloggers (me included) use Like to Know It.

What this means for you is that you can screenshot their IG pictures and instantly shop their look. The only thing you need is to the Like to Know It app, available in the App Store. It saves you the hassle of browsing the store linked and it gives back by providing the blogger a small commission as thanks for their services. What’s really cool is that you can follow as many influencers in the app as you like, so it basically becomes a shopping app for your viewing pleasure.

If you’re on their blog, most bloggers (again, me included) have a separate page ready available to shop! My shop page will be getting a little makeover after I get back from vacation, but don’t let that stop you from giving it a little browse.

Keep it in your cart for a surprise.

Why? It saves money!

I feel like this one is a tip you stumble upon by accident. We’ve all spent a night window shopping online and adding items to our cart, right? Well, sometimes that actually benefits you! I like to leave items in my cart overnight so I have time to think it over, which I think stores are beginning to recognize.

To entice you even further, they will sometimes send you a “forgot something?” e-mail within 24 hours and attach a little discount code for you to use.

Join the e-mail list.

Why? It tells you all the deals!

I can’t tell you how many times I find out about a sale through an e-mail blast. Yes, signing up for various retail newsletters can be overwhelming–especially when the retailers send daily emails. Don’t let that turn you away, though! You’re almost always able to adjust your newsletter settings to decrease the frequency as needed. Create a dedicated email that you can direct all the retail newsletters to and give it a nickname on your phone like “Sales” or “Deals”. We all check our e-mail throughout the day as a way to kill time, and this will ensure you don’t miss any flash sales.

What are your tips for shopping online?

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FTC: This site uses affiliate links. I receive a commission for purchases made through select links in this post.

5 Useful Tips to Make Shopping Online Easier

Hi, I'm Chelsey