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November is officially online shopping month – and there are literally gazillions of great deals floating around out there. We’ll be bringing you some of the best ones naturellement – but just to get us started we’d love to know what you’ve picked up super cheaply online. In November there’s no rush – there’s time for everything to be delivered and you’ll get a head start on all your Crimbo shopping
I love shopping online – everything from supermarket deliveries, to clothes, shoes, books, CDs, and of course beauty products make their way to my door. Makeup and cosmetics are small and lightweight and that makes them perfect for online shipping. It’s easy to compare discounts, it’s easy to click and shop, there’s no struggling around overcrowded shops with loads of bags – it’s a no brainer.
Now over to you! What have been your best online bargains?
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My very bestest ever online bargain was a handbag…it was a Marc Jacobs cream Stam bag which I got on preloved.com. Some girl was selling it as it was a gift but she never used it! It was absolutely brand new and pristine with receipts and everything, and I got it for 100 euro. I saw it in BT for over 1000 so happy days.
Oh I buy everything online! Slight exaggeration….but I LUV online shopping! Ebay, La Senza, Waterstones, everything, I only buy something if it’s a bargain, I’m a total sucker for cheapies! Not remotely stingey, I’m v generous, but I never spend more than I can get away with.
I love online shopping, particularly where the currency difference allows savings. Lately I’ve been getting Aveda haircare from lookfantastic.com – just can’t argue with the price difference, especially on the big sizes of shampoo and conditioner. I saved €20 on the last shampoo I bought, even with shipping.
For excellent vintage and costume jewellery at brilliant prices(and there’s often the option to bargain)I go to http://www.rubylane.com
There are hundreds of shops under this one website, they are always very friendly to deal with (Americans) and very prompt at posting out and the exchange rate with the dollar brings the prices down even further. I recently bought a beautiful vintage bracelet (in it’s original box) and saw the exact same one in a much loved vintage store in Dublin for nearly 5 times the price- I kid you not!
Zinnie – I love vintage jewellery too (or jewelry) as the Yanks call it – the stuff you can pick up for a fraction of the price online is amazing
I’m a hoor for online shopping & will always compare high-street with online prices to make sure I’m getting the best deal. Cosmetics (esp. nail polish) is a superb buy online – why pay €15 for one bottle of polish here when I can get 3 for the same price on the net?
Yep me too Aphrodite and rubylane has an excellent selection. I love having something that has a history behind it whether it’s a piece of furniture, jewellery or even a book. The only problem with buying online is, I always end up buying that extra piece that I don’t ‘really’ need!
Hi I know this has nothing to do with your post but I need your help.
I’ve been dying my hair red for years and decided on Saturday that I’d dye it blonde….Myself….Basically it turned out orange which looked great for Halloween and I’ve since dyed it back brown as I really dont have the money to go to a hairdresser, also I’m sure they would scalp me for toturing my hair so much in 4 days. Anyway I really want to dye it bakc red but wanted to know how long you think I should wait because the brown is looking pretty dire…Help!
I do a good bit of online shopping
at the mo i use – Liz Earle, play.com, strawberrynet.,dorothyperkins,
republic (clothes for himself) shoesforkids.co.uk
plus i booked flights,taxis, concert tickets.
If is available online, im there
Obviously i check high st prices first, but mostly cheaper online
i must admit i do spend a bit more without thinking online
clicky happy i am
Most site i use frequently have details saved, so its just a matter of a few cliks & voila ….cc meltdown
littlewoods, awear.com, cdwow, for beauty, booksunlimited.ie, asos occasionally!!
Books from play.com. I have a perference for play.com over amazon because the postage is free. I also use ebay and hqhair a lot
I use book depository,ebay, liz earle, boden sometimes, asos, zoo.ie and many others for one off stuff that catches my eye.
Red… I’ve no advice for you about your hair, except to suggest you post on the main blather or the forums and you will probably get some help there.
I’m mates with an independent record store owner in my hometown here (Kilkenny) so I’ll try to always get my music from him. It may be somewhat cheaper online but he always gives me a good steer music wise, and he’d be the first to tell you “don’t buy that, it’s crap” I feel strongly about supporting local..
That being said, I’ll go online before buying in any of the multiples as they’re usually much better value. Most of the stuff I buy online I can’t get in Kilkenny eg. Liz Earle
Red leave your hair alone for a few weeks. Over dying it won’t do any good for the condition of your hair. Maybe use Head and Shoulders to lighten the overall colour of it and then check out some hairdressers for classes for a cheap dye job that will work out well. to go blonde from red you would have to have removed the red from your hair first. Where in the country are you?
feelunique.com and cdwow.ie are brilliant for cosmetics and perfume!
And etsy.com for brilliant gifts and vintage clothes, homewares and art. Also, littlepaperplanes.com for really cheap and unique prints…
http://www.fragrancedirect.com offer great value cosmetics and they post their items really quickly. Only problem with them is that they don’t charge a postage flat rate, everything has an associated postage cost. But it isn’t bad value. I’ve never ordered from strawberry.net but it’s meant to be good too…Benefit stuff is way cheaper there!
-I am a big fan of strawberrynet and have been shopping with them for years.
-play.com for books unless I want US releases then I shop amazon.com.
-I bought direct from evelom.com and saved €30 on their large cleanser.
-hqhair.com and lookfantastic.com for comsetics, along with some reliable ebayers.
-transdesign.com for all things nail-wise.
-essentialdayspa.com (in Canada – shipping took all of 4 days!) for many different cosmetic brands.
- I also am a fan of fragrancedirect.co.uk – excellent customer service.
I’m not a huge fan of buying clothes online although I did get a bargain on a French Connection dress by buying it from the UK site (they don’t “convert” to Irish prices)
I have also bought from American Eagle online but they have a tendency to get stopped by Customs.
a question about strawberrynet:
i know everyone loves it on here, so i’m hesitant to blacken its name, but something’s been bugging me about it for awhile. last year i went through a phase of buying loads of stuff off it, but i found a few of the products i got were different than those i’d bought in other outlets. The packaging etc is fine, but i’ve found in various brands of skincare the texture is slightly different and my skin reacted a bit differently to them.
Anybody else noticed this?
i am actually concerned that their stuff might be fake. i know the prices are great and the stuff looks the part, but i’ve noticed a cleanser being more greasy, lipstick being less creamy and 2 moisturisers just feeling completely different on my skin, i actually put the one i already had on one side of my face and the strawberrynet one the other and i felt the difference in how it was absorbed was really really noticeable.
i’d really love to know if anyone else experienced this
I love love love http://www.etsy.com.
Like Ruby Lane, it’s a site that hosts sellers’ mini-sites– it’s one of the biggest and most beautifully designed sites on the web covering both vintage goods and handmade items. Lots of sellers from North America, but a good few European and Irish sellers too. Postage is always very reasonable from the US (and exchange rate is still good too!)– I’ve ordered so many things from sellers there (bags, stationery, jewelry, etc) and have always been delighted. I use it in the main now to get bday presents, etc.
I love the idea of supporting people’s small businesses, and there’s such great style there. And if you don’t see exactly what you want, you can request someone to make it for you!!!!!
Some great recommendation there beaut.ies, have promptly added preloved.com and rubylane.com to my bookmarks.
For anyone who buys books off play.com you should check out thebookdepository.co.uk, they are a playtrader and very reliable and the books often work out a few euros cheaper and they ship to Ireland for free too
Oops, meant preloved.co.uk…
I’m wondering has anyone found that An Post now hit you with a delivery charge at the door? I’ve only ordered from Strawberrynet once (free delivery) and had to pay the delivery guy 20 squids, I hear they’ve privatised it and that can happen depending on the size of the package.
It’s put me off buying stuff online that might be bulky.
MelSea, I think that could be a customs charge which you are technically supposed to pay for deliveries over a certain value, they’ve been cracking down a bit on that lately…
Fluttergirlie, MelSea, I just got a small parcel from strawberry, just the one moisturizer in it, so really small and the charges were: 11 for the customs, 6.92 for post office clearance. So I’d agree with MelSea, you do pay more than just the customs.
I guess it just means you’ve got to calculate how much you will actually save buying online. I bought from Strawberrynet about 2 years ago and haven’t gone back mainly through being put off by this potential extra charge. At least in a shop I know I won’t be hit for more while walking out the door!
The postman who delivered my last strawberrynet purchase said that he thought all of us ‘girls were mad’ and that there was no way things could still be cheaper with the an Post charge. I hate to say it, but he was dead right. My purchase cost less than 40euro with delivery, but my an Post/customs charge was €16.
I’ve learned my lesson and will only be buying from EU shops from now on! Any EU based beauty online shops to be recommended?
Trilian, unless things have changed in the last year, Strawberrynet reimburse the customs charged here in Ireland. They’ve always been great for it, you just need to scan the customs docket and they refund the charge!
Ive used strawberrynet for years, and have always had great service and the products are totally genuine. Love them!
Such great recommendations here. How have I never heard of rubylane before? I shop online all the time Topshop is cheaper online (and if your return, you can return to the store), ASOS, Liz Earle, Strawberrynet, eBay.
Strawberrynet do give a full refund. I just emailed them a scan of my receipt and within 4 days I had the money back! I’ve never had a problem with quality with them either. I 100% recommend them!
Oh refund postal charges I mean!
That’s great about the strawberrynet refund! Didn’t know that was possible, would never occur to me to ask for something like that. I can see danger ahead for my credit card bill…
I love ebay! my best buy was a Karen Millen dress that cost €150 in BT and I got it for £25 including postage. For beauty stuff I find care4your skin quite good and Jersey beauty for dermalogica.New Look have just started delivering to Ireland too, postage only a fiver and you can return to Irish shops.
Wow, thanks Gracie! Of course I threw out my invoice (!) but good to know for next time
I buy all my Dermalogica products on http://www.beautyflash.co.uk. They are brillant and you get a couple of samples (of your choice) with each order
For bargains online try beautychoice.com, and allcosmeticswholesale.com Two GREAT sites for Hair&cosmetics, Genuine cheap and fast delivery. I like shopping on Ebay,ASOS,rarefashion,and spoiledbrat.co.uk for clothes and accessories but also shop high street stores online.. the likes of Topshop, All saints, and Urban outfitters etc. are waaay too expensive in Irish stores, the price difference when THEY exchange currancy is CrAzY! Allposters.com for art prints, moonpig.com for customised cards etc,zazzle.co.uk & djshirt.nl for customised clothing.
And for the men in your life 4men.ie.. for grooming products and tools
Oh, illamasqua, makeupdesignory, elf, and evepearl online make-up sites too.
I REALLY love online shopping too!! my fave site is http://tinyurl.com/ykfbwun love the discounts at my fave stores!!
i agree in SOME ways but for make up,etc. you should NEVER should never shop online! It could be the completely wrong colour for u! Go to BT or BOOTS or even your local chemists and check the testers, that is why they made them!
hope this helps!
x
AND since the exchange rate in ireland is DREADFULL you should shop on english sites because it is SO MUCH CHEAPER! x
Ellie makes a good point, I forgot to say when you KNOW what your looking for when it comes to make-up, for the likes of foundation concealer etc but also its about having fun and being creative so when you master your own techniques generally those rules dont apply to eyeshadow, blush. Most make up brand sites will provide a product booklet or samples.You can also look in store and then buy online when you know what your looking for
Just ordered the following from Beauty Bay
http://www.beautybay.com/cosmetics/urbandecay/halloffame/
and
http://www.beautybay.com/cosmetics/stila/boldlybeautifuleyeshadowpalette/
Isn’t internet shopping brill, you can do it in your Pjs while watching the Late Late show !
My favourite Website is Strawberry Net, but auld customs and exercise seem to be honing in on the packages lately so trying to restrict my purchases to the under 22 euro mark (items outside EU valued over 22 Euro can be caught for tax)
I got stung on a 3 item package valued at 36 Euro during the summer, so tend to only buy items individually from Strawberry Net now but they have a few Stila sets about to come online, so I may be prepared to play a bit of Russian Roulette and hope they get absorbed into the Christmas packages and are hidden from the Customs worker’s glare.
Ooops Custom and “Exercise” – they’d be the fitness division of the Department.
Incidentally BeautyBay are UK Based !
Hi – does anyone know if you can get Eddie Bauer clothes online and delivered to Ireland? Thanks!
Little Blue I wish I hadn’t seen your post about beautybay – I had to go and have a look….I think it could be dangerous, I love Stila eyeshadows (even if they are the most smash/end up as dust-prone eyeshadows ever).
Hi Shoe Queen (with a name like that you could be my alter ego !),
Stila was bit of an impulse buy, probably get wreaked really quickly but it is refillable – I’ve loads of pans that need boxes (is it just me or do people thing stila are a bit tight selling their pains unboxed ! )
Here watching Ugly Betty (my trash switch off telly) – Becki Newton wears Stila on the show and she always looks fabulous.
I really miss the Stila counter in BT’s !
My AIB credit card was blocked from using Strawberrynet and Cheapsmells.com, is that a bad sign?!? I seem to only have been charged for what I ordered, so all should be fine. Why would AIB be suspicious about either of these?
Also for the Stila lovers whose credit cards are NOT blocked, they have 75% off their foundation sticks on Strawberrynet for the next 2 days, they’re selling them at like 6 euro…