Buying online when there is a no return policy - updated photo

Bijou

Buying online is tricky, yet here I have gone again...

The upside is - access to items that otherwise I would never see and the possibility of a good discount. For me, online shopping has been hit and miss. Purchasing from Australia, we generally don't get free shipping, often it will cost up to $US40.

I was lured by a Black Friday sale to buy two items, sight unseen by Kate Spade, a good discount plus free international shipping, sealed the deal. Essentially I got a free dress for the price I would normally have paid locally for the Kate Spade bag.

Purchased - Night Rose Crepe Dress
Ink blue satchel

The satchel was a easy pick, same style as my lilac satchel, which is a perfect style and weight for me. I have been looking for a dark blue / ink bag for a while. So this one, at a significantly reduced price, is a winner for me. I have lots of clothing that will act as a complement for this bag.

Now the dress was more problematic. With a no return policy, if it did not fit, I would have completely wasted my money. On the other hand, the style looked pretty forgiving for my figure, being only fitted on the waist, so I went with a size 4 and hoped for the best.

The verdict - The dress is beautiful quality polyester. It is unlined, but the fabric is sort of self lined.
The fit - well it fits, I can wear it.

To be honest, when I first put it on and looked in the mirror, I was a bit disappointed. I possibly could have sized down, but then I risked the very real possibility that the entire dress would not fit at all. If I had been able to try it on in store, it likely would not have come home with me. However, I have it now and it is a great colour and being a little roomy makes it very comfortable. I have worn it once since buying, so I can see this being an item that will be useful.

So - how do you fare with these sorts of "great" discounts and are you tempted to buy?

First two finds - the dress and bag
The rest - my blue / ink complement

Updated with photo, worn again and liked it a bit better the second time. Hope it does not look too frumpy.

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6 years ago

Shopping

27 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

jussie

Veteran

The bag is beautiful, and your ink complement is looking fab. I know your pain! I mainly shop b & m, which is tough because I see much better clothing online! Sometimes I crack and order from anthro because there’s really no local equivalent and it’s worth the risk occasionally ;).

6 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’m such a tough fit that I won’t buy online unless returns are part of the deal. Preferably free returns. And especially not a dress. But handbags and jewelry I’ll risk.

6 years ago

Kathie

Veteran

I admire your courageousness. I’ve never bought something that can’t be returned. Gorgeous bag, and the dress is very much your style. Could you have it altered to fit a bit better?

6 years ago

Brooklyn

Veteran

I’ve bought from Gilt, which has a no returns policy for Australia, but only handbags and jewellery. I wouldn’t risk clothing unless I had tried it on before or it was something with a very easy fit (eg something like a Free People sweater or tee). Not a dress, skirt, jacket or jeans. Too risky for me!

I admit to being envious of the free delivery and returns policy that Americans enjoy with most retailers. That’s hard to come by here, even with local retailers. But it’s good for my budget

The handbag and dress look perfect for you. Could you have the dress altered to fit better?

6 years ago

Anonymous

The satchel is gorgeous. Your blue/navy complement is developing really nicely. The very concept of complements is genius.

The dress is gorgeous and I am so sorry you are disappointed. Is the dress oversized all over? Could you possibly have it altered to fit you better?

I do more than 95 percent of my shopping online. I do live in the United States so I have it easier than a lot of other women. I know this and I appreciate this. Here is the thing. I am weird about shipping fees. I won't pay them. I always feel that if a merchant is asking me to pay for shipping, there is a better garment out there for me. I just have to look some more.

Last year I used eBay to some extent. No returns on those items. I shopped carefully (like you did) and I accepted the fact that a percentage of the items were not perfect for me. But it was a gamble I was willing to take because I had so much overall success. I no longer shop eBay because I am having I can no longer confidently guess my size.

6 years ago

Bijou

Veteran

Ladies that you for the support and yes, I will try to steer clear of buying "no return" dresses in the future.

Possibly I could have it cut into a more pencil shape, taper in the top and have the sleeves narrowed, but I will wear it and see if it grows on me. It is probably YFE and does not warrant a complete overhaul. I risk spending a lot on alterations and still not loving it, possibly ruining the dress.

I did wear it again today, had to pop out to visit a friend and wore it and felt happier in it. I think my initial expectations were too high.

6 years ago

cindysmith

Veteran

I generally hate returns. Like, I hate them so badly that I just won't do it, whether online or b&m. I've gotten fairly good at reading size charts and garment measurements, so I don't usually have many problems with online shopping, and I tend to stick to the same websites so I don't have too much guesswork.

Love your bag, that's a score either way. If you don't love the dress, maybe try consigning it. You said you basically got the dress and bag for the same money you'd have spent on just the bag, so consigning it will return some of the cash to you, which will still be a discount on the bag.

6 years ago

SarahD8

Veteran

With the caveat that I generally prefer a fluid fit on most items, I think the dress looks great on you! I really don't see fit problems but I'm not sure which particular bits are bugging you.

6 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Popped back in to see the photo, and it looks pretty darn good on you from what I can tell. Better than JFE. Perhaps a small alteration if there is a problematic spot where you could use a little more structure for fit would be inexpensive and help it feel more right.

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