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how do you stalk an item?

Queen Mum

Veteran

I often see something and I think that if I don't get it right then it will be gone from the face of the earth. But if it is pricier than I am comfortable with I am faced with a dilemma.
So for those of you who are seasoned at finding stuff and waiting for it to go on sale (I'm not talking the constant sales at Kohl's) how do you go about this? There's got to be a system to learn....

General

21 replies

Latest reply was from Elizabeth

Louise

Veteran

I'm a buy it now kinda girl. If it's too pricey I just forget all about it. I couldn't stand to be dissapointed if I couldn't get it on sale x

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

High five, Louise. That's my clothing philosophy too. I don't know how to stalk items and I never find my size on sales either - which reinforces me further not to stalk. I just go to the Rack frequently and check sale rails when I have a moment.

Also, I am usually sick of a style once it goes on sale. And I haven't even had it on my body yet. In my line of work I see so much all the time that the excitement is only there at the beginning of the item's retail life. Occasionally, I feel the same way with sale items - like with the Diesel denim dress.

Kim there are stalker pros around here - Tanya springs to mind. But she is away all weekend so you might want to bump again on Monday.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I have a favourite boutique with KILLER sales, the sales assistant has been really helpful at pointing me in the direction of big discounts and levels of stock. So my advice is to make friends with the staff.

MNsara

Veteran

Hi, Kim - If I have something I am watching at Macy's, I often ask for a printout of the item (they scan its UPC code at register and can see inventory at their store and loads of other Macy's). Then I know if quantities are limited, or if I dare procrastinate while waiting for a better price. They can use this to look up other sizes too and print it out for you.

Macy's also does price adjustments within 10 days of purchse, but I have had mixed knowledge with their sales people. . . so if it is important, I must try to get to DT Minneapolis where they are wonderful (usually!)

If it is something online, I just keep checking! You can do a Google search on the specific item to see what comes up - some online places will price match other online prices. There is a Deals & Steals Forum within The Purse Forum where they post and discuss the latest deals (typically, but not always online deals). Sometimes it is just what you were waiting for. . . http://forum.purseblog.com/deals-and-steals/

I'll look forward to others' ideas too -- when my closet is full of such wonderful pieces already (thanks, Angie ;-), it is difficult for me to spend top dollar for much, so I prefer to get a great deal on new additions . . .

MNsara

Veteran

P.S. Kim - Thanks SO MUCH for the staying logged in tip recently! I have so little time lately and it is absolutely wonderful to be able to reply (without even one or two extra steps!)

Carole

Veteran

Awhile back, I stubbled across some website that you could link in the item you are stalking and it would give updates if there was a price adjustment. I can't for the life of me remember what it was. I will have to research and see if I can come up with it again. Anyone else out there familiar with this? Keep you posted!

Maya

Veteran

I'm with Louise and Angie. If I can't live without it, I jump on it. If I can't afford it, I leave it. I love that Whistles jacket but I don't have $285 for it, so if it sells out, it sells out. Nothing I can do. Even if it goes on sale, I probably couldn't afford it. I check on it just in case I'm wrong, but I'm not holding my breath.

For things that I could afford or would buy if they went on sale (like the Bloomies girlfriend jacket), I just check in on them periodically. Depending how badly I want it, I might check on it once every few hours or once a week. But again, if I really love something, I find a way. I'm always culling things from my closet and when I was unemployed I sold a ton of stuff on ebay to fuel my shopping habit.

One thing I do is make sure to ask about fit and sizing first (assuming I haven't tried it on) so that if and when it goes on sale, I can jump on it without hesitating or being disappointed when it arrives and doesn't fit.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I agree with Angie, Maya and Louise if I love it and I can afford it, I buy it. If the money isn't there it is simply one of those things and I come home empty handed. Sometimes this ends in me not getting an item that I would really love - for example I haven't been able to pick up a denim shirt as the style I have in mind sold out very quickly in my size. Just something I have to live with and at the end of the day it is not the worst thing in the world that can happen.

Maya's strategy of knowing your size in certain items is a good one, as is bookmarking items you love. I also keep and eye on the clearence sections of sites like ASOS.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I have have mixed luck stalking items. Sometimes I'll get lucky, like a pair of Rock and Republic jeans that I fell in love with a full price but hemmed and hawed. Then Bergdorf Goodman's had them on sale and I pounced at the first price reduction. Other times it's gone from my size. Most sale and Rack purchases are happy accidental finds.

Anna

Scarlet

Veteran

My size tends to sell out quickly, so this has trained me to act fast. The only times where I successfully stalk is when the original price is simply too high. Sometimes I have had some luck to pick up the item at the end of the season.

lynne

Veteran

I never take tags off an item until I am ready to wear it. That way I can get a price adjustment, or the old buy and return if they still have my size. I just did that at Nordies with a jacket. Another favorite is to put items in my online shopping cart and check in now and then to see whether the item has been marked down. I bought a $275 Leifsdotter cardigan for $98 from Nordies that way.

taylor

Veteran

I ONLY stalk items I absolutely do not need.!!! Usually if I want to duplicate or I don't need the item, but would purchase if the price came down.

If I find my size in something I love and must have I buy, because I know it won't be there when I come back for a sale!!

agrace

Not out of choice, but out of financial necessity, I have become very adept at stalking! There are mixed blessings and downsides to this

Downsides:
-The risk that it will not be available though this has only actually happened to me once
-I don't get immediate gratification and get to wear it the second it is hot off the presses
-sometimes it is the end of the season (but that doesn't bother me) especially if it is a more basic item

Benefits:
- I get insane deals. Last year I got a pair of $140 Banana Republic Nude peep toe heels for $15 and free shipping (have luxe card so get free shipping all the time), or just recently picked up a pair of black Gap ponte pants that were $50 for less than $5 - also shipped for free with my old handy luxe card. These were items I feel it paid off to wait

- For items I do really want, I either keep them in a virtual online basket or email them to myself so I have the style numbers, etc.

What helps me is a couple things:
-What Lynne said about never taking off tags. I have done the 'return and buy back' before but limit that for extremes (b/c it is annoying and tedious).

- I call customer service and have them locate items in stores
- If an item is gone from a website, you'd be amazed how much you can find by googling it in the way of item numbers, style numbers etc - so I use google
-I have stores put an item on hold for me if I'm needing to think it over but having done my time in retail, I always follow up to either call and say it is no longer needed or I go and buy it

A lot of people don't want to go through the effort and time as it is admittedly annoying, but if is worth it for financial reasons or just b/c you adore an item, stalking can be very worthwhile and get results. I honestly get so much of what I wear this way.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Well, I am tenacious. If there is something that I really want that is out of my price range, I will first google it and see if I can find it at another shop online (or even go to department store websites that are likely to carry the brand and do a search). Sometimes I check ebay, too. If I can't find it elsewhere, then I just check in every day to see if it's gone on sale. Actually, these steps have led me to a lot of discounts.

Maya

Veteran

So much depends on the size and color you're stalking, it seems. Like Taylor and Angie, I have to make a mad dash for my size.

I was shocked the other day when Lisa posted this tunic and I found it for less on michaelkors.com and the only size left was a 2 (at least among regular sizes, plus sizes still seem to be in stock). That virtually never happens to me! My size is always among the first to go. I was JUST about to click the submit button on Macy's but wanted to do one last search to make sure, and I'm glad I did. Not only was it on sale and in my size, I got free shipping too. I never buy anything from Macy's because their shipping is so outrageously overpriced. If it hadn't been for that, I would have probably checked out and not had a second thought, so thank you Macy's for giving me enough pause to find a better deal!

taylor

Veteran

Maya you scored with free shipping and all YAY.

Your size sells out fast because they buy so few size 2's and many 6, 8, and 10's those sizes seem to have an endless supply at AT. Actual size 2 is the first to go because we only get a couple.

sinead

Queenie, thanks for asking this question- I've always wondered how people go about stalking an item. Great ideas here.

MNsara

Veteran

taylor, how true about the quantities of small sizes.

I am a VERY average size in clothing AND in shoes. Maybe that's why I feel like there there is so much selection when the super clearances begin. . . except for premium denim. Then the remaining sizes are the 24s and 25s.

fathenry

Veteran

I just bookmark the item and then come back in a week or two to check it again. By that time, I'm usually over it and ready to move on to something new so end up bypassing the item anyway. In the stores, I'm more of an impulse shopper, if they don't have it, well that's it and on to the next thing.

Queen Mum

Veteran

thanks girls for the pearls of wisdom. I just feel that I need to try a little harder at times to find a better deal. Especially when it's something I love, but can't justify the price at the moment... I don't necessarily want to just forget about it on the off chance that I might find it later for a bargain.
As far as sizes running out, I actually feel that by the time things go on clearance, it's the mid-range sizes that are nowhere to be found.

I think what I'll start doing is keeping a little notebook of things I find that I want to wait on. Then I can check later in the season and possibly find a better deal. Especially since our "season" doesn't really begin until the season is over in the stores.

Elizabeth

Queen Mum,

Rather than a notebook, I keep a profile at wists.com. This way I can just click on the link and it will take me directly to the website so I can check the price. But this is just what works best for me.

Good luck stalking (clothing that is)!

Elizabeth