How to Shop "Final Sale" Clearance Sales
It happens a lot lately. You are shopping online and find an unbelievable sale. Clothing, accessories and shoes are slashed over 75% of their original prices. You find exactly what you want and just as you are about to score something fantastic at a fraction of the cost, you read the words "Final Sale - no returns" under the price tag. What to do? Here are our tips and best practices for shopping Final-no-return-Sales.
1. Your Best Bet: Stick With Brands/Retailers You Buy From Often
If you are familiar with the sizing, cut and fit of the brand or retailer, you are much more likely to order the correct size and won't have to worry about the no return policy. You also know what to expect in terms of fabric quality. The last thing you want is your amazing bargain to turn to an amazing disappointment when you open the box.
2. Not Familiar with the Brand, Read the Fit Guide!
Almost all online merchants include size to measurements (bust, waist, hips) with apparel and accessories. If the information isn't included in the product description, there is
usually a link on the page taking you to that info. It is essential that you look because designers use their own models to determine the fit measurements of their products. This means that differences in overall sizes can differ widely from designer
to designer. For example, size 6 measurements for designers like Diane Von Furstenburg and Marc Jacobs differ by a full inch in both the waist and hip measurements. If I was to buy a pair of pants from DVF I would
have to buy a size larger than I would if I was to fit perfectly into a pair of Marc Jacobs pant.
3. Use Customer Service Chat or 800 numbers
If a retailer offers online chat or an 800 number to speak to a customer service rep, take advantage of it. These tools are perfect for asking fit, style, dimension and quality questions. In cases where I had specific question that the customer service rep didn't have the answer to, they have offered to follow up with the information within a couple of days. Shopbop, in particular, sent measurement information with 36 hours of my online chat with their rep. It is better to wait a couple of days to keep from making a costly, nonreturnable mistake.
4. Read Customer Feedback
Online shoe retailers commonly provide width, sizing and comfort data in their customer feedback section. Use this data to decide if you should order a size larger or a different width. Culling customer responses often tells you a lot about quality, specifications, design issues and delivery costs.
5. If no additional info is available and you still really want it...
As far as
apparel goes, if you have an unbelievable deal on your hands and just cannot pass it up, try buying it one size larger. If the garment doesn't fit correctly, you can have it taken in by a seamstress. In the past, I have purchased final clearance items that did not fit me or just didn't look great on me. Instead of considering the product a loss, I usually give it away as a birthday and holiday gift.
These were really nice products at a great price that I wanted for myself, so they do make nice gifts for others.
When purchasing final clearance
non-apparel items, like home décor or electronics, I make sure to use a credit card that will reimburse if the merchandise arrives is broken or has missing pieces. Most online retailers will take back merchandise that is damaged or missing pieces, but its always best to make sure all your bases are covered.
So now that you are armed with all the information you need about "final sales" -- you can shop a few our favorite pieces:
