Ok ladies, it's time to talk SHOPPING!! Recently I was with some of my best girlfriends and of course the conversation eventually landed on shopping. I started talking about some of my favorite apps that I use to get great deals and they hadn't heard of them!! They said I was holding out on them! I just assumed that everyone knew about this! When I heard how excited they were to hear about them, I thought I'd better share this info with all of you...pronto!!
Some of these you've probably heard of, but some might be new to you! Even though it's really fun to go to a cute boutique, it's not all that fun to pay full price... I'll do that once in a while on my "girl trips" to NYC, but these days you don't have to with all the great online shopping and these great apps to help you!! Here are my top 10 favorite shopping apps...
- Amazon: Ok, you know about this one... but I had to list it first because I use it more than any other... and maybe there's still some of you out there that still think it's just for BOOKS! Not anymore!! You can get ANYTHING and EVERYTHING on Amazon. The app is easy to use too... SO quick with "1-click shopping"!! Almost dangerous it's so easy! ;)
- Zappos: This app is fantastic... and this site is not just for shoes anymore! Great clothing on Zappos with great deals! My favorite part is you get your items super fast and always FREE SHIPPING, FREE RETURNS!!
- Gilt: This app is one of my VERY favorites... it could potentially cause some "guilt" from overuse!! This site has different sales that change on a daily basis. They are categorized by designer or type of item, depending. The site is very easy to navigate because it's so organized. If you are in a shoe category for example... they list them by color too! Very easy site to use and they have AMAZING sales on luxury designer items. Not everything offers a return policy though, so keep an eye out for that. They offer items for women, men, home and more. Sales usually last for 4 days and new ones usually start at 6pm and at 9am daily. It will list what's "coming" at the next start time too! If there's something you like, jump on it because items sell out!
- HauteLook: This is a Nordstrom company that is very similar to Gilt. GREAT deals that change on a daily basis. Again, things sell fast so don't think too long about it if you love it! This site has items for women, men, kids, home and beauty. They offer free shipping on orders over $100 and easy returns to Nordstrom Rack, or by mail. They list upcoming events like Gilt does. They have a Nordstrom Rack button inside the app too.
- Shopkick: Walking into stores is also part of life for most of us, and Shopkick gets you rewards just for doing that. Whether you’ve heard of it or not, Shopkick has been hugely active. It’s the most used real-time shopping app and shoppers have earned $25 million and redeemed 7 million gift cards since its launch in 2010. Talk about generosity. You choose which gift card you want to work toward... Target, Starbucks or Sephora...just to name a few, and you earn "kicks" or points just for walking into a store! You can also scan certain items in that store (no purchase necessary) and earn more points! You also get points for buying items. I know it might sound a little confusing, but get the app and check it out. I haven't had the app very long, I'm giving it a try though...Free gift cards!
- Poshmark: Ok, this site is super cool. I just discovered it recently but can already tell this is a winner. I used to sell a lot of my designer clothes I didn't wear anymore on eBay and this is like the "Instagram" of consignment! You can buy and sell your clothes, new and used with just a few clicks and make some cash! It's like shopping in a friends closet!! When you sell an item, the shipping label is emailed to you... you slap it on and send it! You can get all the details in the app under "Guide to Poshmark"...it tells you exactly how to use the site. You can also partake in "Posh Parties". For using the convenience of the app, you keep 80%, they keep 20% of the sale amount... that includes the shipping cost!
- Rent The Runway: Got invited to a Gala or black tie event and have nothing to wear? How about a wedding? Even a cocktail party or beach vacation? This is an app you can use to RENT clothes, bags and jewelry for a fraction of the price of buying it! It shows pictures of the item on actual people who have rented... reviews... and tells you exactly when to expect it to arrive. They even offer to send a "2nd size" just in case at no charge!! Here's how it works: 1) Find it 2) Book it/Reserve it for a 4 day or 8 day rental period 3) Wear it. It arrives by UPS by 8pm on the day they promise 4) Return it in a pre-paid UPS envelope provided... and they dry clean it!! Bam! You can show up wearing that designer dress you never thought you could afford! They offer a free 2nd size, stylist advice, and a "No Regrets" policy... if it doesn't fit or work, they'll make it right and will never leave you without something fabulous to wear! I have not rented, but I would, I think it's a cool concept.
- Lyst: On this app, you can choose different designers you like and then items from those designers will show up in your search. When you see an item you like, you click "Lyst It" and it is saved on your "Lyst". it will then send you an alerts when any of those items go on sale somewhere! They email you the instant it goes on sale in any store worldwide that will ship to you! You'll be the first to know! Or if you want it now...you can buy now too. ;) Pretty cool.
- Etsy: This site has really unique items that you can buy... and sell. You can search by people, items, shops... mostly really cool, unique handmade items. This site is HUGELY popular and you can find some really beautiful things.
- 6pm: Ok, I apologize for #10, because it's not actually an "app"... yet! But it's a GREAT site, 6pm.com, that is a Zappos "sale site" that offers KILLER deals!! You can find amazingly cheap designer swimwear on here!! It's so fantastic that I had to include it on my list. I found an AWESOME pair of Frye Boots on this site for a fraction of the original price! :)
Ok, that's my top-ten list! There are many others that I'm not too familiar with yet, so I'd LOVE to hear from you if you have some favorites I don't know about!! As always, happy shopping....just make sure it's in your BUDGET, so you can shop "guilt" free!!
