5 Things to Check Before Buying Clothes Online
I've had several ladies ask recently about our items - where they come from, how we source, etc. The confusion stems from the recent explosion of "boutiques" running ads that show popular boutique styles at a fraction of the price you'd see elsewhere. How on Earth are they able to do that, you may wonder - and rightly so!
As a boutique owner I've had the pleasure of connecting with clothing manufacturers and designers. Each one of them puts their heart in to each design and go out of their way to select the best fabrics, the best tees, the best finishings; all because they know the wearer has a high standard and deserves it. I've seen first-hand the disappointment and frustration when they find another designer copying their looks, and even more so when it's a unknown site that is mass-producing a vastly inferior item.
It's a double-edged sword these days for boutique owners and wholesalers. In order to get the word out about our products we create websites and we run ads. Social media has made it so much easier for us to get our clothes in front of people! Unfortunately sometimes those people then steal the photos we create and use it to market their cheap copies. You as the buyer are left with the decision to pick between two sellers, each with the same photos, but one with a much lower price. Who can blame you for taking a chance on an unknown?
I can promise you though, you're not going to get what you're hoping for. There's been a lot written about these sites, you can find examples all over the web. I myself even purchased a dress from one of these sites a few years ago! It was okay - not quite what I was expecting from the listing, and the fit was a little off, but it was okay. No matter what you're spending though, when it comes to clothes you want them to be more than "just okay". You deserve the best quality for your money!
How to tell if a boutique is legit? Here's a few things to look for when you're checking out a new site:
- Look for a information or FAQ page that tells you where the items ship from, and how long shipping usually takes. Anytime you order online you shouldn't expect a wait of more than a few days. If it is going to be longer (due to a pre-sale or restocking, for instance) then it should be very clear from the item page why the shipping will be delayed.
- Does the site have a social media presence? In this day and age it's practically unheard of for a business to not be on social media - especially a business that sells online! The absence of social accounts may indicate a very new site, or one that isn't planning on sticking around.
If they do have a social presence, how current is it? Personally speaking, with all the tasks involved in running a small business, it's really easy to fall behind on one of our social outlets (like this blog, for instance...) - but you'll always find recent posts on our Facebook page, VIP group, and Instagram. When you're evaluating a site, don't count it against them if they're not active on one social site but super active on another. What you're looking for is signs of life, and customers that are happy. - Is every photo of the items a stock photo? This one is a bit tricky, but in general if all the photos seem generic that's a good sign the site is drop shipping items (meaning once you order from them, they order from the manufacturer and have it shipped to you directly). Drop shipping in itself isn't bad, but know that sometimes it's going to add to the shipping time, and quality can be questionable.
Stock photos in general are a topic of hot debate in the clothing world! Many manufacturers will allow shop owners to use their photos of the clothing on their model. As a owner, it's super helpful - it means that I can get a new arrival listed and ready for sale as soon as it arrives. I don't have to wait for daylight so I can take a photo of the item myself, and I don't have to wait for the next photo shoot with our models. With mockingbird + poppy, you can be sure that if an item is listed for sale on our site, it's in hand and we've personally inspected it to ensure it meets quality. It does me no good to sell you something that you wouldn't wear. If I personally wouldn't wear the item, I don't sell it - period. - Who makes the items? This is another tough one - often sites won't share the names of their vendors so that a competitor can't sneak in and find the same items. Sourcing is hard, y'all! [As hard as shopping and shopping and shopping can be, that is...]. Boutique owners develop relationships with their vendors, and this all takes time. It stinks to find someone new that you love, be the only shop in town carrying them, and then suddenly every other shop in town is carrying them too! So, just because the vendor/manufacturer isn't listed on the product page doesn't mean it's bad. There are very valid reasons for it. Still, is there any information at all about who might be making the item? Can you email or call the business and get information directly? Is there at least some indication of where the items are sourced from? [For instance, even if I didn't want to share the name of the vendor, I would likely be just fine telling you that they were from the LA Fashion District, or I had met the vendor at the Dallas Market.]
- Finally - who the heck runs this place? Does the site have an "About Us" or similar section? It's a huge act of trust to buy something online from someone you don't know. The very least we can do as owners is give you a glimpse in to who we are! If you can't find the person or people behind the site, you don't know who you're trusting - and you need that to make a decision.
I hope this has been helpful. I know the temptation of buying from an ad when shopping online and looking for unique, cute, modern clothes - especially when shopping for plus size! We are so blessed these days to literally have the world's goods at our fingertips, and the options are endless. Without the face-to-face in-store contact though, we need to do a little investigating before buying somewhere new.