Buying fashion and beauty products online is an attractive option for a savvy or time poor consumer with attractive discounts on offer and an opportunity to buy products not available in Australia. Here are five of the best Australian and international fashion and beauty online boutiques.
NET-A-PORTER.COM is one of the world’s premier online luxury fashion retailer and online boutiques offering both Australian labels such as Sass & Bide, Nicola Finetti, Alice McCall, Willow, Tigerlily and international labels such as Stella McCartney, Lanvin, Christian Louboutin, Prada and Marc Jacobs. NET-A-PORTER.COM is based in London and ships worldwide at a cost of £20 pounds plus tax or a flat £30 pounds if you live in the Americas. Sign up to their VIP newsletter to be one of the first to find about sales, new designers or new products instore.
diva is a leading fashion retailer of women’s fashion jewellery accessories and draw its inspiration from catwalk trends from London, New York, Paris and Tokyo. Their range is updated regularly to reflect seasonal trends and are offered at very competitive prices. Diva currently ships to Australia and New Zealand and charges a flat rate of $13 for shipping or $3 for gift cards to Australia or a flat rate of $13 for New Zealand and $5.50 for gift cards. diva has a very attractive returns policy and will allow a return within a month of purchase (conditions apply). Sign up to their newsletter to keep abreast of sales, competitions and VIP offers.
StrawberryNET is an online website that sells discounted cosmetics, perfumes and haircare. They stock famous makeup brands such as Christian Dior, Lancome, MAC and Clinique, hair care brands such as Redken, Tigi, Bumble and Bumble and Aveda as well as a large range of perfumes. The website has a great loyalty scheme so each time you buy products starting from your first order, you are entitled to a discount of up to a maximum of 10%. StrawberryNET also has free shipping and delivers internationally to 40 countries including Australia.
Etsy is a huge online marketplace where buyers and sellers from more than 150 countries come together to sell and buy handmade goods. Fashion sold on the website includes clothing, bags and purses and accessories. This is a great website to buy a unique item of clothing from up and coming designers and independent and undiscovered artists and a cheap and quirky alternative to mass-produced fashion. Each seller will specify what countries they ship to, what their shipping cost is and their return policies. Like eBay, remember to check each seller’s feedback to verify you are dealing with a reputable seller.
The Book Depository is an international online bookstore based in the UK and can provide all your fashion bibles and makeup book needs at a discounted price. Choose from a range of books such as The Sartorialist, The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia of Project Runway fame, A to Zoe by noted stylist Rachel Zoe or Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me by self proclaimed Cosmetic Cop Paula Begoun. The Book Depository ships books free of charge, worldwide, to nearly 90 countries.
Remember to always shop online securely and safely online. Buying from overseas websites may be cheaper but always take note of shipping policies. It may be better to try and buy products with friends or family and share the shipping costs to take advantage of cheap goods and products purchased online.