5 Online Bargain Shopping Sites

Over the weekend I went back to my college’s town,  Ithaca, NY, to visit some friends that will be graduating this May. Almost a year since I have been a college student, I forgot how completely different and strange the lifestyle of an average college student really is. College students have an amazing amount of free time! Sure they should be using what seems like endless amounts of excess hours to write papers and study but instead they go get frozen yogurt, go shopping, lay around surfing the internet on their laptops…pretty much just procrastinate nonstop. Anyway, post-college people/those in the “real world” do not have all the time in the world and like things to be accomplished quickly. Also those recently graduated from college usually do not make much money so they cannot afford to have things quickly accomplished with the help of paying a little extra. So for this week’s Style Scoop I have complied a go-to list of bargain shopping websites for you budget fashionistas (or metro-men).

1. HauteLook– Offers 48-hour shopping sales on men’s, women’s, children, home, beauty and vacation packages. In order to get onto the website you need an invitation from someone or you can submit your email for “review.” I guess they want it to seem like it is “exclusive,” but they are not selective with who they allow to access the website. If you refer someone you can earn credit towards purchases. The best part of the site (and also the way they keep you buying more) is that you can see a list of upcoming sales and have a reminder email or text sent to you.

2.Bluefly– Continuously offers new designer merchandise 20-75% retail prices. Sells men’s, women’s and fragrances. They even have a sale section for their already discounted items.

3. Ideeli– Same sort of deal as HauteLook in that you have to be a member. They have 40-hour sales, or until the merchandise runs out…which could be less than 3 hours if it’s a super popular designer. Men’s, women’s, children, home goods, beauty and vacations. Save time by looking at their upcoming sales and having reminders sent to you.

3. Rue La La– Member only shopping sale website for men, women, children, home, beauty and vacations. Rue La La is one of my favorites though because it is very nicely designed and easy to navigate. They have also started to add local sales, kind of similar to Groupon. For example: You can buy a $50 gift certificate for $25 to be used at a participating local boutique. This kind of cancels out the ease of online bargain shopping, but if it’s a boutique you really like to go to, then it may be worth it.

4. Editors’ Closet– A bit more higher priced than the other websites above (except for BlueFly) but many people in the fashion business check this site daily for sales (hence the name). Members only, and they offer only sales on major designer labels.

5. Amazon– Not the trendiest or hippest website, and more known for their book sales…but they do have apparel, home goods and beauty departments! I have found quite a few gems of designer brand name shoes from Amazon.com 60-70% off their retail price. They are also super speedy with their deliveries and you almost always get free shipping.

So, stop wasting hours of your life weeding through the crowded racks at Marshalls and TJ Maxx and bookmark this post for easy reference!

Contributed by Devon Haley. For a more frequent dose of style inspiration check out her personal blog, Vida la Moda.