Shopping Online US Luxury Department Stores :
US department stores through the 80's, 90's and 00's grew to legendary status amongst Australian shoppers as mythical places to shop, the huge range combined with low prices which would see jam packed suitcases on returning from holidays or business trips to America full of shopping bargins.
In todays online shopping environment no longer do you need to travel for 14 hours on a plane to shop some of the US's leading department stores , today the majority of US department stores ship to Australia bringing the diverse range and low prices right to our door step.
So how do the legendary US department stores deliver within the shopping online environment:
First range, all the US department stores have done a great job at transferring their huge range offering into the online environment. Both the depth and width of the ranges are extensive and can leave you browsing for hours within the comfort of your home. The standard of online stores across all the major department sites is good, the large ranges are easily displayed with good product information, and you are immediately made aware of the new offers available on the home page.
Secondly the prices are VERY reasonable. All of the them have a permanent sale section within the e-store which makes the already low prices even lower. All stores price the items in Australian dollars which eliminates any exchange rate confusion when identifying a bargin.... and there are some great bargins to be found!
So whats the catch? other than differences in range and designers (which is a matter of taste), how do you decide which is the best one to shop?
The answer : Shipping.... the cost and the speed.
While the items may be cheap, unless the site has a set shipping price or free shipping, the cost of getting it to Australia can be ridiculous . As an example a Maxi dress for sale at Nordstrom for $45 had a shipping cost of $37.80 making shipping 45% of the overall cost - absolutely ridiculous, whats the point? So our recommendation before you shop is to compare shipping policies.
In reviewing each of the retailers all have a different approach to the price of shipping , some are offering great deals and others aren't, so before you fall in love with an item doing your research, shop around for the best shipping deal. A word of caution, the shipping deals are sometimes permanent and others only for a short time, so check each time you shop their e-store.
The top 5 US Department e-Stores:
1. Neiman Marcus : A luxury department store with an amazing range of high end designers. Neiman Marcus have the best of the shipping at present with Free shipping to Australia for orders over $100...... However there is a caveat on this, some items they simply don't ship to Australia. It is unclear how they decide what can be sold to Australia and what not, but we tested items in Shoes, Clothes and Cosmetics and it was random as to what would be shipped and what wouldn't. It seemed like a lot of products could not be shipped! Definitely a negative for shopping this site even if the shipping rate is great.
2. Bloomingdales : all the latest fashion comes in next with a flat shipping fee of $9.95 for those that spend over $100. Shipping estimated at 6-11 business days. http://shopperconcierge.com/bloomingdales-fashion-homewares
3. Saks Fifth Ave : An institution.... flat shipping for orders over $100. Note this rate is being flagged as a special offer for a limited time , so not their normal deal. Delivery 5-7 Business Days to Australia, the shortest window amongst all the stores. http://shopperconcierge.com/saks-fifth-avenue-fashion/
4.Macys : The young and fun Macys which has no shipping deal and shipping rates are calculated based on your purchase , can be expensive. Delivery in 4 -13 Days. http://shopperconcierge.com/macys-fashion-homewares/
5. Nordstrom : The beacon of style, like Macys has no shipping deal with rates fluctuating depending on your purchase. Claim shipping will take 5-13 Days. http://shopperconcierge.com/nordstrom-fashion-homewares/
It would be amiss not to mention the famous Berdorf Goodman as part of this review, my personal favourite of all the department stores, sadly is trailing behind all of the above and is yet to ship out side of Canada and the US..... wake up and smell the roses guys, we have wallets ready for spending here in OZ!
Shopping US department stores, nolonger a plane ride away but simply at your finger tips.
As usual we love hearing your stories, good or bad so let us know how you go
Keep Calm, Keep Shopping..........
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