Online Shopping Roundup, Part 2: Department Stores
Moving forward with our online shopping roundup, today we’re going to cover department stores. Department stores may not be as personable as the little boutique, but they can’t be beat for mainstream wares and covering all the bases. Any regular shopper probably has a favorite department store for running in and picking up new underwear or Clinique sunscreen, but good in-store and good online are not at all the same thing. Our ratings after the jump.
Nordstrom. Nordstrom is possibly my favorite of the department store websites. To be perfectly honest, I am not always bowled over by the clothing selection in Nordstrom stores (although their makeup counters and shoe departments are usually great). Nordstrom’s website, on the other hand, has a terrific selection of merchandise, and has arguably the best collection of online clothing of any of the department stores. I particularly like Nordstrom because it has a nice mix of high-end designer lines, mid-range lines like Vince and Alice & Olivia, and affordable basics. Standard shipping is $8, and returns and exchanges are made easy by their inclusion with your order of a prepaid US Mail shipping label so that you can slap it on the box and hand it back to your mail carrier. Exchanges are free; if you’re returning and use the label, they’ll charge you $6. I’ve used this service many times and have never had any trouble with it.
Neiman Marcus. I don’t generally spend any time near Neiman Marcus’ physical stores, but Neiman Marcus’ website is a regular stop. Their holdings definitely lean toward the high end, with a selection of the usual midrange lines. That said, though, Neiman Marcus’ website can be a great place to snap up useful luxuries like cashmere sweaters in end of season sales. If you have some patience, they run very good sales at the end of every season, and there always seems to be a pretty good collection of clothing on sale at any given time. If you’re willing to wait, Neiman Marcus can be a good place to stalk clothing until it goes on sale. Shipping costs are dependent on the price of your order, and can get steep if you’re buying something pricey; standard shipping is only $6 for orders $25 and under, but getting a $120 sweater is going to cost you $16. A return label is included, for which an unspecified fee will be charged if you use it.
Neiman Marcus also has a young, trendier offshoot in the recently-launched CUSP. I’ve never actually been near one of CUSP’s physical stores, although I gather they exist, so I can’t weigh in on that. CUSP is just for women’s clothing and accessories and leans toward fashion for the hip 20-something who can get away with wearing slouchy and ruffly all the time. Their online selection is smaller than Neiman Marcus’ but includes some nice stuff. My general objection to CUSP is more or less the same as my objection to Lucky — it embodies slouchy or bare trends for the well-inlaid college-aged too much for my tastes. That said, though, it’s a solid site for those whose aesthetic fits the CUSP ideal a little better than mine. Shipping and return policies are basically the same as Neiman Marcus’.
Saks Fifth Avenue. Like Neiman Marcus, Saks is unabashedly high end. Unless you’re very well-inlaid, this is probably not the place you’re going to want to shop for basics, but it’s a solid stop for fashionable pieces, and is a great place to look for designer clothes, shoes, and handbags. It also has some fairly limited if nice housewares, but that’s definitely not the site’s focus. Like Neiman Marcus, shipping costs are determined based on the price of the order, although Saks is slightly less expensive (compare equivalent standard shipping at $5 and $13). A return USPS label is also included that will cost you $9.50 from your refund if you decide to use it.
Macy’s. Macy’s is the place to go for kitchen wares and affordable updates to your wardrobe. Macy’s website doesn’t carry high end designer lines, but what they do have is a variety of on-trend pieces that won’t make your wallet scream. I’ve definitely had quality issues with items I bought at Macy’s, but they were realtively inexpensive so my gripes about that are limited. Macy’s online offerings in the realm of homewares are among the best for the major department stores. Like Saks and Neiman Marcus, shipping costs are based on the cost of the order, and standard shipping costs at some price points are actually the highest of the three. A prepaid shipping label is included for returns; an unspecified fee will be deducted from your return if you use it.
Bloomingdale’s. Bloomingdale’s website carries a mid-range clothing lines, an assortment of basics, and a limited selection of high-end designer shoes and handbags. I tend to like Bloomingdale’s in-store holdings better than their website, which is somewhat limited, but the website is still pretty good. Bloomingdale’s is also one of of my first stops when I’m looking for bedding and towels; again, their online home collection isn’t quite as good as their offerings in-store, but it’s still well worth checking. My one quibble with shopping online at Bloomingdale’s is returns — while they don’t make it difficult for you, they don’t make it easy either. Shipping costs are again determined based on the price of the order and are generally consistent with Saks’ and Neiman Marcus’ standard shipping costs. Return shipping costs are on you and no return shipping label is included.
Dillard’s. Like Bloomingdale’s, I prefer Dillard’s physical stores to the website, but Dillard’s online is still a good source for affordable clothing and a solid selection of home goods. I tend to use Dillard’s as a supplement, particularly when I’m looking for home goods; their selection online isn’t huge but it’s different enough from Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s to be helpful. Shipping costs are again determined based on the price of the order and are generally consistent with Saks, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdale’s. You’re on your own for return shipping.
