Sensible sales shopping.
January. Iconic for its sales. The original time to grab yourself a bargain. However, in the current climate, regardless of what month we’re in, it’s becoming nearly impossible to shop online or in store without coming across discounted goods or limited-time promotions enticing us to part with our hard-earned cash.
With this in mind I’ve put together some helpful pointers on how to shop the sales sensibly…
Decide on your budget.
This might sound tricky. How can you possibly limit yourself to a budget when you don’t yet know what items are out there just waiting to find a home in your wardrobe?! The fact of the matter is, shoppers can be easily swayed into making purchases because of the amount saved which somehow outweighs the remaining cost of the item. At the end of the day, you’re still parting with your money. So – sale or no sale - make sure you know how much you can afford to spend. Which leads me to my next point.
It’s only a bargain if you need it.
Whether it’s clothing, footwear, lingerie or accessories, we should all aim to be shopping more consciously. That should mean spending money on quality products that suit our lifestyle, personality and budget. A sale can challenge these ideals but shouldn’t override them completely. Impulse buys are even more likely when the price tag has been slashed. Before you commit to the purchase, ask yourself, “Would I have been willing to pay full price for this item?”. If the answer is ‘no’, then why are you buying it at the reduced price? Of course there are some exceptions to this…
Don’t overlook the designer outlets.
Designer items carry a much heftier price tag and are a real investment. Sometimes these pieces can be aspirational and a sale is the only opportunity for some of us to spend on big brand names. For instances such as these, the “Would I have been willing to pay full price for this item?” approach probably isn’t going to be as relevant for keeping our sale spending in check. Instead I’d suggest asking, “When and where am I going to wear this? How often am I going to wear this? Would I want to replace it if I lost it? Can I afford to replace it?!” If you’ve managed to convince yourself that this is a sensible purchase, only then is it time to pull out the plastic. Designer outlets can be great for finding super savings on quality pieces. But go with a plan and only buy things you know you need.
Shop a season ahead.
Not all of us will be this organised but knowing what you’ll need for next winter in the spring is a great way to save on your spending. Of course we know that the only reason stores have sales is to sell through stock that might not be considered fashionable next season, to make way for new trend-led and weather appropriate pieces for the next season (unless you’re living in the UK – what even is a season?!). The fact is, style is personal to you and it doesn’t have to be fashion focussed. If you find something that flatters and fits your shape which you know will fill a gap in your winter wardrobe go for it and save yourself time and money next season.
Second thoughts? Take it back!
This might sound obvious but if you’re not sure about an item you’ve purchased, return it. Sometimes, on returning home from a shopping trip, we find items that we fell in love with in the fitting room just don’t work with the rest of our wardrobe. When sales shopping it’s always important to check the returns policy on discounted or promotional items before you buy. There’s a reason these rules change for sale stock! It’s almost like the retailers know you might be making an ill-informed impulse purchase that you might want to return!
Want to make the most of sales shopping this season but aren’t sure where to start? I’m here to help. Find out more about our Personal Shopping services here. For more information about our services you can email hannah@hhstyle.co.uk.