I wanted to write an article about something I know a lot about to share with you some mistakes and triumphs that I’ve made or have come across. This article was born as I skimmed the pages of the New Look website trying to find that perfect sale item to fulfil my materialistic impulses.

---

Let’s start with:

 

New Look
When it comes to online shopping, my new obsession is the ability to click and collect. This basically means that you fill your basket up with beautiful things. You pay online and then from 24 hours to 5 days later you pick up your parcel of dreams or nightmares, depending on sizing or the picture looking better than the actual item.
On the “New Look”  website you need to spend a minimum of £20 to be able to click and collect. This might be a pain in the bum, especially if you have student discount as you end up buying more stuff to get over the discount cut of your order.
The delivery time however has become a lot quicker than it used to be. From the moment that you have placed your order, It usually becomes available for pick up within 72 hours. “New Looks”’s pictures of items tend to look better than the actual item and colours are not the same. The materials can also be very cheap quality and sizing is terrible. Make sure you try on in store to save yourself the hassle of going back for a refund.

Score out of ten for “New Look”: 6

Debenhams
I have bought from Debenhams a few times. The items I bought were mainly sports clothing, such as sports bras. Price and quality is very important when you work out (or when everything jiggling about in an insanity class). I have also bought shoes online but make sure you try them on as sizing is terrible. Previously I bought “Faith” which is a highly considered designer brand here in the UK. When ordering my size (and waiting nearly 7 days for them to arrive) I found that they were massive. Now delivery time to store is well within the 72 hour limit I expect to wait. The quality of the garments are good, some materials used are better than others it depends on the designer.
If you buy clothes from the “Henry Holland” range, go a size up. The brand is a very small fit. Other designers, such as Julian MacDonald,  are a great fit. I would advise caution with bras. Especially the sports bras “under amour” and “Shock Absorber” are very small sizes. Debenhams do deliver worldwide for a fee, however not the entire website is available. I have checked with Katerina, and for instance the beauty section was not available when she selected Belgium as country to deliver the goods to. There is no spend limit of online orders. However some items not be available for store collection, look out for that when you go to pay.

Score out of ten for Debenhams: 8

Marks and Spencer

I am a huge M&S fan. Although I will admit, yes it can be a bit old fashioned, yes it  can be pricey and yes lots of old people shop there. Online however it’s a mine field of money saving offers. During the sales period there are amazing prices. You just need to be quick especially when prices drop to 70%!
Buying online is so simple with Marks and Spencer. If your order is submitted to them by 5pm it will be available  the next day in store after 1pm. You can’t get quicker than that.

There is no spend limit either. So if it’s 50p in the sale, that’s all you pay! They have everything from clothing to furniture, from food to make up, and stationary. You name it, they have it! You will not find a comfier pair of jeggins, better sports clothing or nicer lippy than here.
They deliver all the way across the world. Shipping fees differ on where you live.They are opening shops in the EU and recently Turkey gained its' first branch of M&S.

Score out of 10 for Marks and Spencer: 10

Sports direct
In the past I have refused to buy online at "Sports Direct" because of their shipping fees. If you want your parcel to be shipped to the store you need to pay £5 or if you want to have it sent to any local shop near you or to your home you have to pay £5.99. It’s a total rip off.
However I fell for it in the hunt for some white converse trainers. I found a bargain for the Triple tongue white Converse. In their store they charged £10 on top. This is the first thing you learn about Sports Direct: prices online do not in slightest bit reflect the store prices.

So I bought my converse. They had half sizes so my day was made, even after paying to have them sent to store. Only  72 hours after I placed my order, it arrived. I received me a voucher for £5 off my next spend in store, which lasts a year. So technically you get your postage cost back.
Quality and fit of products depends on the brands (size up for Nike, same you are for Adidas, cheaper brands are cheaper quality fabrics and fit is anybody guess). Their trainers tend not to be the new releases from companies. They may be a few seasons old, especially sale items they could be 3 years old.

Score out of ten for Sports Direct: 2

Stay tuned for part 2 next week!