your net:// Shopping made easy

By CHRIS BARTON

There are many advantages to buying clothes online.

In cyberspace there are no surly shop assistants who would rather do their nails.

Neither are there the overenthusiastic ones who insist that it "Suits you, sir," nor those with a knack of intruding into the changing cubicle with a cheery "How are we getting on here?" just as you're wrestling with the zip on a pair of jeans that is clearly too small.

Online, you can um and ah as long as you please. There is no need to shoo the assistant away with a "just looking thanks," and you can leave without buying - guilt free. Shopping heaven.

Julienne Brown has shopped online - mainly for books, CDs and clothes - for four years and loves it.

For her it was a natural progression from occasional purchases from mail-order catalogues.

What she loves is the choice.

"It's like flicking through magazines. You don't always buy, but it's fun to look - especially at the things you know you can't get here. But unlike magazines, when you see something you really want, on the net you can buy it in a few seconds."

It might not suit instant gratification types, but Julienne does not mind waiting for delivery.

"A few days later it's at your door. It's great - like getting presents delivered."

Julienne has a few simple rules when shopping offshore:

* Buy only from stores you know or those with a name. Her favourites are www.landsend.com, www.llbean.com and www.eddiebauer.com.

* Use shopping comparison sites - with so-called intelligent shopping agents - to check whether your intended purchase is a good deal, but also to help find the product you want. Her favourites are www.mysimon.com and www.gomez.com. Others include www.bottomdollar.com or http://pricescan.com.

* Don't shop online expecting to get great bargains. The prices - once you have doubled them for the exchange rate and added a bit for freight - are not much different from those in real shops. What you get online is convenience and a much better range.

* For clothes, be very conservative. Never buy a weird colour. It will look even weirder when it's delivered. Be careful, too, about the online virtual models or manikins that you can dress in the outfit you're considering. If it looks too fantastic on the model, chances are it won't look good on you. Make sure, too, that you know what your size translates to in American sizes.

* Remember that certain goods attract duty and goods over $399 will attract GST - check Customs' "revenue collection threshold" at www.customs.govt.nz.

* Look at the delivery options and courier charges very carefully. They vary considerably and can make all the difference whether your purchase is a good deal or not.

Julienne is also a regular at the mother of all online bookstores, Amazon.com.

She will often read book reviews at sites like www.cybereditions.com and then buy - but only if she knows the book will be hard to find here. She does the same there with CDs and usually waits until she has several purchases lined up to save on shipping costs.

That combination - using the net as both research tool and buying mechanism - was put to good effect a month ago when Julienne and her husband, David, used some airpoints to take seven days' holiday in Paris.

Helped by research skills honed during her job as a legal librarian, she hunted the net for cheap places to stay, ordered travel books from Amazon, and read restaurant reviews - all from the comfort of her keyboard.

The result was that everything was highly organised before they left - down to where they would go each day and dine each night - making every second count.

Another plus is shopping for gifts for relatives and friends overseas: "You have to pay postage for those anyway, so buying from a US or UK store means it costs less - plus they wrap it all and include a card, taking away all those hassles."

So in four years of online shopping, has she had any bad experiences - goods not delivered, the wrong things delivered or incorrect prices?

"No, that's the amazing thing. It works. When you buy this way you do tend to be ready to like what arrives.

"I once bought a jacket I didn't like - but someone else in the family did, so it was okay."

Convenience is very much the reason legal executive Dee Payne buys her groceries online. She does not own a computer but manages to do her fortnightly food shop at www.woolworths.co.nz from work during her lunch-hour. Why?

"I've always hated doing groceries. For me, with two kids, going to the supermarket after work is an hour and half of hell."

Online, Dee has the job done in 20 minutes - and even though Woolworths charges a punishing $15 for delivery, she feels the convenience is worth it.

She reckons she may even be saving money because online she is not lured by impulse buys.

And having her list from the last order always available online makes remembering the basics a simple matter of updating.



Links:

www.landsend.com

www.llbean.com

www.eddiebauer.com

www.mysimon.com

www.gomez.com

www.bottomdollar.com

http://pricescan.com

www.customs.govt.nz

Amazon.com

www.cybereditions.com

www.woolworths.co.nz