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Monday, December 12, 2011

Sailing Through Holiday Shopping with StyleSays: Guest Post

Today Jess of StyleSays is doing a guest post on Sailing Through Holiday Shopping

One of the happiest (and most stressful) times of the year is in full force. Hopefully Kate is like me and got through most of her holiday shopping already. If you’re still trying to finish, or just getting started, I’m here to help.

My name is Jess and I’m a recent college grad who grew up in the midwest. I’ve always been neurotic when it comes to Holiday gift giving. This has opened my eyes to a few different hints to skip the crowded malls, save a little money and time. I’m here to help you navigate the treacherous seas of holiday shopping.

Full disclosure: this strange behavior eventually turned into a fashion site that I run with a couple friends. More to come on that in a sec.

5. Start Now

Alright so we can be real, some people started weeks ago and there are others that won’t start until Christmas Eve. With only a few weeks until the big day you should start now if you haven’t, especially if you plan on buying any presents online. Many sites will tell you the last day you can order a present for it to arrive by the 25th.

If you don’t know where to start and are overwhelmed by the thought of navigating tons of confusing online stores, try out StyleSays. Hand-picked items from the top online stores are organized in an easy to use one-stop- shop.



4. Think Different


Even if you didn’t start early you can still come away with some spectacular finds. With so many options you should be bold, be unique and really make your friends+fam feel special. There are 100s of amazing online stores with endless gift ideas so you’re sure to find the perfect gift for your close ones. And if you really want to be unique look for a handmade item from one of the many online marketplaces like Etsy.

Oh yes there are lots of unique nautical items too! Check out the Nautical by Nature collection on StyleSays for ideas.



3. Wish Lists


Wish hard enough and it may come true. Almost every site has a wishlist that makes organizing gift ideas a lot easier. But you need to have all of your wishlists in one place to really compare. StyleSays makes it easy to save your favorite items from all of your favorite sites so you can compare gifts and prices side-by-side. Shopping should be easy, right?



2. Free Returns


When you’re doing all your holiday shopping at the mall this isn’t a problem but if you’re buying online it’s mega important to find stores with friendly return policies.

Here are a few stores that have friendly return policies: ASOS, ModCloth, Free People, Zappos and ShopBop.

1. Treat Yourself!

Don’t end up with another picture frame or candle. Let people know you want that pair of glittery new Sperry’s or funky sailor’s knot bracelet. We’ve talked about finding the perfect gifts for everyone else but what about the perfect gift for you? Make a collection of all the things you want to see under the tree and then send that link around to all the Santas in your life.

Bonus

StyleSays
is playing Santa this year! Enter our Christmas List giveaway and you could win an item from your list. It’s super easy to enter. 1) Make a Christmas List and 2) Share it with a few friends.

Thank you to Kate and her lovely readers! Take our style quiz to make an account!

Happy Holidays!

Jess

3 comments:

  1. What a great post! I always kid myself that shopping in advance will mean I miss out on the christmassy experience of shopping in mid December. mistake! Shopping mid December can often be hideous -shops full of desperate panicky people. Please re-run this post next November (or earlier) to drum some sense into me! :)

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  2. I HAD to shop in advance this year as I am leaving for Thailand Wednesday and won't be back until Christmas Eve. I wish I have know about this site sooner ;)

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  3. Great tips and we should treat ourselves especially if we give so much to others!

    Speaking of..

    Please come and enter My 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways! You will love the unique gifts!

    Xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

    ReplyDelete

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