Archive for the ‘Shopping’ Category

A friend of mine who works for Expedia just posted something on Facebook about SniqueAway, a site the company launched last fall essentially offering flash sales (like Groupon, Rue La La and Gilt) specific to travel. Given I’m a total sucker for these types of sites, I thought I’d share it with you. Similar to other sites, it’s invite only, so here’s an invite from my account: http://www.sniqueaway.com/invite/clutch22  

Also, once someone who accepts your invitation makes a purchase, you get a $25 credit. Personally, I’m surprised the credit isn’t a little higher given the average cost of a trip tends to be much more than any pair of designer jeans AND people aren’t making travel purchases at the same pace they shop the fashion flash sales…but hey, no complaints here. I’m not posting about it because I hope to score a lot credits. Either way, it’s exciting to see a travel company enter this space. Gilt, Hautelook and some of the other sites have been doing a little travel, but the options are limited.

The Ace Hotel NYC is coming up this Thursday, which happens to be one of my favs. Check it out and let me know what you think!

This one is for the guys out there facing the girlfriend gift shopping dilemma (even if you don’t realize it yet), which I know most of you are probably planning to tackle on December 24. As the daughter of a man who has only cut his hair with a Flowbee for 15+ years and once bought my mom an automatic car starter for Christmas so he wouldn’t have to get up early to warm up her car every morning, I’ve seen my fair share of gift failures. I’ve also learned that regardless of good intentions, it’s pretty easy to send the wrong message to a girl inadvertently hurting her feelings, or better yet, calling her “fat.”

The following is a guide of 10 types of gifts to stay clear of when shopping for girlfriends/wives because sometimes it’s just as important to consider what NOT to buy.

1. “Are you calling me fat?!”

Steer clear of these types of gifts unless you’re prepared to answer YES when she asks the “fat” question.

• Wii Fit
• Personal training package or gym membership
• A fancy new scale or exercise equipment

His Intention: I know she cares about getting in shape and it makes her happy. Why wouldn’t I want to buy a gift that makes her happy?

How We Twist It: I knew it, you think I’m fat. You’re just positioning it as wanting to see me happy to avoid hurting my feelings.

Read the rest of this entry »

Social shopping sites have been on the rise the past few years ranging from savvy stylish search engines like The Find to fashionable interactive content sharing sites like Polyvore. As of this morning, Time Inc joins the fun with the launch of a new site called StyleFind from the publishers of InStyle Magazine.  It brings together the editorial side of the magazine experience and blends it with a stellar online shopping tool including great deals and editor’s picks.

I received a little surprise informing me about the new site this morning – a Nordstrom gift card to try out the site! I’ve already spotted a number of potential purchases based on my gift shopping list (and things I want for myself, but resisting). If I told you what, it’d spoil the surprise!

Not sure if you recall a site called StyleFeeder, which I wrote about back in 2008, but Time Inc. purchased the site and I’m guessing StyleFind might share some similar features. Check it out when you have a chance. The deals feature is my favorite part. They have available offers listed within the description of the products!

I posted my annual Black Friday/Cyber Monday guide last week, but wanted to share an update with some of the best deals to grace the Web for fashion lovers across the nation.

Most of these expire today, so get your holiday shop on while you can! I love coupon codes because it allows me to buy nicer gifts within my “spending budget.” Another perk is you can buy yourself something nice with the money saved.

Check out seven great deals after the jump! Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re planning to tackle Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday, here are some general tips and tricks to help you know when to pull the trigger and when to wait. Contrary to what marketers are telling you, most of the “deals” are merely exaggerations to lure you and your wallet. Take it from a “marketer” who plays on both sides of the fence…yours truly!

The following slide show is a mini version – just click on the different colored tabs. You can check out the extended version with all the details after the jump!