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More and more these days, especially with the growth of the web, there are a multitude of services to help you shop. Whether is beating that 'We can only ship to US addresses', personal styling services, VIP memberships to get you into sales before everyone else, hunting down that sold out top...it can be done with a bit of assistance. This is another one that I'm adding to as I go, so sign up for the newsletter!
Mail Forwarding
Check out our Mail Forwarding page for a complete rundown on what it is (short answer: lets you buy from US stores that do not ship internationally) here
Currency Converter
Xe is my currency converter of choice.
Clothing Sizes Converter
The Online Conversion tool is a starting guide, however you should always check the sizes with the store, since sizing varies hugely between brands. There is also a Bra Size Converter here
Catalogues Online
A great resource if your postman hasn't noticed you've tried to cover up the 'No Junk Mail' sign at your house. Most of the major Australian retailers list their catalogues online either on their own site or on the sites below
Catalogue Central
What's On Sale
Lasoo
Personal Shopping Services
Shop Gopher is a US based personal shopping service that specialises in hunting down exclusive offers. They have also just introduced the Shop Gopher Card which is a pre-paid credit card with Visa that allows you to get around that annoying 'we only accept US issued credit cards'.
JP-eshopping is a personal shopping service for products from Japan.
Cosmetics Personal Shopper - Never used this one myself, but she's been around for years, a Canadian who used to live in Australia and helps aussies get MAC, Dior, Sephora and Stila for less that AU $RRP.
Hard to find phone no's
Ever tried to find a phone number for eBay or Paypal? Its a nightmare - so the nifty folks at fatwallet.com have put together a list of all the numbers here
Multiple Auction Site Search Engine
Sometimes when your're just over eBay or can't find the item you want, this tool can come in handy. Mother of All Auction Searches is a search engine that overstock, ioffer and yahoo. Be warned that nearly everything on ioffer is fake, so this is not the search engine to use if you want authentic items. Handy mostly for electronics.
Not Good Enough
Not Good Enough - Great Australian site devoted to helping the consumer when services or products just aren't up to scratch. The gripe HQ is an interesting read and you can also contact them with your gripe and they will contact the company in question to try and get you help.
Ebay Tools
Use Toolhaus, Goofbay or DSR Watch to weed through your sellers feedback and easily pull out the negatives and also check up on any suss bidding - shill bidding is surprisingly easy to spot! If you are thinking of starting an eBay business or just want to know what people are looking for eBay Pulse is your friend. Another good tool is the BSB search which you can use to check which bank a BSB belongs to.
Fat Fingers is a nifty little search engine which will find misspelt auctions on eBay for you. Since most people search by brand name, this can help you snag a bargain. Typo Hound is another one.
The eBay and Paypal Fees calculator is an easy way to work out your profit and eBay fees
Honest Forum
The Honest Forum is a forum devoted to designer denim and the stamping out of fakes. A great resource for COH and SAFM information.
Personal Stylists
I've never used any of these services so I can't comment if they are any good, but here there are for your viewing pleasure
The Wardrobe Mistress - Melbourne based stylist who will work with you to get your style happening.
Style with Cindy - Melbourne based but also does Gold Coast consultations.
Idcouture - Melbourne based
Style Counsel - Brisbane Based
Georgie & Hector - Brisbane Based
Celebrity Style Seen something you loved on Mischa/Nicole/Sienna et al? Check out this sites to find out how to get your hands on celeb favs:
Celebrity Style Guide
Celebrity Must Haves
Junky Trunk
The Celeb Life
Famous Fashions Found
FamousStyle
TabloidStyle
ShopIntuition - *WARNING* I do NOT recommend shop intuition unless you cant find the item anywhere else. Shipping is ridiculously slow (usually much longer than estimated shipping frames) and customer service is non existant. Be prepared for a long wait - you will get your items...eventually.
Fashion Forums Okay so maybe they aren't services as such, but fashion forums are full of great information. I've listed the ones I know of here:
The Fashion Spot (US Based and invite only)
Vogue Forum (AU based)
Fashion Forums (Irish)
Style.com Forums (US Based)
Shiny Fashion Forums (US Based)
Style Talk (US Based)
The Purse Forum (US Based)
The Luxe Lounge (US Based)
Make Up Alley (US Based, but strong international membership)
Rent-a-Handbag Can't afford that chloe/chanel/dior/fendi you've always lusted after - how about trying renting it? Milla and Eddie is the first to do this in Australia (and hence probably the best value for us Aussies) but there is also some international sites:
BagBorrowOrSteal
From Bags to Riches
Love Me and Leave Me is also Australian based and offers jewellery and shoes as well as handbags!
Melbourne Fashion Experience If you're a visitor to Melbourne and don't know where to go, or a Melbournenite who just feels like you are always visting the same old shops, the Melbourne Fashion Experience is totally for you. Its a shopping tour with style (read: no big pink bus) and they only take you around in small groups so you get to visit the stores your group is interested in.
Sites to Inspire You
stylehunter.com - browse this online fashion magazine with the latest lookbooks, style tips, editorial and links to fashion brands
MyLookbook - a very cool concept - pages and pages of style ideas and you simply click on the page to go the designers website or store
This Next - social shopping website. I can probably give a really lame explanation or you could just check it out yourself
Style Feeder - Plug in your interests and shop away
Shop it to Me - sign up, select your brands and sizes and they will email you when they go on sale! Check here for a better explanation
My Style Diary - get on and start snapping your daily outfits or just browse through and checkout other peoples daily styles.
I Like Totally Love It is another social shopping network
Discount Codes
Don't forget our Discount Codes Section for our exclusive Never Shopped Out discount codes, and the Current Online Sales for lots more coupon codes!
Reesy Cakes
Retail Me Not
Grechens Closet
Fashion E-Newsletters
For Melbournians, Michi Girl is a daily fashion & weather fix.
Drop Dead Gorgeous Daily is daily newsletter with fashion and state weather forecasts
Consumer Adcovacies/Assistance when things go wrong
ACCC - Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Consumers Online - Australian Government site, includes links to Consumer Affairs
Econsumer - for consumer complaints that are cross border (ie. You are in Australia, other party is in US)
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