My name is Jess, and I spend a lot of time on the computer. My job is web content writing, so my turf is the internet, and I have a weird affinity for searching out the best of the best websites, YouTube channels, and – you guessed it – retailers on my turf. I specifically want to know the best in online:

1. women’s clothing stores
2. makeup retailers
3. general marketplaces

Here’s the thing: online shopping is hard. Trial and error is an essential part of the process of finding reliable stores online. But leaving the house when you don’t have to is hard, too. Gone are the days when ordering online involved ridiculous shipping fees and risky purchases, because even though visiting a physical store location allows you to see products first-hand and online shopping doesn’t, retailers are beginning to make huge efforts to ensure shipping, returns, and exchanges are as hassle free as possible. In fact, creating a seamless online shopping experience has become quite a competitive feature of every major retailer and most minor retailers.

In a world where most stores offer great online experiences and choices abound, there’s something strangely comforting about knowing which will give me the best overall experience. I’d love to settle into a few favorite stores, thus eliminating the trial and error factor, so I’ve taken it upon myself to analyze several stores in each category. I’ll evaluate product price vs. quality as well as the overall shopping experience and rate each company honestly and fairly.

Women’s Clothing Stores

Before ordering from any clothing stores, I’m completing a good bit of research so I can pick from the cream of the crop in: disintermediate clothing, fast fashion, and higher-end fashion. These three types of stores are accessible, and they offer a wide range of options so having a favorite from each will give me a lot of options when it’s time for shopping. I’m looking for quality options, lots of information and photos in the reviews and descriptions pages, and awesome shipping experience. I’ve found these three clothing retailers offer excellent options: Grana, Forever21, and Free People.

Makeup Retailers

When considering makeup retailers, I’m going to focus on Sephora and Ulta. They’re by far the two most widely-known distributors, so they have excellent deals with all kinds of brands and carry basically every product available to major retailers between the two. While they’re very similar, Sephora and Ulta have their differences so I’ll examine my whole experience with both websites.

General Marketplaces

As we’re all aware at this point, Amazon has revolutionized online shopping with its massive selection of Prime items. They’ve set the standard (which many retailers are following) that free two-day shipping should be expected for members. And Walmart has followed suit, offering free two day shipping to everyone on many items. I’ll recount the difference in my experiences with each company.

Stay tuned on shoponline.support for this series, as I’ll be giving the inside scoop on everything from searching for items to delivery and packaging. Are there any retailers you’d like to see in the mix?