The capital may be growing more cosmopolitan but what’s a girl to do when she's got a hankering for Vivienne Westwood, Karen Walker on sale, or the latest bauble Lindsay Lohan’s been sporting?
She goes online, of course, but there are a fair few things she should do before she clicks "add to cart".
1. Be realistic. A lot of the websites tend to display their clothes on a teenage catwalk model with impossibly glossy hair and a complete lack of real world thighs who could look terrific in a haz-mat suit or fluorescent traffic vest. Unless you happen to be Gisele Bundchen, consider whether that skintight bubble hem frock will sit quite as gorgeously on you. Remember that when your package arrives, its colour might not look the same as it did on the monitor. Photoshop can disguise cheap fabric so be careful unless familiar with the brand already. For a good fit, be sure to wield that tape measure with accuracy – it’s not good enough to know you’re a size 10.
2. Factor in all the costs. If you’re buying from, say, France or England, you will pay in pounds sterling or Euros and this will attract a conversion fee on your credit card. Make sure you know how much you’re up for in Australian dollars by checking the conversion rate (xe.com is good). Some sites will tell you that you don’t have to pay their country’s equivalent of the GST and you will be able to deduct 10 per cent or so. However, this kind of benefit is often offset by shipping costs from overseas. These costs can be quite reasonable ($10 or less for many Australian websites; a £7.50 delivery charge no matter how many items you order from Topshop.com), rather dear (£33 for worldwide express shipping from Net-a-porter) or prohibitive (35 Euros for one item, 45 for two, 60 for three or more at www.apc.fr). Of course, you get what you pay for and that’s why Net-a-porter goods come in beribboned gift boxes within a couple of days, Topshop sends goods much more slowly in a soft plastic bag, and A.P.C’s clothes come in a "grande boite" with a big cloth carry bag.
Also, don't forget Australian customs law: you can buy up to $1000 worth of goods duty and tax free. There are some exclusions, so see www.customs.gov.au.
3. Read the fine print. Any good shopping website will have a hefty customer service page that spells out how long it will take you to get your hands on your purchases, how much it costs to ship, who to call or email if there are any problems, and what to do if you want to return or exchange. Sites often allow the return of goods if they're in mint condition (no make up smudges and don’t remove tags) but this is usually at your expense. It’s also a fairly big hassle and if you’re shipping the goods back overseas, a slow and expensive process.
4. Be secure. Use anti-spyware software on your computer before punching in credit card details, check bank statements for signs of fraud and consider using a secure payment service such as PayPal which has built-in user protection.
5. Follow any instructions on the website and don’t be afraid to email customer service – they should be only too happy to help you in any way possible. If they’re not, shop elsewhere.
6. Enjoy! Do it right and sit back and wait for your lovely parcel to wing its way towards you. The whole business is by no means as straightforward as pulling things off racks and marching off to the counter to pay, but it can be a lot more satisfying, especially when you’ve got something new to wear that no one else in town has.
Claire's favourites
• www.apc.fr - for simple, chic French gear
• www.net-a-porter.com - for all the labels or just window-shopping. Their sale prices can and do beat prices in bricks and mortar stores, and they offer free returns
• www.robio.com.au - for fun and funky objects, clothes and all kinds of wacky things
• www.mycatwalk.com.au - for loads of Australian labels
• www.mijo.com - which will tell you which celebrities have been sighted wearing which must-have accessory
• www.topshop.com - for up-to-the-minute looks from London at reasonable prices
• www.archivevintage.com - for vintage designer clothes and accessories