It’s almost that time of the year when the whole spirit of the holidays gets trampled by the rampant comercialism of “gifts giving”. What are you gonna do? Presents are certainly a fun thing to give (and even more to receive). How about this year you avoid the crowds and get your fix online? The experience with these particular 5 retailers will be worth it!
1. Etsy
Known for: It’s a marketplace for all things handmade and vintage. As a merchant you create your own store within the site and sell your stuff. The site is not only an eCommerce platform, but you a curation tool for all your favorite finds and shops, whilst engaging withother users to see their favorite finds and shops. Merchants offer a wide variety of items with a wide array of customization possibilities. You may be buying online, but sometimes it feels more personalized than with a face to face interaction. This year, a great way to support small businesses and artisans, consider making your holiday purchases on Etsy! You can go even further and filter your items / shops by country, should you wish to support local talent!
Example items for sale:
2. Cult Beauty*
Known for: Full disclaimer, I have an affiliate marketing partnership with them, but I do because I looooove shopping there! This site stock all the best beauty finds curated by a panel of experts, and instead of finding every single item from a brand there, you are only going to find those considered “cult”. They also have samples and special offers all the time, not to mention the absolutely fabulous customer service team ever! Be sure to try their wishlist functionality which allows you to make lists of your fave items with annotations and easily move them to your shopping cart. Some of my favorite items can be found there, so be sure to check it out!
Example items for sale:
3. Fab
Known for: started as a private sales site (sites requiring a free membership, which could be obtain with an invite) and offer a selection of products for a specific time frame. Fab focuses on a selection of quirky, artsy finds for the home and office, for the geek and hipster, for women, men, and kids. They have “themed” sales, for example, one day they may open a food-themed sale with a bunch of delicious, edible finds from great (sometimes locally reknowned or innovative) vendors. Another day you may get a Swedish design themed sale (a non-Ikea one) with the best design pieces this country has to offer. Whatever you buy via Fab, it is guarateed to make you smile!
Example items for sale:
4. Polyvore
Known for: this is not a shop per-se, but a great way to get to the shops that sell your item. This site is actually a social networking site that works around the cncept of creating and sharing fashion, beauty and home decor “sets”. You can, for example, compose a set with a great outfit to wear at that upcoming wedding you’ve been invited, or add a picture of a celebrity with a killer makeup look and add the products you think would help recreate the look. All the pictures used on these sets come from a huge database of retailers that allow you to buy some or all the products in a particular set. Is that store not available in your country?you can also find similar items from shops that do!
Example items for sale:
5. IWOOT*
Known for: recently rebranded as an acronym, “I Want One Of Those” caters to those who are easily drawn to all sorts of fun and quirky gadgets you don’t really need, but really, really want. This stuff here makes really fun presents for everyone, but especially those with geeky interests will find a great retail outlet in IWOOT. This UK retailer not only offers products, but also what the call “experiences” which are exactly what the name implies: opportunities to do certain unique activities (only available in the UK, though) such as spa days, skydiving, racecar driving, even as outrageous as a “zombie bootcamp”! Whatever you choose is bound to put as smile on your recepient’s face, and you won’t have to break the bank for it! Also one of my affiliate partners.
Example items for sale:
*Contains affiliate links. When you buy products via these links, a commission (2 to 7%) goes to The Paola Campo Report. By purchasing via this links you are supporting the site, and for that, we thank you!
What’s on your wishlist this holiday season?
Happy Shopping!
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