The Basics of Buying Luxury Brands Online

It’s no secret that COVID has brought almost all of our in-person shopping habits into the digital world. With quarantines and social distancing causing many stores to close their doors, avid luxury fashion fans have found themselves looking for their favorite brands strictly online. Fitting rooms have been replaced with dropdown menus and shopping bags with shipping containers. Without a doubt, luxury online shopping has drastically changed these past few years.

While you may think that online shopping for luxury brands is simple, there are a lot more factors at play when you transfer to a digital shopping platform. With over 1.8 billion websites operating across the globe at any given time, there are thousands of fraudulent sites peddling unauthentic merchandise or just completely scamming buyers altogether. When you are spending a large sum on a luxury branded piece of clothing, you need to ensure that you are receiving exactly what you want. In this blog post, we will look into how to easily order verified, authentic luxury brands online.

Private Sales Websites

First, using private sales websites is one of the most reliable ways to verify that your branded purchases are genuine. Private sales sites offer several luxury brands, from décor to clothing, often without the hefty luxury brand price tag. Some of the most popular sites include The Outnet, Rue La La, Nordstrom Rack, and Gilt. These sites offer brand new and pre-owned items, as well as sizing guides to help you pick the right fit for you. Best of all, all of these sites are free to peruse.

Second-Hand Sellers

If there’s a specific Gucci, Chanel, or Cartier piece you have your eye on, you will probably have the best luck going through a second-hand luxury seller. Fashionphile and Luxury Garage Sale are full of luxury finds, as well as communicative sellers that are usually able to prove authenticity. In the case of finding your dream piece on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, be extremely careful. If the seller cannot provide you with authenticity tags, receipts, or other verified information on your product, then do not take the chance. Luxury brands are worth too much to justify shady business practices.

Straight From the Brand

While this may be the most obvious way to ensure authenticity in your luxury online shopping, it is always the most expensive. Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Prada are just a few of the luxury brands with an extensive online selection. If you can’t find any other discounted outlet to get the specific designer piece you want, you may need to result to the reliable retailer themselves. With the hefty prices, however, comes great customer service and plenty of peace of mind.

Flash Sales

Several private sales and second-hand luxury sites are prone to having amazing sales on their merchandise, so check back often. Sign up for mailing lists to know when your favorite brands are discounted. Additionally, Rue La La lets you see upcoming sales in their “coming soon” tab, so plan your shopping out ahead of time if you can.

When it comes to purchasing your favorite luxury brands online, you can never be too careful when researching the seller. Find positive reviews for each site you are considering, and look for obvious signs of scam websites. If a price is unbelievable, then chances are, it probably is. Find qualified sellers, look out for flash sales, and get gorgeous luxury pieces right to your door!

Feature Photo by Johanne Kristensen on Unsplash