I know what you mean about the credit card...i maxed mine out..still trying to pay it off..ugh
I am also wary of buying online, but because i feel like i shouldnt have to pay for shipping when i could find it [or something like it] at a store and skip that fee.
That is so awesome that the store gave you a free pair of stockings and a personal note! So sweet!

I HATE shipping. I'll fine a deal, and then the shipping will be more than the product!

Yes, thats the catch, all those deals arent really deals and they all know that.
If you find something for a $25 on ebay, the shipping can be up to $75, whereas the product originally costs $100
lol

Sometimes I am wary of shopping online.
With the big companies, I most often shop Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, etc. Sometimes they run deals of free shipping. I have never had a problem with anything from there.

I also buy used books on Amazon and I find there sellers to be really good. I've been an Ebay shopper for a long time. I never buy "luxury" goods on the site because most tend to be fake (not meaning to insult anyone who sells on Ebay). Otherwise its a good site.

I love shopping online because I really dislike going to the mall. I almost always wait until I get an email offer for free or discounted shipping, or I wait until there are several items I want so that I get free shipping.

I purchase a lot of things from Sephora, and if you spend $50 or more you get free shipping. I also order things from Gap, Martin + Osa, Old Navy and Victoria's Secret fairly often - They usually have pretty good shipping offers. Zappos always has free shipping, and they are really good about returns.

Often I find it is cheaper and more convenient to order things online, because then I don't have to pay for gas to drive there and it takes less of my time. =)

I'm a lot like lynnie482. I love to shop online. I hate malls too. I don't like crowds. I shop at VS and NY and Company a lot. They have free shipping and other good offers that really makes it worthwhile. Zappos and a few other of the bigger shoe places have free shipping and free return shipping. I really like that and take advantage of it. The worst online shopping experience I had was from Target of all places. They sent me the wrong size of something and then claimed I ordered the wrong size and would not replace it. And the Indian person who I was emailing back and forth with was rude to me on top of it. It left a really bad taste in my mouth for Target after that.

i looooooove online shopping, especially for someone who's busy like me and doesn't always have the time to get to a store. my favorite places to order online are: urban outfitters, victoria's secret, steve madden, and amazon. (though i've occasionally shopped at other places)

i've found with urban: if i know my size, then the clothing generally fits like it shows in the pictures. i've never been disappointed with anything i've ever bought from there! ahh. hehe.

also, for all of these places i usually wait to order until there's a free shipping kind of a deal. additionally: MOST places you order online from will allow you to return something if you aren't happy with it..the process is usually pretty simple, too.

in spite of the ease of online shopping...i still LOVE the fun of going to a store in person...there's just something nice about being in there and getting those rare finds you might not be able to get online. hehe. :P

With overseas sites, you have to be careful to verify the quality. I haven't noticed as much of a problem with Japanese sites as other Asian sites, but it's still a possibility and I always check fabric content and sizing or find someone else who can do it for me. I shop mostly gothic lolita stuff and it's pretty well established which of those types of sites have good quality and which don't, but I'm not as familiar with other Japanese fashion sites.

I think this is less of a problem with sites in English-speaking countries because it's easier to be sure what you're getting. But don't forget that you can get smacked with big shipping and customs fees, depending on the amount you're purchasing.

I also prefer online shopping, the selection seems to be a lot better and it's much easier to hunt something down at a better price. I've had good experiences with Asos and Topshop, but sometimes with customs your package can be held up or not arrive at all if you're ordering internationally.
Maggie is adorable, btw :)

i love online shopping too much, got myself into debt. so definitely be careful! my advice is always search for a coupon before buying anything. i always check www.retailmenot.com or www.couponcabin.com. i have saved tons of money this way, i can usually find 10%, 15% off or free shipping codes for most stores I shop at. Some of the stores I shop at most frequently are: urban outfitters, modcloth, amazon, etsy and ebay. i also suggest reading through any customer reviews (if the site has it) before purchasing something, the reviews have been very helpful to me.

i use pre paid debit cards .... and sometimes you need to read before ordering some stores actually charge good prices for shipping like alloy is never all that bad and they have great prices in clearance

i find shopping online much easier than brick and mortar stores (as my mom calls them) because more often then not, i'm looking for specific items. most sites have things arranged by category and size, and i love that. plus they have extended sizes for pants. going into a store... well, that becomes a very frustrating experience for me (oh this is cute... oh not my size. oh, someone tried this on and got deodorant on it. hmm, that is too high and all the associates are busy... and so on. haha). i will not purchase from any site that charges an insane amount for shipping, ie macys. i usually purchase from amazon, zappos, victorias secret, ae and lots of small stores. the small stores almost always include free stickers and buttons and such, lovely touches :)

I have done some shopping online and have almost always had good experiences. A few times on ebay when i bought several things there were some missing items, but I emailed the seller and they were sent out right away. Especially at Christmas I do a lot of online shopping and the things always arrive really quickly.