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With 71 percent of all U.S. adults shopping online, according to Pew Internet & American Life Project, there is more incentive than ever for marketers and retailers to find and implement interesting ploys and methods of online shopping to reap a large portion of the market share. With this supply comes demand, demand for newness and ingenuity. And sites like JewelMint, Send the Trend, Shoe Dazzle and JustFabulous are heeding this call and providing shoppers with a unique opportunity.

With these monthly subscription fashion clubs one can feel like they have a full-time personal shopper. The way these sites work is by allowing consumers to take a personality quiz, honing in on the customer’s likes and dislikes in the style market. From there, selections are made on the customer’s behalf, providing a narrow selection of products to choose from, which changes on a monthly basis. And while having serious style direction and guidance may seem like a great thing, there are a few things to know before creating your own account.

Read the fine print
Countless shoppers have signed up for these monthly style subscription retailing sites, only to find after not reading the fine print that they have accrued hidden fees charged to their credit cards. This fine print clearly states that once you input your credit card data for your first purchase, these companies will begin to charge you on a monthly basis, whether you purchase merchandise or not. Each site carries a different monthly fee.

JewelMint rings in at $29.95, while JustFab charges $39.95.

Why these monthly charges? Like with any subscription, you are now receiving a recurring service — whether you like it or not. While all of these sites offer an option to skip each month and avoid a credit card charge, this can be financially straining for anyone with a busy schedule or a scattered brain.

Buyer beware
You get what you pay for. While any women would be hard pressed to turn down a $40 pair of shoes, consumers really need to be scrupulous about the quality of some of the products on these sites. While the photos of the goods look glossy and pristine, sometimes it’s too good to be true and many customer comments have alluded to or blatantly pointed out that the goods they’ve purchased on these sites are shoddy quality or just downright uncomfortable. No matter how much of a bargain those $40 shoes seem, if you can’t walk in them or the decals and stitching deteriorate quickly, just walk away.

There are some tips for helping to wade through these treacherous purchasing waters, one way is to read customer reviews of the item. Another way is to look carefully at what materials are used and at the close-up shots. See where the items were manufactured or even look at outside site reviews of products.

Getting out while you still can may not be so easy. While all of these websites have to allow account cancellation, they certainly aren’t going to make it any easier for you to take your business elsewhere. Many of these sites do not allow online cancellation and require a customer service phone call. By doing a quick Google search, one can see that some customers have had a difficult time getting in touch with these customer representatives at all, never mind getting them to release and close your account.

The level of customer service quality is of question and may be mediocre at best. Also, if you’ve been a victim of the hidden or unknown charges for this monthly service, it will be difficult to get the issue resolved or get your money back. One way to avoid this straining cancellation process is to really do your research beforehand, reading reviews on customer experiences and taking that extra five minutes to read the fine print.

While the idea of a personalized online shopping experience is an intriguing and excellent way to find high style without a great deal of effort, it is important to know that it does not work for everyone and can be a hassle that outweighs your bargain-savvy sensibilities.

Be sure to really look into these sites. If you really love the merchandise and feel that you can make a monthly commitment or are willing to do the monthly skip option, then this service may be for you. With online retailers turning shopping into a streamlined algorithm, one has to wonder: where will they go next?

By: Stephanie Tipple

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