| Company |
Selection,
Shipping & Giftwrapping |
| Lands' End |
What they're selling: Clothing; known for its khaki pants and Oxford shirts. More than 1,000 items to browse through, including children's, men's and women's clothing.
Ease of
use: One of the easiest-to-use sites for clothing retailers. Also offers services such as "Your Personal Model," which suggests clothing to suit your figure. However, there was a long wait to get into the dressing room. |
Shipping: $3.95 for items that cost up to $25, $5.95 for items up to $75, and so on
Gift wrapping: $5 for a plaid gift box tied up with ribbons.
Customer service: 1-800-963-4816, or e-mail help@landsend.com for problems with the site and myorder@landsend.com with questions on merchandise orders.
Discounts: Discounts on overstocked merchandise, like an outlet center. Also features a clearance section, where shoppers can find a men's soft-cotton polo shirt marked down 41 percent to $15.50. |
| Eddie Bauer |
What they're selling: Casual and workplace apparel. Includes V-neck tees for $9 to a men's camel-hair blazer for $200. Check out the clearance section for out-of-season clothing.
Ease of
use: Offers a customer-friendly site with services such as a dressing room, where you can mix and match clothing to create a wardrobe (albeit a limited one.) However, wait times were sometimes unbearable. |
Shipping: $6 for purchases up to $30, $8 between $30.01 and $60, $9 between $60.01 and $90. Offering $3 shipping for items over $100 until Dec. 24.
Gift wrapping: $5, including a short message on a small card.
Customer service:: 1-800-789-1386, or e-mail imedia@eddiebauer.com
Discounts: Weekly special sales on several items. Also, check out the clearance section for out-of-season clothing. |
| The Gap |
What they're selling: Sells mostly casual clothing aimed at younger shoppers: super wide-leg jeans for your son, low-rise pants for your daughter or maybe a $125 "luxe" cashmere cardigan for your newborn.
Ease of
use: Lots of goodies, plus a one-stop shopping approach for babies, kids, teens and adults clothing. A user-friendly site that allows you to compare color swatches. May be some delays. |
Shipping: Until Dec. 15, free shipping on items more than $75. Shipping is $5 for items $50 and less, $7 for items from $50.01 to $100. Gap gifts should arrive within three days.
Gift wrapping: $5, including a personalized card.
Customer service:: 1-800-GAP-STYLE
Discounts: Online sales rack, not much different than a regular stores rack. |
|
J.Crew
|
What they're selling: Men's and women's casual, workplace and outer clothing. Hits the younger, fashion-conscious adult. Sells women's suits with low-rise, flaired-leg pants to men's boxy leather coats for $350.
Ease of
use: Site offers access to all inventory, but is set up like a catalog-not for the Internet. Could use a search box for particular items. |
Shipping:
$8.95 for items between $50.01 and $75, $9.95 between $75.01 and $100.
Gift wrapping:
$5, including a personalized card.
Customer service: 1-800-851-3189 or send e-mail to service@jcrew.com.
Discounts: Special weekly sale on selected items.
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