Buy and Hold: Can you trust online vendors?/Holiday Closure

Many thanks to my friend B., who suggested this topic because she recently ordered a pair of boots from an online vendor, Thursday Boots, even though she had no experience with them.

For this matter, Mr. Warren Buffet, my fantasy guru, looks genially puzzled. "Alden man myself", he says. I think, There are some things he doesn't get. I persisted, "But if you weren't devoted to one brand? How would you assess a company that popped up on your social media feed?" Sometimes, you have to pin down a genius.

1. Check the fundamentals

Mr. B. always begins here: Is this an established company? What is the core business? What is its financial health? Are the prices consistent with what you would expect to pay? Last summer, the site below was discounting already-cheap linen pieces, a definite clue:

 Instagram scam site

Legitimacy: Instagram, stuffed with such vendors, advises how to check them out: "Go to the seller's profile and tap the three dots at top right, then tap About This Account. Information here includes when the account was created, the country where the account is based, and any former usernames."

Mr. Alden-Shod Buffet was right, right, right. The vendor of a venerable physical store is a good bet for  e-commerce as well. My first order from Liberty's caused no qualms because of their reputation, but they charged VAT, a technical glitch fixed within 24 hours. 

Financial viability: Use a search engine to reveal bankruptcy or whether the company frequently changes hands (e.g., Modcloth). Read customer feedback for indicators of cost-cutting: slow fulfillment and shipping, uneven quality, sizing issues, and comments like "The second pair I bought is not nearly as well-made as my previous pair." 

Returns: Does the vendor allow only exchange or credit? Is there a restocking fee? Is the returns window unrealistically small? These are more caution flags than deal-breakers, but Mr. B. won't buy when returns are for exchange or credit only. (At least half of credit balances go unused.) 

I tell Mr. B. about my experience with Shapermint, a US-based lingerie company (with decent Trustpilot ratings) who repeatedly offered me a substitute product when they could not fulfill my order, rather than (finally) refund payment— a huge red flag.

Service: Are there multiple contact options (email, phone, live chat)? If you are Buffet-level diligent, you can test a chat function with questions like, "How does x boot fit in the toe box, compared with y boot?" A chatbot response usually directs you to FAQs or product link. A real person has deeper product knowledge or will follow up within one or two days with it.  

Quality: On the same site, some e-tailers sell lower-quality "factory" or "outlet" lines as well as main-line goods; be sure you know what you are getting. They may also sell out-of season inventory, not a bad thing if it's no longer in the store.

Authenticity: Check that you're dealing with the vendor's site. Because of counterfeiters who purport to sell the brand for a discount, Thursday Boots' website states, "We are the only authorized seller of our products worldwide." 

Fake websites sometimes have an "off" look about them, such as this faked Ralph Lauren online store. The little pennants in bright colours are so un-Ralph it's almost funny.

Fake Ralph Lauren web store

If in doubt, send an e-mail; scammers usually do not answer a specific question, make spelling and punctuation errors, or use an email address that has only a vague reference to the brand, like "ServiceRL.com".

2. Read reviews on both external and company sites

Watchdogs: Check TrustPilot and Google reviews, but also realize that some reviewers give one star for something like a courier's delivery, which is out of the vendor's control. Apply your own criteria; it's one thing to read that the fabric is "too thin for where I live", and another to hear that the item "fell apart after a few washes". 

Vendor's site: If reviews sound generic, the same phrases are used continually, or the language is stilted ("Awesome wearing on every day!") pop up, suspect AI-generated or fake reviews. Some vendors use the term "Verified Reviewer" below the commenter's username, to show that the review is supplied by the person who placed the order.  Mr. B. adds: "If there is only positive feedback, watch out. Some vendors do not publish negative comments."

Extra points for companies like Everlane and Mejuri, who use a search feature for each rating category, including negative reviews. 

When vendors who do not publish reviews, online communities are especially useful.

Online communities: I searched Thursday Boots on Reddit; a brand might show up on various threads, but it's worth the hopping around.

Owners contributed comments about construction, durability and service. Some customers complained about deterioration after several months, but if they are wearing their leather boots all day, every day—as some commenters were— such constant wear will be hard on footwear. As our mothers said, rest a shoe on shoe trees for at least a day between wears.

3. Seek professional help

In the early 2000s, I wrote to a now-retired fashion editor to ask what cashmere she recommended if one couldn't afford the luxury brands. She praised Land's End. I would never have considered LE without her nudge, but nearly twenty years later, my plush black turtleneck is eager for another winter. (Customers say LE cashmere has not been that good for at least a decade.)

Contact the expert via their social media. Some stylists such as Bridgette Raes have a Facebook page (Bridgette Raes Style Expert Group) where her followers post their opinions on brands, for both style and service, and Bridgette or her team often respond there.

I am leery of articles that, for example, are headed "The Best Cashmere to Buy in 2024" and then list brands that are absolutely not. Looking at you, Wirecutter, which was flamed for some recommendations in that article, and then disabled comments. 

Happy ending! I met B. recently for tea and fruitcake at Royalmount Mall. She is pleased with her chic black riding boots, and found the fit true to size. When she showed them to me on the site, she was surprised to find the price had increased to $340; she paid $235 in October, which was not a sale. Mr. B. raised an eyebrow at a 44% increase.

As always, please add your tips. The Passage is a community of women who know their construction and quality!

Holiday Closure

The Passage closes from today until Jan. 7, 2025. I wish you a joyful, restorative holiday season. And... allow cookies!

Warm thanks to especially to commenters—the Passage is a labour of love; conversation is essential to the project.

I especially wish to thank and mention Frances Ray, who writes the wonderfully-observed "Beautiful Strangers" on Substack, and the artist and author Beth Adams, whose "The Cassandra Pages" features her art and much more.

Also, wishes for recovery to Allison and Laura J., who have been coping with bugs and breaks at a time of year that is especially demanding, not that there's ever a good time to go to an ER.

Cozy fires (or the equivalent) to all!