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BY CASH PASSPORT PREPAID MASTERCARD
Recently we hit the streets of New York City for a shopping and relaxation break, hitting up all the shopping meccas you can think of. From Saks to Henri Bendel’s, specialty boutiques in the East and West Village to the places where you dig for designer bargains and thrift stores, we shopped them. And boy did we spend up on wardrobe essentials and designer finds we couldn’t resist.
Unfortunately we didn’t have our Cash Passport Prepaid MasterCard (I have one now, ready for our next shopping trip to NYC) preloaded with USD to help us save on those pesky international transaction fees and ever changing exchange rate. But lesson learnt and the beauty of internet age is that I can still score USA shopping bargains from the comfort of my laptop. Our tips on what sites to hit:
Designer & Department Stores bargains:
Nordstrom Rack
www.nordstromrack.com
After jumping out of the subway at Union Square in NYC, we stumbled upon the entrance to Nordstrom Rack, the outlet for the department change Nordstrom where you can find designer women’s, mens and childrens wear at up to 70% off. We spotted everything from J Brand jeans to Rag & Bone in the department store, with even more available on their online shop.
HauteLook
www.hautelook.com
A sister site to Nordstrom Rack, this is a pop-up sale website where new sales go online every day and disappear again after a week. We stalk it every day. Right now they have a Kate Spade, NYX Cosmetics and Sephora for OPI nail polish sales going on now.
Gilt
www.gilt.com
A pop-up sale site like Haute Look, Gilt is actually one of my favourites to trawl through every day. With more luxe stock, I can’t help but lust after the current sales which include Lanvin apparel, cashmere sweaters, Love Moschino, Current Elliot and Tracy Reese.
My Habit
www.myhabit.com
Backed my Amazon, this pop up sale site is another must-look on my daily internet travels. Current sales include Alexander McQueen hangbags & sunglasses, Jason Wu, Salvatore Ferragamo and Bliss skin and body care products.
BlueFly
www.bluefly.com
Like Nordstrom Rack, this store runs more like a traditional online store, with new products added daily and staying online until it has sold out. We have spotted YSL bags marked down by almost 40%, Vera Wang dresses and all kinds of bargains.
Tips for online shopping in the USA:
- Always pay attention to the sizing, whether it be in US, UK or European sizes. It can differ depending on the brand and style of the piece.
- Use the models measurements and what size she is wearing as a guide. Most models usually wear a XS, so when they are wearing a Small, keep in mind that maybe the make of the piece is actually a bit small. So size up.
- Keep an eye on the shipping fees, sometimes what looks like a bargain could actually work out not to be due to the crazy $40+ shipping feeds some stores slap on.
- Watch out for the returns policy. Some sites cost and arm and a leg to return items, even if they have free shipping to get the item to you in the first place.
Stay tuned for our upcoming stories on where to use your Cash Passport for shopping trips in London and Asia, as well as a competition to win your own Cash Passport.
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Get a Cash Passport before the 31st December, 2014, and you can enjoy a special offer – load $200 AUD equivalent and get a BONUS $10 on their card! Simply enter BLOG10 when prompted in the application form online.
But hurry, this offer is capped at the first 500 customers.
This post was sponsored by Cash Passport Prepaid MasterCard. All thoughts and comments are our own.
Those sites are amazing, thanks for sharing. I loved Nordstrom Rack when I was in the US but didn’t realize they had an online store.