With summer here, many of us are looking to add some bathing suits, sandals, and other seasonal items to our wardrobe. Because shopping is more hands-off right now, however, updating our closet right now may seem like a bit of a challenge.
The good news is that there are some well-known – and lesser-known – contact-free hacks that will help you add to your wardrobe this summer without having to leaf through racks in-store, head into changerooms, or come into contact with too many people.
Consider the best contact-free ways to update your wardrobe this summer:
Shop Storefronts
There is a wide variety of storefront retailers attached to malls that have their own entrance. These stores make it easy to go in and pick up what you need without having to step into a mall. Often, storefronts will offer curbside pickup to minimalize contact and ensure efficiency.
You can use a directory of Canadian shopping centres to identify the locations and hours of different shopping centers and their storefront retailers. Consider browsing these retailers online to see the inventory of different locations ahead of time before you visit a store. When you already know that a store has what you’re looking for, you can save time and still see the items in person before purchasing.
Visit Stand Alone Stores
Another great way to update your wardrobe without having to step foot in a mall is shopping at stand-alone stores that aren’t attached to a center. You can use an online shopping directory to identify any independent locations of your favourite retailers near you.
The best thing about stand-alone stores is that they are typically larger, which means more space for you to move around and a more extensive selection of products.
A lot of stand-alone stores will also offer curbside pickup, especially for big-ticket items. According to Convey, 40% of retails sites offer curbside delivery for large items.
Utilize In-Store Pick Up
What happens when you are shopping online, your size isn’t available, and you don’t want to pay for shipping? You can always opt for in-store delivery to get your item shipped to the store.
Utilize in-store pick up so that all you have to do is go into the store, pick up your order, and head out.
Instore pickup has been popular for years. In fact, in a 2013 Forrester Group study that analyzed shopping habits, 47 percent of surveyed customers said they used an in-store pickup option to avoid shipping fees.
Online Shopping
Online shopping is the most obvious and frequently used contact-free shopping hack there is. If you find it hard to buy specific items like bathing suits online because you don’t know what to expect from the fit or quality, don’t fret. Many online stores have sizing charts and quizzes to ensure you find the right size for you. If the fit isn’t right, you can rest easy knowing that many retailers offer seamless returns.
According to Big Commerce, the market estimates that the U.S. e-commerce will top $1.18 trillion by 2021. Online shopping has seen a steady increase in popularity over the last decade or so. With more people at home, the e-commerce industry has become the shopping solution many need.
