Suzanne O’Connor’s Bargains LA

Bargainist.com

Bargain hunting has always been in and right now getting a great deal is super hot. The new trend in 2010 is coupon use, freebies and discount codes. Looks like a lot of folks are jumping on the band wagon helping us find deals in town and on the web.

The Bargainist is a national website with coupons, discount codes and deals listed on everything from designer boots to electronics. Recent leads to online deals include a Guess boots at 40% off, a Nike Coupon, a 70% off at ShopBop, and a 25% off a $30 purchase at Pro Flowers and a Nikon Coolpix L20 camera for $90 instead of $120.

They cover a lot of goods at discount websites but they also get and post links and info on less common savings like a 20% off coupon for Kenmore kitchen appliances at the Great Indoors and a 62% savings at at the Watchery on a Movada Junior Sports Chronograph watch.

You’ll also find a section with “How to” and “Money Saving” tips. Always useful for getting the best deal.

Bookmark this one. Visit it often. It’s fun and packed full of info and savings!

Ebay Fashion Vault

Oh Boy… Ebay has gotten into the online Sample Sale biz!
Ebay has enlisted some of their most trusted sellers and designers to work closely with eBay to bring you Fashion Vault sales events. For a limited time, 48 to 72 hours, exclusive online events will have selected designers on sale by brand authorized Ebay sellers who sell these higher end garment at substantial savings to Ebay members..

The current sale when I cruised the site was Hugo Boss with savings of 60% on tops, jeans, suits, blazers, belts, dress shirts and more. All NWT using Hugo Boss catalog pictures, but from only one seller. These designs come directly from sellers who are authorized by the brand to sell their merchandise. And to make these deals even better, shipping is free.

The discounts seem to be limited to “up to 60% off” and like all online Sample Sales, quantities are limited. But that’s a enough savings along with the Free shipping to more than capture my interest. Do sign up for notifications of the Vault Sales.

If you’re a fashion or Ebay junkie, now you have something new to quench your interest… Ebays Fashion Vault. OY!

Beyond The Rack

Yep, This is the year of the online Sample Sale. There seem to be a new one every month. Some stand out… some don’t.

One stand out is BeyondtheRack.com. The set up is similar to Rue La La and Gilt, and they have sweet discounts. 40%-70%, on both men’s, women’s and kids designer clothing and accessories.

This week Bed Head PJ were featured, most priced at $49. The last online sample sale I saw them at they were $59. They also had J Brand at $99-$149 instead of $150-$225. Over 24 different styles of Marc Jacob sunglasses were $59-$89 instead of $135- $185.

Upcoming sales include La Coste, Miss Sixty, Superga, Thro, Adrianne, James Jeans, Linea Pelle and more.

This one ya need an invite to sign up for, otherwise you have to wait… can’t have that.
BeyondTheRack

ECrater

When rents are high, foot traffic is slow, where do retailers and small business start ups go? Ecrater.com

Ecrater.com a 100% free online marketplace and a free ecommerce website builder. Sellers receive customizable free online stores. In addition, all products get listed in their free online marketplace. So like Etsey.com, they have smaller creative start up businesses using it to get their online business going and some of these offer some outstanding deals.

Here you’ll find a wide variety of small online stores. From designer clothing to magazines, and art to antiques. Kind of like an online swap meet but better.

Some stores are tiny with great deals. One shop on ECrater I liked was My Designer Closet http://www.mydesignercloset.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=3514877

This online women’s resale boutique had a new Marc Meredith Sweater dress at just $70 instead of $160.

Another bigger store, Tillie’s Tidbits had a wide variety of women’s & men’s fashion accessories. http://tilliestidbits.ecrater.com/ Featured was a pair of Ed Hardy deck shoes for $47. And a NWT Kate Spade women’s hot pink straw purse for $125…Retail is $265.

The jewelry, vintage and collectibles sections had the most dealers listed with a full range of pricing from bargain $5 pins to pieces in the hundreds of dollars.

E Crater.com is good online site to cruise for hard to find items as well as for fun..

SaleGrab

Okay if you are a die hard bargain shopper, have I got a site for you.  www.SaleGrab.com lists the deepest discounted prices on sale merchandise on dozens of different websites. Mostly fashion and accessories. Although I did spot several digital cameras and a few other electronics.

The savings on average 50%-95% off the original retail. 

The site organizes by steepest discounts first and some of these are so steep…. it’s stupid!

Some women’s Prada pants were $50 instead of $544. A men’s LS silk shirt by Nautica is $10 instead of $70. A stunner was a pair of Marc Jacobs Sunglasses. They say they list for $2500. No wonder no one bought them. Here they’re $120, a much more sane price.

The items at the deepest discounts had a very small size selection, often one of a kind. When you got into the 60% off range you got a bit of a better selection with more current merchandise. A Charles David Oxford pump retailed for $144 and it’s on sale at $44 in all sizes. But you have to remember these items are severely discounted for a reason.
Every item is sold off a different website, this is just a referral or affiliated website. The sites are pretty well known. Amazon, Macy’s and the like.

You can cruise the site by type of clothing and a few designer names. But the fun is starting at the deepest discounts and going from there.

Curl up with a cup of Hot Chocolate and spend a little time. You may come across the one item you’ve always wanted for a super cheap price.

GypsyTrunk

Most bargainistas have penchant for expensive stylish items but have learned how to get these coveted items for less. Sample sales, trunk shows, outlet malls are our favorite haunts. But for those of us fast working fingers, we can now shop an ongoing sample sale online without ever sharing a dressing room with strangers again.

www.GypsyTrunk.com is a new website that carries dozens of your favorite designer labels at sample sale prices. With a bit of something here for guys, gals and wee ones, you’ll find Bloom Love, Velvet, Trina Turks, Vince, Chip & Pepper, C&C California, Ella Moss, Mint, Joe Bush and more at 30%-60% below original retail. Though the selection in each designer label is minimal, overall there’s enough here to keep you cruising the site for more than a few minutes.

There is a seven-day exchange policy.

ShopItToMe

“Wow” flew out of my mouth the second I figured out how cool this website is. If you’re into online sales but rarely find your size or designers you adore, then www.ShopItToMe.com could well be your ticket.

The concept is simple and the service is FREE. Simply select your favorite designer apparel brands (Armani, Prada, Bebe, Betsy Johnson, Theory, Tahari, Juicy Couture, Seven Jeans, BCBG, etc…) and your size. They’ll cruise the websites of leading online retailers and then email a daily or weekly summary of the items that go on sale in your size. Clothes you love, in your size, emailed to you on sale. How cool is that?

You can specify if you want to receive daily, weekly, or semi-weekly emails. But, you’ll only get an email if a new item appears on sale in your size. They work with online stores for Saks Fifth Ave, Macy’s Gap, Nordstrom’s, Pink, Brooks Brothers, Overstock, Zappos, E-Luxury, Ann Taylor on Bluefly. So you won’t be shopping untried , unknown online stores.

BargainOutfitters

Sleepless nights usually find me surfing the net. On one of these lunar surfing expeditions I stumbled across a site that infused me with bargain glee…. BargainOutfitters.com

This site is filled with lots of guy stuff like cameras, radios, camping supplies and government surplus items at prices that were more than reasonable if not down right bargain basement. I couldn’t pin point what got me so energetic. It probably was the deals in their Super Email Bargains like a Seth Thomas retro styled Alarm Clock for $9.97 instead of $39.99 ( 75% savings) or the portable Conair Back massager for $11.97 instead of $50. Perhaps it was the Pulsar women’s watch at $24.97 instead of $125 or the feather and down feather bed at $39 instead of $120.

As I scanned the site, the disappointment of missing the Night Owl specials from 12am-3am (CST) was overwhelming. Doesn’t 4:30 in the morning count? It was way too early for the lunchtime specials that run from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm CST, but at least, I could plan ahead. Both of these super buying times have already discounted merchandise marked down even more.

My gleefulness at this new find must have come from the ease of surfing the site along with the promise of a bargain on something I never thought I would have wanted. Like all good e-commerce sites, there is a phone number so you can call in your order or check on your orders status. I signed up for their e-mails so I wouldn’t miss any exceptional deals.
This site is more fun… and has better deals than hitting an outlet mall.

Amazon Outlet

With the holidays just around the corner and all of us trying to keep our information secure during online purchases, I thought I’d check into the outlets at a tried and true, major online store.

Amazon.com is a fairly priced website. The Amazon Outlet is an extension of the regular site with additional discounts of 10%-50% on a variety of items usually found on their site. This outlet section includes deals from the independent sellers that Amazon partners up with.

There is a ton of product here, from computers (both new and refurbished) to sundries, bedding, toys, electronics, books, apparel and so much more. If you shop Amazon, you’ll want to start your bargain search here.

A quick cruise around the site yielded deals in every section. I found a Phillips DVD recorder for $200 instead of $399. A Panasonic 5.8 Ghz cordless phone was well priced at $54. An Audiovox portable personal video recorder w/ 2.5 LCD was $74.99 instead of $219.

The apparel section was quite large with dozens of name and designer labels. A bit of something for anyone (guys and girls) from plus size to infant. The bedding section had a good selection of higher end bedding. No poly junk here. The toy section was huge and you can browse by age appropriate toys. Books and music were overflowing with choices. This on line outlet is huge!

With all the goodies available, you may never leave your home to shop again. Simply put…lots of tempting deals

SheFinds

The boutiques and designers of New York are always at the top of fashion divas shopping list. But us hip West Coasters, Southerners and equally savvy Mid-Westerners can’t always hop on a plane to shop these designer digs. Enter www.SheFinds.com.

Owner Michelle Madhok, knows the trends and where to find them. Her expertise and knowledge give consumers everywhere the insight they need to get the latest styles and products that fit everyone and every budget. She reads all the fashion publications, scopes out the streets of New York and scouts the stores to find out what’s worth your while. Then she surfs the web for the best style finds and put them at your fingertips in her free weekly newsletter.

Like BargainsLA.com, SheFinds.com is packed with great ideas and sources. You’ll find out about new trends, products, designers and shopping boutiques before the masses and where the sources are for those items. But the area that She Finds has that Bargainsla.com does not offer (or I’d lose my mind) are leads to some of the best online sales in “Deal Alerts”. She Finds digs around, scopes ‘em out and saves you time and money by helping you find the best the web has to offer. As all savvy shoppers know, the best bargain shoppers are armed with up to date information. Here’s a great place to get that along with the goodies.

If you’re a shopping fashion diva or just a “wanna be”, She Finds.com is the place to visit to get in the know.

TheTieBar

Okay guys, no excuses now for not looking great anymore. You’ve got your fabulous suit so why not get a great tie for only $15… hmmm? At www.thetiebar.com they have original silk woven ties for $15 in dozens of colors and patterns. They change their inventory with every season so you’ll always have something new to peruse.

It’s now so easy and affordable to have a wardrobe of quality ties. They have a “Tie of the Month Club” and for the challenged even directions on how to tie a tie, now you can let your wife off the hook. At $15, it’s a great way for business exec’s to look great for less.