We asked our twenty-something shopping advisor to review the top online shopping sites. Here's what she found.

By Catherine Fisher

Zappos.com: originally a shoe site, Zappos now carries a wide array of clothing, shoes and accessories. The site is easy to navigate and easy to understand. Most items have customer ratings and comments to help you  really know what you’re buying.

Shipping: takes only two days and is FREE! 

Returns: Also free. Just re-package your items and send them back for a full refund. This is great if you’re unsure of what size to order since there is no penalty for sending back the one that doesn’t fit.  I typically don’t like to buy shoes online, but Zappos allows me to order multiple sizes and return the ones that don’t fit.

Overall, I have to give Zappos a perfect 10. I have made several purchases from this site and have never been disappointed.

Overstock.com: If you like the “thrill of the hunt” style shopping at TJMaxx or Marshall’s, this site is a good option.  While it’s worth a shot to visit this site in hopes of getting what you’re looking for at a discount price, it’s better to browse its pages with an open mind. With everything from electronics to kitchenware, clothing to sporting goods, and jewelry to furniture, Overstock can offer something for everybody on your list.

Shipping: During this holiday season, Overstock.com is offering free standard shipping to anywhere in the continental United States. Order by December 18 to take advantage of this promotion and to receive your gifts by the 24th.

Returns: According to the site, “most new or unopened items” can be returned within 30 days.  But, there is a laundry list of items that cannot be returned. And, you pay shipping on returns.

The main drawback of shopping on Overstock is its limited selection, especially in clothing and shoes. You might see something you want, but there is no guarantee that your size will be in stock. Thankfully, there's an option to shop according to your size, but I found this process to be a little tedious. There also isn’t a size guide for many items, so visit the website of the brand/ designer to see how their clothes run.

HINT: Shopping for a child or teen who wants a pricey digital camera or other electronic device?  Worried about paying that much for an item that he or she (being young) could very well break? Overstock offers  Refurbished items at a fraction of the retail price. These items have been completely refurbished by the manufacturer and must pass a rigorous test/ screening process before being re-sold. You can get a camera that, bought brand new, would cost $300, for around $100.

Oldnavy.com, Gap.com, Bananarepublic.com, Athleta.com and Piperlime.com: While three of these stores can be found at your local mall, nothing beats the convenience of shopping from home. Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic are all major retailers specializing in quality clothing at decent prices. 

Piperlime.com is similar to Zappos in that it specializes in shoes, accessories and apparel from most major designers. It also has a very similar shipping/ return policy. 
Athleta.com carries a wide array of clothing, shoes and accessories for women interested in athletics or the outdoors.   While athletic wear is its main focus, Athleta also carries a wide variety of cute tops, skirts, pants and dresses, many of them with built-in undergarments, that you would never guess came from an athletic wear company.

Shipping: The greatest advantage to these sites is that you can combine items from all five sites into one  order for a flat shipping rate of only $7. This means only having to enter all of your personal and payment information once and only paying for shipping once. (Plus, if you have an Old Navy, Gap, or Banana Republic credit card, you can use it at all five sites.)

Returns: All stores will accept returns by mail (for a $6 charge) within 45 days of the purchase date.  But, Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic will also accept online returns and exchanges in-store, which can save you the $6 return charge.

Amazon.com: One of the first major online retailers, Amazon.com really set the bar high for online shopping.  Originally known as a bookstore, Amazon has branched out and now carries, well, everything:  books, movies, music, toys, clothing, accessories, home and garden, electronics, sporting goods and even food and personal goods all for excellent prices.

Shipping: Here’s where things get a little tricky. While Amazon does sell many items themselves, the company also allow outside retailers to sell on its website. Unfortunately, this means that you could actually end up placing several separate orders (and in turn, paying separate shipping). If your order from Amazon (not including outside retailers selling through Amazon) is at least $25, you qualify for “Super Saver Shipping,” which is basically free standard shipping.  However, if your order consists of four different items from four different sources, you’re going to have to pay four different shipping charges, which can quickly add up.

Returns: Here, again, there is come confusion based on the fact that an order might come from several different sources—the return policy for each item might be different so you may want to check on that before placing your order.

Overall, the typical “Amazon experience” is a good one. The website is easy to use and the prices and selection are unbeatable. 

Victoriassecret.com: While famous for its lingerie, Victoria’s Secret also carries a wide array of clothing, lounge and sleep wear, shoes, accessories, and beauty products that aren’t available in stores and also make great gift ideas. Victoria’s Secret often offers online promotional discounts on certain items or on purchases of a certain price. Sign up for their e-mail list and you’ll get all the information on these promotions along with other online coupons.

Shipping: While they might occasionally have special “free shipping” promotions, Victoria’s Secret typically has an escalating shipping price—i.e. the more expensive your purchase, the more expensive the shipping.

Returns: A major  inconvenience with Victoria’s Secret online shopping is that you cannot return to stores as with the Gap or Old Navy. You have to mail the return back and they deduct the price of shipping from your return credit.

The greatest thing about this site is that it literally has anything that a girl could want. Have a picky teenager who seems impossible to shop for?  Check out this site and you’re sure to find a gift to please.

Walmart.com or Target.com: No  holiday season goes without at least one trip to one of these mega-stores. My mom always said, “If you can’t find it at Wal-Mart, you probably don’t need it.” Which, around holiday time, proves to be true as you can literally find anything you might need at either of these locations. But, go onto their websites and you will find a whole other world of what seems like millions of gift items that can’t be found in the stores.

Shipping: The best part of ordering from these sites is that you can have your items delivered to your home for a fee or shipped to your local store for no charge. While this option might seem inconvenient, it is definitely a worthwhile option when you consider that you wouldn’t have to pay shipping or freight charge for something like a T.V. or piece of furniture.

Returns: Like the shipping options, you can also opt to return your purchase either by mail or in-store for a full refund.

I have used the ship-to-store option several times for everything from small personal electronics to large furniture pieces and have never been let down. Granted, it was slightly inconvenient having to find a way to fit a large desk set into my Nissan Sentra then having to set it up and carry it up to my apartment by myself. But, when I didn’t have to pay a cent for shipping or to return the desk once I realized it didn’t fit in my room, it was definitely worth it.

EBay.com: Looking for that rare item that can’t seem to be found anywhere? Try EBay. The original online auction site, EBay has become some people’s last resort shopping and others’ guilty pleasure. While posting an item for sale does have a small fee, you can shop til’ you drop for free.
The beauty of the auction-style shopping can mean great bargains. Many items also have a “Buy-it-Now” option that allows you to instantly purchase the item without having to wait for open bidding to end. Unfortunately, this is often the highest price that a seller could expect to receive for their product, meaning you could end up spending a lot more.
 

The major drawback to this auction format is the fact that there is no guarantee that you’ll actually be able to purchase your item. If someone out-bids you at the last second, you’re out of luck. If you have any fear of this sort of scenario and have your heart set on that perfect gift for a loved one, it might be worth it to use the Buy-it-Now option.

Shipping: Every individual seller has a different shipping policy. Read the fine print on the seller’s page before buying.  You might get that rare French tea-set straight from France at a great purchase price, but you also might end up spending an amount equal to or even more than the purchase price for shipping and handling.

Returns: Like the shipping policy, the return policy also depends on the seller.  So, again, check out the fine print on the seller’s page if you have any doubts.

HINT: Check out the User Ratings at the bottom of a seller’s page—you might be able to deter yourself from getting taken for a ride.

 Catherine Fisher is a journalism student at UMass Amherst. Her humorous essays and stories have also been published on Masslive.com.