Image from NYTimes.com
So with holiday shopping looming ahead for most of us who didn’t get that head start already yesterday and today, finding the right item at that bargain price can be the biggest pain. Especially at this time of year. I don’t know about you guys, but I usually try to stay out of the retail stores this year and take advantage of the myriad of online sales out there – as well as free shipping and other discounts on the net.

Problem is, I just don’t have the time to comparison-shop. Sure, if I’m looking for something specific I’ll usually Google it, look it up on Amazon, or enter it into some comparison shopping engine like Shopping.com or Bizrate.com.

But most of the time I have no idea what I’m looking for. Like an affordable (but nice) handbag for my handbag-collecting sister-in-law, a piece of chunky jewelry for my mom, a stylish trenchcoat for my best friend, a pair of jeans for Hub, a couple of sweaters for my son…and maybe something for myself while I’m at it…in any case, my holiday shopping list is comprised less of household bric-a-bric and more of clothing, accessories, and useful everyday wears.Enter ShopItToMe, a virtual “personal shopper” search engine that scours the internet for the best deals on brands you specify – and then emails them straight to your inbox, however often you want. You can get info on not only women’s, but men’s and children’s brands as well – perfect for crossing everyone in the family off that gift list. The list of brands it searches for is extensive – everything from Yves St. Laurent to Free People to American Apparel. And so is its list of retailers – from Macy’s to Shopbop to TheOutnet is searched according to your criteria. The site also suggests other brands you may like based on your original brand selections – and, when you receive an email, by providing feedback for each item by clicking the “Love it” or “Hate it” button below, you allow the search engine to send you increasingly more specific items tailored to your tastes.An example email from the ShopItToMe service.

It’s a fun and fabulous way to get great suggestions emailed to you without you ever having to life a finger – or stand in long checkout lines – or elbow your way through the sales at the mall. Click – click – done! Now that’s what I call holiday shopping!

(And ShopItToMe is not just for the holiday season of course – I’ve been using it for awhile to get the latest and greatest deals on my faves year ’round.)

And check out their Trendsetters section – which has a great selection of fashion blogs of note – including Chickdowntown, AFewGoodyGumdrops, theMakeupDivas, WhereDidUGetThat, theStylePA, Kristopher Dukes, …and yours truly!

Happy (discount) Shopping!
-Carly J. Cais

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