Shopping for clothes online is always a bit of a hassle if you ask me. Will it fit? Shipping costs? What about the return policy? But sometimes you don't have a choice. There might not be any retailers nearby that carry the color or size you want. Or maybe you just don't like dealing with overbearing sales people. The obvious place to get your goodies would clearly be your favorite brand's website, yet if you've ever checked hotel prices you might have noticed that company-owned websites tend to be on the pricey side and the best deals are usually found on independently owned websites. Though there are many websites that sell North Face clothing, I thought today I would look at one of the most popular online shopping websites, Zappos.com, and compare it to North Face's website.
Presentation:
North Face: B
Though the website design is top notch, there are few pictures of people wearing the clothes which is a major pet peeve of mine. I mean, how are you supposed to get a mental image of how something might look on you if there isn't even a person wearing it?
Zappos: A+
Yes, Zappos website uses a rather simple design but features at least four different pictures of the product from different angles as well as a VIDEO presentation. What more could you ask for?
What about sizes, colors, shipping and returns? Check out the winner after the jump!
Sizes/Colors
North Face: B
Without exception, North Face carries a wider selection of colors but doesn't always have as many sizes in stock as Zappos.
Zappos: B-
While Zappos carries sizes that are sold out on the North Face website, they don't nearly carry as many colors as North Face. Also, sizes need to be selected from a drop down menu while on the North Face website they are immediately visible.
Cost:
North Face: B
For some reason, several items are given a price range ($80-$100) instead of a fixed price. One can assume that larger sizes might be more expensive but the website doesn't give you the actual price of the item until you add it to the cart. Not ideal.
Zappos: A
While prices are the same as on the North Face website, there's no price range silliness.
Shipping Cost:
North Face: F
No you didn't! Shipping costs are nowhere to be found on the item page. Even when you click on the customer service link, no link to the shipping options is visible. It's not until you add an item to your cart and then open it that you get a little note saying "Add $150 to your card and get free FedEx Ground Shipping." I finally found a link to the shipping FAQ but alas no pricing information given.
Zappos: A
Free shipping! For those who can't wait 4-5 business days, Zappos also offers 1-, 2-, and 3-business day shipping with prices ranging from $7 to $25. I also appreciated the link to the shipping options on the item page.
Return Policy
North Face: B
Link to the return policy is at the very bottom of the page but relatively easily found. Full refund is issued minus $7 for postage. Items can also be returned to North Face retail stores. Returns are accepted up to a year after purchase date.
Zappos: A++
FREE returns up to 365 days from the date of purchase. Link with return policy is easily found on item page. Enough said.
WINNER: Zappos!
Though NorthFace.com has a wider selection of products, Zappos is the clear winner mainly because of its customer friendly shipping and return policy.
We randomly chose three different products on the Zappos website and compared them to the North Face website. Some features may vary and may not be available for all items.
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