Cyber Monday: Whats the Deal?

Okay, I missed out on some major Black Friday shopping because I was selling some fabulous cupcakes to weary shoppers. Am I a tad bit sad? You bet your butt I am! After spending the past 3 days talking to everyone else about their fabulous steals and wonderful purchases, I am lamenting my lost chance to spend mayjah dough on fluffy sweaters, nifty electronics, and whatever else I could possibly imagine. So I was the teeniest bit pumped to actually do a little bit of internet shopping on what has come to be known as Cyber Monday.

But it's 6:42 on this supposedly fantastic day and I have yet to find the glorious steals that my friends had the chances to find on Friday. I mean while there is no replacement for coming across the most luxurious cashmere sweater at 75% off in store and racing to try it on in the fitting room, only to buy it even if it doesn't fit. Because hey, WHO CARES, when its that cheap!?! However I was at least expecting some glorious cyber steals. I am left disappointed with what I have found today!

To give a little taste of my Cyber Monday experience, here a few of the email offers I recieved:

Aveda: 5 FREE samples
Anthropologie: FREE shipping
J.Crew: 25% off ALL men's and women's sweaters (plus, FREE shipping)
Barnes and Noble: FREE shipping

So the gist of Cyber Monday is FREE shipping. OH MA GOSH!!! Who can believe it, if you spend the regular amount of money per usual you get to save about $10!! Shocking. This is a world changing offer. Mind you this is an offer that is usually offered after you spend $50, depending on the website. Excuse me, but isn't the entire point of Cyber Monday to be the online version of Black Friday. I see very little correlation here.

If I were a company that was going to participate in Cyber Monday, I would offer better deals than just free shipping. Just because you can send me by book for free Barnes and Noble, doesn't mean I am going to order from your website. I could easily walk the few blocks to Barnes annd Noble, pay the same price for the book without having to wait for the shipping time. Unlike the shopping that occurs on Black Friday, there is no instant gratification from online shopping. I bought a pair of L.L. Bean boots two weeks ago and have yet to recieve them!

I wonder if other shoppers are enticed and fooled by the offers of measly free shipping? Am I being to picky here or do people agree that retailers should take more advantage of Cyber Monday and offer better steals to increase sales?

For the Love of Marc Jacobs

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

Its a tough world out there for college students. We study hard, we work hard and we play hard. We do all of these things so passionately that most of the time we find ourselves so strung out and stressed that we end up singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at 11 p.m. during the last minutes of the work shift. Well, this was me last night and let me tell you, this is not an isolated incident. I don't know if this impromptu performance was inspired by the horrific, gloomy Boston weather or because I want the holiday season so badly that I am consuming Pumpkin Spice Lattes at an extremely alarming rate. Anyhow, the life of the college student is a constant struggle. A daily battle between Father Time, the dreaded bank account, and the urge to throw my hands up and surrender to my over-stuffed comforter. It is in these desperate times that I have to remember the beautiful pleasures in life. The small things that I don't often get the chance to do because I am so focused on graduation and the impending (and yet very exciting) doom of real life. This is where my love of all things Marc Jacobs enters.

As a broke joke college student, I don't really have the luxury to go purchasing designer items whenever I am feeling down and in desperate need of retail therapy. But thanks to Marc Jacobs and the launch of the brand's new e-commerce site last week, I can now drift off into a fantasy world from the comfort of my own Macbook. What makes this site so exciting is that it goes beyond the ordinary website that merely show the fall or spring runway shows. It actually enables the consumer to purchase items without having to venture to Newbury Street to visit a boutique. When I find myself with a few extra dollars to spare, I can simply log onto www.marcjacobs.com and shop till I drop without actually getting my lazy self out of my bed. Or in the middle of class when I find myself drifting into the far reaches of my mind. Admit it, we all daydream more than we'd like to.

The storefront of marcjacobs.com

E-commerce sites are the latest trend in  the fashion industry, a lot of brands have realized the potential growth available through a direct online store instead of being sold through third party sites like Net-a-Porter, BlueFly, or Gilt Groupe. E-commerce sites make it that much easier for the suburban woman or college student to make a personal connection with a brand. A brand's site provides a unique experience that one like BlueFly cannot provide. It offers the ability for the customer to truly grasp the core ideas and beliefs behind the brand. The Marc Jacobs site was designed to look like a miniature dollhouse complete with sales representatives to guide you through the store and answer your every question. The store is unique to the Marc Jacobs brand. You certainly would not find male "sales associates" dressed in a woman's clothing on the Chanel site.

These sites provide the much needed escape from the everyday grind. It just so happens that one of the pleasures in my life is shopping- a pleasure that I do not get to enjoy often. But with the launch of e-commerce sites like Marc Jacobs, I find myself taking comfort in the world of Marc Jacobs with just a click of a button.