My Favorites Stores to Shop At

Like many other females I love shopping, but bad service can be such a turn-off and really deter me from shopping at a store again in the future. This is a list I have been compiling for quite a while, after shopping at these stores numerous times and having wonderful customer service.

A peek into my shopping bag from a day trip during Study Abroad

• Victoria's Secret
• This past week I received amazing service at Victoria's Secret. I have an angel card, and shop there quite regularly.  I am usually a bit overwhelmed by the variety so I like to get an idea of what I'm looking for online first. However, this time I stopped in unexpectedly. The saleswomen were amazing, I was measured and brought a bunch of different options to try on and I left feeling confident and very happy with my purchases. I also love shopping there during a sale, this week I received a free perfume gift set. Having an angel card is definitely worth it as long as you're responsible, and can pay it off on time. The interest rate is a bit high if you're someone that doesn't pay off your cards right away. Once you reach a certain amount of points on your card you receive gift cards to use towards future purchases, plus you get perks when shopping online! 
• Alex & Ani
• On Long Island collecting Alex & Ani bracelets is a pastime, seriously I'm pretty sure all my friends own at least one and I have been gifted them on numerous occasions. I have mentioned this on the blog before, if I remember correctly, but for my 20th birthday my boyfriend bought me a beautiful Alex & Ani necklace. A few months ago the chain broke and I'm pretty sentimental about gifts, so I was bummed that it was broken. Since the chain slides I didn't think I would be able to fix it at a local jeweler so I contacted Alex & Ani's customer service instead. The process was incredibly easy, I just had to fill out a form and send a picture of the broken chain, and they sent me a new one! I highly recommend shopping with Alex & Ani. 
• Thrive Market
• Thrive Market is a somewhat new find for me, think of it as the Amazon.com of healthy living. A few months ago Becca and I decided to post about our hauls and what we thought of the products. I have since signed up for their membership and made quite a few purchases ranging from cruelty-free beauty products to trail mix. My favorite part of the site is that you can read about the 'values' of each product your considering purchasing, whether it is cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free, fair trade, a woman-owned business, family-owned business, etc. It's all spelled out for you, no research required.
• Costco
• Ok, now this might be an unexpected one since you're reading the blog of a 20-year-old college student. But seriously, COSTCO! Costco has everything, I have gotten designer sunglasses, books, smoothie packs, designer coats --everything here! I feel like everyone could benefit from a Costco membership; college students, families, even seniors. They really have something for everyone and often times shopping in bulk is easier on your wallet. 
• Target (click and pick up) 
• Everyone loves Target, and for obvious reasons. However, I recently discovered that you can do your shopping online and they will have it ready for pickup that day! If everything you were looking for is available in store, it really saves time, not to mention the cost of shipping. 
• Lush
• My favorite thing about shopping at Lush is the knowledge of their salespeople. I worked  at one of the Lush locations last Christmas, and was amazed by how much training we endured for about 2 months of work. I value that experience though, because it really helped me customize my skincare and figure out what is right for me. And now when my friends need a skincare recommendation, regardless of brand, I know what direction to steer them in. I also love that Lush uses fresh ingredients and never tests on animals. 
• Trader Joe's
• I prefer to do a majority of my grocery shopping at Trader Joes. They always have 'different' meals and desserts, I especially love their cookie butter, which they have also made a cheesecake with! 
• Francesca's
• Francesca's is a little boutique style shop that I find myself wandering into on my trips to the mall. I wouldn't say that all of their products are my style, but they have an amazing selection, and the staff has always been super helpful and polite. I especially love their earrings. 
• RueLaLa
• If you are looking for deals on designer apparel, homeware, and accessories check out RueLaLa. I love perusing their flash sales and can always find something interesting. Their site is especially great if you're shopping for a gift! 

Although it's difficult for me to do during the school year, especially with a changing work schedule, my number one tip for shopping is to try to go to stores on weekdays, and/or mornings. Weekends are insane at malls and other retail centers, there are way too many people for me to feel comfortable, and the lines for fitting rooms and checkouts often stress me out enough for me to leave empty handed. Shopping during the week is more relaxing, you often receive better service as well because store employees do not have a crowd of people to service.

Also remember to check out my new promo page, I am an ambassador for a few brands and love to pass on the savings to you guys!

Happy Shopping! Let me know some of your favorite stores in the comments!   

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