Online shopping is so fun, but it could be really bad for the environment.

Related on EcoSalon
The 8 Phases of Shopping for Green Beauty Products that Wreak Havoc on Your Emotions
20 Funny Shopping Quotes that are Oh-So-True
Grocery Shopping for One: The Single Girl’s Guide to Not Overbuying

The post Your Online Shopping Habit Could be Destructive [Video] appeared first on EcoSalon.

Unless you are fortunate enough to have the likes of NYC green beauty shops nearby, you likely shop online. Confused over color choices? Mystified by skin care options? Perplexed with pricing? Here’s how to shop green beauty online like a pro.

You are committed to nontoxic beauty. Still, sometimes you yearn for the convenience of popping into a department or drugstore, picking up your must haves and perusing the goods. Green beauty is a vast market, with loads of beautiful brands and high performance products to choose from. And the best way to go about scoring those items is shopping online.

Shop Green Beauty Online Like a Pro

Go to the green. First things first, know where to shop. Yes, you can hit up a big online beauty shop that carries a mix of natural and not. But this method works best if you know exactly which products you are buying and that these spots have the best deal. For a truly natural experience, go to the all green shops.

Find your favorites. Shopping the store(s) that has all (or most) of the brands you use usually saves you money in the long run on shipping. So rather than going to the brand site for each product, scout out which online stores carry your beauty posse and stock up.

Choosing shades 101. Makeup can be difficult to purchase online. As if matching foundation and concealer shades isn’t difficult enough, colors can look off on a website. Here is a trick I use all the time. If an online store doesn’t have detailed descriptions of cosmetic colors, go to the brand site. Brands often do a better job of describing their products, so you can get a good idea of what the color will look life once you get it. Now that you know, go back to the online shop and add the product of choice to your basket.

Choosing skincare 101. This can be super tricky. It’s not like you can look at a product and know how it will work on your skin. In department stores we talk to the person working behind the counter. They are knowledgeable on the products they sell and can tell you which products are right for your skin. Guess what? Many online beauty stores have aestheticians at your service. The Detox Market, BeauTeaBar, CAP Beauty, and Eco Diva Beauty all have on-call advisors.

Ask an expert. If there is no aesthetician service, send an email with your questions. Most shops are good about getting back to customers. Better yet. Ask a green beauty expert. People who write about green beauty have usually sampled lots of products and are in the business of sharing their knowledge and opinions. Scout out an organic beauty expert on IG that you can relate to and pick their brain.

Try it out. Think samples are out when shopping online? No way! Samples are included on most green beauty sites at checkout. The Detox Market offers 5 samples of your choice for under $9.99 and Spirit Beauty Lounge has a $25 custom sample kit, a great way to try before you buy.

Check out the goods. Thankfully for the ol’ wallet, impulse buying is cut way down when shopping online. But it’s still fun to check out items that you may like while picking up your staples. I love the targeted pages on green beauty shops, like This Just In on CAP Beauty, What’s New on Eco Diva Beauty, Best Sellers on BeauTeaBar, and Staff Picks on Spirit Beauty Lounge.

Have questions on online green beauty shopping? Shoot me a comment, I’m happy to help out!

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

Related on EcoSalon:

9 Prettiest Green Beauty Instagram Accounts to Follow Now

9 Organic Beauty Shops Around the World You Have to Try

Dirty 13: Most Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in Cosmetics

Image of girl shopping online via Shutterstock

The post How to Shop Green Beauty Online Like a Pro appeared first on EcoSalon.

Here’s how to make sure everything fits just right when you buy clothes online.

What’s more annoying than ordering something online, only to find out it doesn’t fit? Buying clothes online can be a tricky business—but it doesn’t have to be. All you need are some trusty, no-fail tricks up your sleeve for the ultimate online shopping experience.

Here are 9 simple ways to buy clothes online (and actually get to keep them):

1. Know your measurements

Sure, you may consider yourself a size 8, but every company’s size 8 is going to fit a little differently. Keep your exact measurements on hand as a quick reference guide—bust, shoulders, sleeve length, waist, hips, and leg inseam. (Here’s a handy guide to help you measure properly.)

2. Check return policies

Even if the clothes fit perfectly, you might find the color’s more blah in person or the fabric’s too flimsy for your liking. Worse yet, there might be a shipping error, like the time an online store sent me two left boots. Look into the return policy: Does the store even accept returns? If so, for how long? Do you have to pay for the shipping, or do they cover it? The more flexible an online store’s return policy, the better.

3. Read the fit notes

Most online stores have fit notes that tell you the height of the model and what size she’s wearing, which is a great way to decipher how the outfit might look on you. You’ll also want to check out the size chart to make sure you are, in fact, on the right track with your estimations.

4. Buy multiple sizes

Since you’re buying clothes from a site with a flexible return policy (cough, cough), buy more than one size of the items you love, but that have you stumped in the fit department.

5. Avoid items with an uber-specific fit

For example, tops that have seams that go directly under your boobs, or dresses that have a sweetheart neckline. Skirts can also tricky to purchase online if they’re super-fitted. Items like these are best to buy in-store, so you can make sure the girls have enough breathing room. That said, if you intend to buy clothes online from the same stores regularly, you’ll eventually know their sizing options off-by-heart and won’t have to worry.

6. Be picky with your fabric choices

If you’re wanting to buy fitted pieces, make sure the fabrics are thicker. Thinner fabrics tend to be more finicky, and are better for loose pieces that aren’t tailored.

7. Find pieces that are easily adjustable

For example, buy tanks that have adjustable straps over fixed, knit tops over woven, and strappy shoes over pumps. Not only will it up your odds of finding the perfect fit, but you’ll save a ton on tailoring costs.

8. Choose pieces that mirror your body shape

Do a little digging to find out the silhouettes that best suit your body type and stay on the lookout for these as you buy clothes online. You’ll substantially up the odds of the items fitting properly.

9. Stick to simple silhouettes

If you know an item’s going to need adjustments but you just can’t resist, choose simple silhouettes that are easy to tailor—otherwise, with what you’d spend on tailoring, you may as well go for a custom look.

What are your go-to moves when you buy clothes online?

Related on EcoSalon

20 Funny Shopping Quotes That Are Oh-So-True

The 8 Phases of Shopping for Green Beauty Products that Wreak Havoc on Your Emotions

Vintage Shopping Tips from an Industry Pro

Online shopping image via Shutterstock

The post 9 Ways to Buy Clothes Online That Actually Fit appeared first on EcoSalon.

Alternatives to clothes shopping are popping up to smartly satisfy what women want.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis averages each American will spend roughly $1,700 on clothes shopping each year. And, American women will spend double the national average–putting $3,400 annually towards new clothing purchases.

There is no argument against the modern closet overflowing, overstuffed and over-cluttered with too much clothing. In fact, I’ve never heard a friend say she wants more clothing. Certainly we’ve all moaned about having “nothing to wear,” but when most women only put on 20 – 30 percent of their wardrobe, it’s hard to imagine more is what we need. The general trend is advancing towards hosting a minimal, well-curated wardrobe, and some companies are tactically giving us exactly what we want.

Check out some successful alternatives to clothes shopping new below.

Bib + Tuck

Bib + Tuck is an online swapping site where you can virtually swap clothing from a well-curated community. Inside the closets of celebrities, artists, stylists, editors, bloggers, journalist, and everything in between, you can bib (meaning to give) and tuck (meaning to take). The name comes from the old English phrase, “To wear your best Bib and Tucker.”  The site’s model is based on the user being both a bibber and a tucker, but you can also buy “bucks,” the communities currency.

“I think there is a big divide between buying new and buying at a secondhand marketplace. Bib + Tuck exists to bridge that divide.” says co-founder Sari Azout.

Bag Borrow or Steal 

Ever wanted a meticulously crafted designer bag, just for a little while? The option is out there. Bag Borrow or Steal allows you to rent, or ‘borrow,’ designer handbags at a monthly rate. You can accessorize on a month to month basis, and send it back when you are done. “This is a great way to experience high fashion at a fraction of the cost,” says Bag Borrow or Steal user Deb. The site also offers a smaller, but equally curated selection of jewelry and sunglasses.

Rent The Runway

Rent a high fashion dress for that extraordinary occasion through Rent The Runway. They offer an enormous selection of evening, party, and designer dresses which you can rent on a four- or eight-day basis. Rent The Runway also encourages users to upload a photo of themselves wearing the dress. So each gown is packed with special stories from their nights-out.

featured image from Bag Borrow or Steal, images from the companies

Related on EcoSalon

How To: 10 Tips For A Successful Clothing Swap

7 Awesome Thrift Stores in New York City

7 Awesome Thrift Stores in San Francisco

The post 3 Examples of What Clothes Shopping Will Look Like In The Future appeared first on EcoSalon.

Image: Vaunte 

Fall’s here and search for the perfect party dress (and work ensembles) begins. Online luxury consignment websites are easier to use than ever and mean clothes that are budget-friendly, lower-impact, and best of all, help you avoid the trudge through the mall.

There’s no denying it, we’ve transitioned from sunny summer to the darkening days of fall. If you looked at your calendar recently, you know that holiday parties and the need for glamorous looks are on their way. When it comes to finding the perfect dress for the party or blazer for work, there’s a lot to consider for those conscious consumers with an eye on getting the most out of our clothes. 

Buying gently used clothes and accessories from luxury consignment sites online guarantees us clothing that is less trend and season driven and more unique. Who wants to look like they are dressed from the latest brand catalog or department store window? The best advantage to shopping consigner? Your new piece won’t be found on any other of the guests at the party, thus avoiding a same-dress disaster to spoil your night.

Here are our favorite sites for finding a special look that’s all your own.

 Vaunte

Vaunte taps into our voyeuristic passion for discovering what items our favorite style insiders wear and makes it easy to snap them up ourselves by shopping directly from their covetable designer wardrobes.

The RealReal

An impressive selection of secondhand designer and luxury brands for men and women, the RealReal features Gilt Groupe-style 72-hour-long sales presented by brand and style in a relatable, but high fashion editorial voice.

Yoogi’s Closet

For buyer and sellers in the market for pre-owned designer handbags, shoes, accessories and jewelry, Yoogi’s Closet stands out for their dedication to authenticity. If you are ready to shell out big bucks for that Chanel, Louis Vuitton or Hermes bag of your dreams, this is the place to find it.

Decades

Divided into 20th century vintage and 21st century modern, Cameron Silver and Christos Garkinos’ Decades is a now legendary vintage consigner in Los Angeles, responsible for outfitting the Hollywood elite in vintage treasures since 1997.

Fashionphile

While the focus is on high-end handbags and accessories, it’s Fashionphile‘s top-notch customer service, down-to-earth design and discounted prices that appeals to their loyal customer base.

Related on Ecosalon:

Thrift Store Reconnaissance: You’re On An Eco-Fashion Mission!

Secondhand Fashion Gets A Digital Upgrade

The post Best Luxury Consignment Sites Online: Budget Fabulousness appeared first on EcoSalon.

Haven’t gotten into online shopping yet? You may want to make the shift if you care about the environment.

Ooooh, the thrill of opening up the front door to find a mysterious brown box, carefully taped shut and stamped with the Amazon logo or the address of a far-away eBay seller. Very few delights in life compete with the simple pleasure of getting a package, even when you already know what’s inside. Fortunately for delivery-lovers such as me, ordering products online for home shipping is, in fact, among the most environmentally-friendly ways to shop. And while it’s still important to consume less to preserve the planet, it makes sense to procure those items you really need with a few clicks of the mouse instead of trekking down to the brick-and-mortar store.

The folks at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon Green Design Institute studied the environmental impact of shopping online at Buy.com versus traditional in-person shopping; they found that hitting the Internet for supplies and gifts creates 35 percent less greenhouse gas and energy waste than traditional shopping. During the online shopping portion of the experiment, the majority of environmental damage occurred during packing and “last-mile” delivery. For retail stores, most of the emissions came from customers driving to the store and back.

For a product to reach a retail destination, it must first be shipped to a distributing center, then to a warehouse and finally to the store itself. In the online shopping world, there’s often no need for a warehouse—after clicking “confirm order,” a distribution center gets the message and ships your book, bath towels or knee-high boots directly to you. Combined with the fact that you don’t need to leave home to pick up your goodies, this translates to a significant environmental savings.

Of course, this study only reflects the Buy.com shipping model, and some online retailers may use less eco-friendly shipping practices. Plus, there are still some situations when it’s greener to stay local. For example, if you’re after a hemp T-shirt and that boutique down the street happens to sew its own, it’s probably far greener to drive a mile and buy the locally-manufactured item than to order online—after all, that shirt has never seen a factory, distribution center or warehouse. Bike there to score even more green points.

On a positive note, more people are buying online than ever, helping to reduce the environmental impact of shopping. According to Bloomberg, experts predict a 45 percent increase in e-commerce between 2012 and 2016. And with online sales in 2012 totaling $327 billion worldwide, that promises to be an impressive leap indeed.

Not to bust the party, but there is one important point to hammer home: There’s really no such thing as “green” shopping. Every item you purchase takes resources from the earth, and is probably manufactured in an energy-guzzling factory and treated with toxic chemicals. Then it’s packaged in wrapping that uses even more resources before it’s shipped—sometimes halfway across the world—to distributors. And that’s before you even see the product. Green consumption is minimal consumption, so don’t forget about the environmental price tag that comes with every bar of soap or cute pair of skinny jeans you spot on Amazon.

Image: lemonhalf

The post Delivery, Please! Why Online Shopping May be Better for the Environment appeared first on EcoSalon.

Transition into fall with 4 easy pieces.

Fall is without a doubt the most beautiful season of the year. Crispy leaves, golden tones and the last few bright red sunsets of summer. It does however make for difficult dressing. Summer dresses and sandals dismissed, cold mornings lure you into layering up for the day. But by the time the midday lunch run comes around, this becomes sweaty business – the sun is out in full force and you are wrapped up in a cashmere sweater!

Fear not however – fall dressing need not be so stressful. It may surprise you at how many transitional pieces are already in your wardrobe. But if you are in need of some inspiration, check out our favorite online (sustainable fashion) picks of the season below, many are as friendly on the purse strings as they are on the environment, and can be worn right the way through from fall to next summer.

THE DRESS

This 100% organic silk dress by Edun is the perfect base piece for an outfit in any season. For fall, team with some chunky heeled ankle boots and socks for easy day time chic. As winter sets in, add some thick black opaques into the mix, and cozy up with a waist length biker jacket topped off with a comfy gilet and chunky knit scarf, to create a practical yet edgy winter look.

To make this already perfect dress even better, it’s a steal reduced by 50% to $222.50 on the Edun website.

THE SHIRT

With their first collection debuting in 2011 and being a huge success, century old brand Pendelton uses home grown fabrics and create every garment in their Oregon based factory. A wardrobe essential, the denim shirt is easily transitioned through all seasons. Wear now tucked into brightly colored pants as seen above, and add some cute flats and a chunky belt. For colder weather, button to the top and layer with a chunky knit sweater and straight leg pants underneath an oversized coat for off-duty weekend style.

Grab this staple piece online at Nordstrom for $80.00

THE SKIRT

Model and actress Liya Kebede’s label LemLem supports workers in her home country of Ethiopia, by preserving the art of handweaving and inspiring economic independence amongst the people. This cotton striped knee length skirt with recycled coconut buttons is the perfect purchase to help a good cause and update your fall look. Team this fun skirt with a simple trench as above for fall, and gradually mix in layers of colorful chunky knits and thick woolen tights to keep your mood bright  through the winter season.
Skirt $240 available online at LemLem

THE PANTS

London based label Chinti & Parker aims to create ethically conscious garments using sustainable fabrics, yet not compromising on style. These adorable cotton star print straight leg trousers can be dressed up with a smart silk blouse and heels or kept simple with a casual cashmere sweater and brogues. In the winter, wear tucked into biker boots with a leather jacket and chunky knit accessories.
Cotton Trousers, $265 at NET-A-PORTER

Image: Martinak15

The post 4 Key Wardrobe Staples to Take You Through Fall appeared first on EcoSalon.

Marketers get keen as to what drives women to shop based on habits.

Good and bad, everyone has habits. Flossing, exercising, online shopping, putting two teaspoons of sugar in your tea – the things we do on a daily basis end up shaping a large part of who we are, whether we realize it or not.

Habits used to be something we could keep to ourselves. If we liked to buy a pint of Ben & Jerry’s every Thursday night, we were free to do that. Nobody else needed to know about it, save perhaps for the quasi-judgmental person at the cashier.

But increasingly, our personal habits – more specifically, data about what we buy and when we’re most likely to buy it – are sought after by retailers, marketers, and statisticians. And there is one group whose personal purchasing data is most desirable: working women aged 24 to 54.

A recent New York Times Magazine article highlighted the tactics that retail giant Target uses to tailor it’s marketing strategy to individual customers. The author, Charles Duhigg, provided the example of a fictitious shopper who, based on a complex set of algorithms created by Target’s mathematicians, had an 87 percent chance of being pregnant and due in August:

“Jenny Ward, who is 23, lives in Atlanta and in March bought cocoa-butter lotion, a purse large enough to double as a diaper bag, zinc and magnesium supplements and a bright blue rug… Target knows [that if Jenny] receives a coupon via e-mail, it will most likely cue her to buy online. They know that if she receives an ad in the mail on Friday, she frequently uses it on a weekend trip to the store. And they know that if they reward her with a printed receipt that entitles her to a free cup of Starbucks coffee, she’ll use it when she comes back again.”

Duhigg goes on to explain how Target amasses information on individual customers by assigning each one a guest ID number. If you’ve ever used a coupon, visited a website, paid with a credit card, filled out an online survey, or opened an email from Target or a company like it, it’s likely you have a guest ID number as well. It’s also likely that Target is already sending you tailored ads and coupons for things they know will get you in the store, like a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

As one columnist recently put it, “data is the currency of the internet.” The relationship between gaining access to our personal data and a company’s ability to boost profits is explicit and direct. A recent study found that increased government regulations on online privacy would result in reduced investment in and less innovation coming out of places like Silicon Valley, the nation’s tech-entrepreneurship capital.

So is it a bad thing if marketing firms and brands can anticipate our wants? If a runner does an online search for running shoes, wouldn’t a discount coupon for said shoes be beneficial to them?

Holly Buchanan is a marketing consultant and author who specializes in web-based marketing geared towards women. Buchanan says that when it comes to personalized marketing, a consumer’s reaction depends largely on the context in which they received the ad.

“For women who want a more relevant shopping experience, if your Amazon account suggests books you might like based on your past purchases, that’s helping to make your shopping experience better,” said Buchanan. “But what people get turned off by is the creepy factor. If you’re in Gmail and you get served up an ad based on content in a personal email. That’s creepy because you’re not in a shopping environment; you’re in a personal environment.”

The methods used by marketing firms to figure out what women want have progressed far beyond traditional focus groups. In addition to the habit-based research collected by large retailers like Target, Buchanan says other online marketing tactics include searching Twitter hashtags on a certain topic, reading personal product reviews on websites like Yelp, using targeted ads on Facebook, and interpreting website analytics to ascertain who is viewing what.

Google’s often criticized new privacy policy takes everything one step further by integrating the personal data collected across all Google products (think YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Google Maps, and Chrome) into one pool. Marketers can then use this information to customize ads across a wider platform.

There’s a reason, of course, why profit-seeking companies and eager marketers want women’s data specifically. Long known to marketers as CPOs or “chief purchasing officers,” women make 80 percent of the buying decisions in American homes.

“Women control so much [purchasing] power because so often they’re the ones doing the initial research,” Buchanan says. “As advertisers you have to get on her radar screen first in order to get his radar screen.”

An underlying maxim in marketing, according to Buchanan, is to go by what people actually do, rather than what they say they do. That is why data about female’s actual shopping habits, rather than data collected by asking women about their shopping habits, is so sought after.

“Any research you can do that measures consumer behavior versus what consumers say they do is incredibly valuable,” Buchanan says. “For women, there’s a lot of judgment in society (for mothers in particular), so they will tell you ideally what they’re going to do, but that isn’t necessarily what they’ll do.”

Image: tiseb

The post Women and Marketing: Does Our Data Define Us? appeared first on EcoSalon.

I’m a boutique owner with e-commerce skills – so why am I so fearful of ordering online? If I can’t get what I want locally then I will shop online, but I’m also very smart with my cash and don’t want to spend it on something I’ll just have to send back.

With this type of shopping (and possibly returning), you also have to think of carbon footprints, extra shipping and the fact that when you make the decision to buy something online it was special, on sale or just that perfect item you’d been looking for. It plain stinks to have to start the hunt all over again.

For those of you that have it nailed, I think we’d all love you to share your secrets in the comments, but for now, here are some tips that can get your online retail shopping ball rolling.

Know your measurements

You might think you can do it yourself, but just to play it safe, go to your favorite local tailor and have him or her measure you up. Get your bust, your hips and your waist measured so there’s no doubt.

Sites like Beklina have spots to click for sizing based on each size. Founder and designer Angelina Rennell says it’s important to know your measurements because designers all have slightly different sizing.

“A lot of our customers will email before making big purchases to double check on how the item is running – small, true to size, etc. We often get out the garment and measure for them. They can then compare that to their measurements. Customers should always feel comfortable emailing about sizing questions, sharing their size and inquire how the fit it running. They may say things like they’re really short or tall or big-busted and we can gauge if the style will work for them,” says Rennell.

If a brand fits, stick with it

You might be a fan of a line because you know they generally run a size large and whatever you get just always fits well. You might love the width of a certain type of shoe and the fact that they are always true to size. You know these things because you’ve always had success when buying them so stick with your winners.

Jennifer Miller owner of Charleston, West Virginia’s Mission Savvy says bamboo and hemp styles by labels such as EcoSkin are always reliably comfortable and true to size.

“The designer brings something new to the table every season and my online customers look forward to that. As far as dresses go, customers know what to expect from another tried and true label like Kelly Lane for colorful pieces. They also really appreciate that she goes up to a size XL and will follow her anywhere to get something new.”

Sizing or color question? Call the boutique!

The beauty of buying from small boutiques is that you don’t have to talk to someone halfway around the world who is not even in the boutique to get an answer.

Never feel silly calling. Small boutiques need to thrive and they can’t without you buying something that you’ll love and keep.

Julie Merriman, owner of Seattle’s Olivine says she always wants to make sure that her customers get the best possible customer service and make sure they love whatever arrives in the mail for them.

“One of the things I love about an online store versus a retail store is that people just don’t need as much help. Regardless, I am always happy to help customers with their questions,” she says.

You’ve got your order and it’s not that it fits bad, it’s just not like the picture

Before you give up and throw it back in the box or envelope to ship it back to the boutique, give them a call and tell them your feelings about the fit. Ask how they would style it and quite possibly with a few suggestions, your dream top or pants are again just that.

Olivia Bono owner of Sarasota, Florida’s Juno and Jove says a good design is made to fit lots of different body types.

“I consider the picture of the online model a starting point. You should get an idea of the fit and the unique details of the garment from the product photography, but style is about self expression. I myself am a medium, but I will often buy a size (or two) up or down depending on how I want to make that garment work on my body. We also like to keep our local tailors in business! If a pocket on the hip sags a bit too much or a wrap front top makes you feel a little too flashy, take it in to get tacked and tucked,” she says.

Beware the “Sale” designers

I have a t-shirt that says “I Heart Designers” and I really do but for those items that are always on sale, I say beware. There’s often some really good reasons why they are – including the fit, tightness, sheerness or armpit holes being too big. Or it might have been the buyer’s fault – caught up in the hype of the market, thinking they could really sell the piece or they misjudged their customer’s taste. Many things come into play and it’s worth it to call the shop you’re ordering from. If it’s cheap enough and can be altered by your favorite tailor, then it might still be worth the purchase.

For me, the big red flag is that both an urban and suburban boutique could not sell it. This means the piece was really just a design failure.

Final tip?

Make sure you don’t just buy sale items all the time. Splurge on the pieces you love versus filling your closet with clothes that are just okay.

Shouldn’t dressing be more than just being conscious? Maybe even (gasp) a lot of fun?

Image: Pecico

The post How to Order Clothes Online (And Get What You Want) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Early adopter that I am (Pinterest, check, About.me, check, Foursquare, check – related: why do I feel compelled to be the mayor of the corner coffee shop, check), if it can’t integrate with my beloved Firefox or my necessary Facebook, I am less likely to get hooked. Enter Rightcliq, a simple new shop-and-share-and-buy browser tool from Visa. It’s seriously simple: whether you see a cute product on a blog or are perusing an online catalog, you can save all your favorite things to Rightcliq with…well, a right click. The tool is integrated into your browser which makes it a snap to add, change and manage your favorite finds.

Once you’ve clicked the toolbar icon, you’ll see the “Wishspace,” where your discoveries are saved. It’s neatly customizable in that you can cluster things however you want (organization freaks will love this) – or not, if you want. But here’s where it gets really useful. Not only can you compare pricing and product information (a given for online wishlist services), but you can enlist your friends’ opinions and reviews via email and Facebook.

It makes the act of online shopping a little more thoughtful, which we dig. As in, hold your horses before making that impulse buy so your best friend can remind you there’s an organic alternative and what are you thinking. So, for example, if you’ve been hunting around your favorite eco retail boutiques online trying to put together the perfect look for a holiday party, you can save multiple items from various sites with a simple right click, and then organize them as, say, “Holiday Party”…or perhaps “In Which I Will Knock ‘Em Dead”. You can then invite any and as many of your friends as you like to give you their thoughts on said get-up so you know if the outfit is more word-to-your-mother or simply Meh.

Personally, I see this being incredibly useful for managing my Etsy addiction, and though it’s not a listed use, I see it quickly becoming an easier way to share design and fashion post ideas with our editorial team in lieu of hobbling through the Stumbleupon tool together. (No disrespect meant to the Stumble.)

But back to knocking ’em dead. If your trusted team says your ensemble is a go, purchasing and shipment tracking is integrated, of course (and Rightcliq handles all your info no matter how many sites are involved). Simple. Intuitive. Yep, we like.

Editor’s note: This post is sponsored by Rightcliq by Visa. In accordance with FTC policy, we will always tell you when we publish sponsored posts. We hope you have as much fun with Rightcliq as we do!

The post Get Friend Reviews on Tonight’s Outfit (or Tomorrow’s Gift) with Rightcliq appeared first on EcoSalon.