HauteLook is a member site provided by Nordstrom that provides sale items in several different departments. It’s supposed to have drastically reduced prices on name brand items, but let’s see what it really looks like on the inside and do some cross checking to see what sort of deals it really entails.
Overview
Retail therapy stems from that feeling you get when you know you got a good deal on an item that others are probably paying more for. We’re always looking for a deal and that’s what makes a website like HauteLook so attractive, at least at first glance. Since it’s a Nordstrom company the underlying idea is that you’re getting the same sort of quality items, or at least the same brands, that they would have in their stores, but at reduced prices because they’re clearance items.
The Claim
HauteLook claims that you’ll be privy to some really great deals, deals you wouldn’t be able to find in store, and ones that you wouldn’t have access to without an online membership. They also say that you’ll get a mix of different items on offer, for both men and women, as well as kids and things for your home. Of course they also have specials on beauty products, so you can find an assortment of different products that you might have been looking for anyway, and can score them at discounted prices all in one place.
The Hype
They refer to it as a membership, but since it’s free and anyone can join it’s not as if it’s exclusive by any means, or there’s a waiting list to get in. They basically just want your information so that they can send you emails and reminders to come back to the site to peruse their latest offers. They also hype up how much you can save. Some have pointed out that they inflate the retail prices in order to make the savings look more drastic.
The Cost
It’s free to sign up to be a member of Hautelook, and from there it only costs the price of whichever products you’re interested in buying. There’s also an app that you can download for free for both Android and iPhones. You’ll need to provide your contact information in the form of a workable email address, which is a form of currency in our digital era, as it gives companies a way to contact you and entire empires can be built on free memberships alone, just look at Facebook.
The Commitment
You’re never under a commitment to buy what’s being offered, so it’s not like it’s a membership that sends you stuff each month and charges you each month. In that respect it’s just like a membership you have at any number of sites where they simply send you updates on the new items they have for sale, and you can come by and check them out and see if there’s anything that gets you interested in buying.
Evaluation
After taking Hautelook for a spin we were pretty impressed with some of the finds, at least at first. They had a pair of Pink & Pepper Lucie Platform Sandals going for $26 and a search for these uncovered them “on sale” at DSW for $56, with Google Shopping showing the lowest price as $49 from Zappos. That’s a pretty good deal for a stylish pair of shoes. The only snag is that they didn’t have any sizes available, so there’s not really a need to have it listed at the site, since it’s only a deal if the deal can be had.
Final HauteLook Review
HauteLook may not be as amazing as they claim it is, but it shouldn’t be ignored either. They provide an eclectic assortment of items that you’ll likely find interesting, and it can tip you off to some styles that may not have been top sellers but still look good. The discounts you’ll be getting will vary, so you should always check to see if you’re really getting a good deal before you finalize your purchase. It’s a Nordstrom company so it’s a legit place to do business online, which might make it preferrable than an unknown website offering the same product at a lower price.
Our Recommendation
It’s always nice to have a good collection of sites that show you different products tailored to your specific tastes. Signing up to be a member is easy enough, and if you get sick of their emails you can always unsubscribe or simply filter out their emails from your inbox. But if you like shopping at Nordstrom you’ll almost certainly enjoy seeing what Hautelook has on offer and will look forward to opening their update emails.
I was attracted to this review because I have been seeing the commercials for this website over the last year or so. They really make it out like it is the perfect way to shop online. It reminds me a lot of the Overstock.com commercials that always used to air. I have purchased items from some of these sites. Sometimes they are great, high quality items. Other times, I have inadvertently purchased cheap knock-offs. If Hautelook is less than what they claim in their commercials, I won’t even bother with it and will continue shopping at the mall instead, where I can see and feel what I’m buying.
I am an always an advocate of having more options to compare. You never know when you are getting the deal of the century or are getting charged an extra $100. Being able to compare numerous sites gives the consumer the advantage. I will definitely check HauteLook out.
I haven’t tried it, but I’ve been on the lookout for a good online shopping website lately, and this one might be one that I’ll look into. I’m not usually big into brands, but usually the nicer brands actually give you a better quality product, not just a stylish name, so if you can afford it, or if you can find a good deal like with a website like this, then it’s a great idea. It’s also not a bad plan to look at the items on here and then, like the article said, use it as inspiration to find the same style maybe cheaper elsewhere. Either way, to sign up for free and have the potential to find great deals is definitely worth it in my book.
I think this is a great idea. No fee to join, and if you’re getting their emails you obviously have the internet right there to check for the same merchandise online to make sure it’s a great deal. The only downside may be if they sell their email lists and a small tsunami of unwanted spam arrives on the heels of Hautelook. But that is the only negative I can think of with this. I think I’ll go ahead and join. There were some beautiful linens on the site in the Home department that I would love to get on sale. Has anybody else already tried this deal?
I love love love online shopping and the only thing better than find the perfect closet item is finding it on sale. This is one of the reasons I love to search around HauteLook. Like the review mentions, you will run into various sales where they do not have certain sizes, thus leaving you out of luck. But I view HauteLook as an online clearance rack. It is more convenient to scan through a clearance rack while online and if I had to take the time to physically visit a store, they wouldn’t necessarily have my size either. This site gets 5 stars from me!