Alex P.

Another art supply online retailer with some of the lowest prices I've seen. One of the items in my order was out of stock with 7/6 listed as the date of receiving new stock. An email was sent informing me of this and gave me the option to cancel the order for that item or the whole order. There was also a shipping choice to ship all items when available or ship separately depending on availability (more expensive). Eventually the whole order was shipped around mid-July, so there was some delay but it arrived in fine packaging with nothing damaged.

This is a great site for art supplies! Paint, canvases, paper - whatever kind of art you do. They ship quickly and everything is packaged nicely. Even if you don't do any "art" per se, there are probably useful items for other sorts of projects too. Price wise, they're significantly cheaper than my mortar and brick art supplies store (sadly...) so although they charge tax for my state, they often run free shipping specials for a minimum so it evens out.

Otherwise, the shipping is dependent on weight/price which can get kind of expensive so it's really the most economic to order a bunch of stuff you definitely need and might need :).

I ordered a dress from here, one of the "GO International" pieces because it was on sale for ridiculously cheap and although I had an inkling it'd probably be terrible quality if not fit poorly, I ordered it anyway because of the cheap shipping ($4.95). It arrived and as expected, I had to return it at a store location (convenient) although the shipping isn't refundable. So yes, basically I paid $5 to try on a crappy dress.

I've noticed that checking their tracking # is also kind of annoying, maybe it was the browser on the computer I was using, but it would show me as logged in but would generate a temporary "account" for me to check the tracking info. Normally, most retailers/vendors send an email with a link to the tracking info so you can click through there without having to log in to any accounts. Maybe Target cracks down harder on security.

If you like retro swimsuits, especially sailor-themed then you will love the ones featured here. There are also vintage inspired dresses and clothing which are all very cute. It's a bit pricey depending (average $100 for a swimsuit) on how much you're willing to shell out for a swimsuit but I think the unique designs are definitely worth it.
I live right across the country from CA, but my order was shipped same day I paid and arrived in 3 days. It was nicely packaged and although the fit isn't perfect and was a final sale item (no return), the price was good. For regular items or sale items that are returnable, I think you have to pay return shipping so like everything that requires good fit and one orders online - pay close attention to the charts given. If you have to, email Barrie - she answers quickly and is very friendly. I might just pick up another swimsuit!

I've only ordered one pair of shoes from here because of their 15% discount at the time for first time purchases. I ended up returning the pair, but I had no problems receiving it and shipping it back as well as receiving the money back. I think Zappos and Endless might have more selection and trendy shoes, but they've got a fair selection too - although as others have mentioned, sometimes their prices are high comparatively.

If you've played video games to any capacity and remember the music, then you'll appreciate OCR. It's a community of mostly fan submitted remixes of video game music with a tight selection process so that the remixes are actually decent at the worst and very, very good at the best.

It's also always very interesting to hear a particular theme or sequence remixed in a different style. In fact, video game music remixes could be considered a whole sub-genre of its own thanks to OCR. It's free to download remixes and it's always interesting reading the judges' comments on a new addition.

Basically, it's a collection of free stock photos for personal and commercial use. You can also learn about photography and interact with other (aspiring) photographers. There's a small database and depending on your purposes, it's kind of limited but it's still a decent resource to reference and gain inspiration from (and best of all, it's free).

I would definitely characterize this as an etsy alternative, in terms of selling. In terms of buying, although when artfire first started out I found that the quality of items weren't as snazzy, high quality or varied as Etsy I think artfire is gaining popularity slowly with handmade sellers for their considerably different selling framework. Currently, I think there's still a lack of popularity for artfire and that hinders it from really being a "competitor" to Etsy but I hope that this changes with time.

That being said, the benefit of selling on artfire is if you're either confident that you'll sell a certain amount per month or if you already have an existing base of customers that will buy your items, then the pro account for right now $9.95/month with no listing or final fees is definitely a lot cheaper than Etsy. However, if you're starting out and you sell absolutely nothing, you're "wasting" $9.95 but artifre DOES use that towards mass advertising for you that you would have to pay on your own in other ways so in that light, I would say it's worth it if you're serious about starting a handmade business - keeping in mind that artfire is still nowhere was popular as Etsy. That problem might be bridged by your listings showing up in Google, but some people might be hesitant about buying from somewhere lesser known if they're unfamiliar with online transactions. There are other also some nice features for the pro account that you can read about. You can also stay as a basic seller with limited features and an initial trail of unlimited listings to get a sense of how their platform works.

This is a very nice place for discovering photographers, artists and writers. I'd say a fair portion of it features people who draw in a anime/manga inspired style or a lot of the artwork are very illustrative based. Most of it are quite good however and you can order prints of certain pictures/artwork which I think is a nice way of customizing your home if you're one of those people who hate being mainstream :). I've never actually ordered any so I can't vouch for the quality of the paper and ink. They also have an apparel section.

For aspiring artists of any sort, it's a useful place to keep an online and interactive portfolio as well as gain inspiration and tips from many people. It's also a nice way to make some money from prints as I mentioned, if you're looking to sell and need a platform. They also offer the choices of greeting, postcard and puzzle in some instances. Apparently, to view what perks you get for subscribing and being a deviant premium member, you have to sign up (annoying!) so that's why one less star!

A de-cluttered and more "personal" ebay? Maybe. It sort of borrows from Etsy and Ebay in unequal parts. But basically it's another list your item to sell where you can list almost as many items that belong in categories as Ebay (terrible sentence). There are many attractive upsides to Bonanza over Ebay: free listings (4 pictures included - although Ebay now allows 50 free listings per month), the final fee is less than Ebay by a bit (their fees page explains exactly by how much), your products are distributed via google and bing so they show up in searches, you can import listings from Ebay and Etsy as well as feedback so the transfer is minimal hassle and many other minor "perks". One thing I find slightly creepy is that they show a google map of where you are on your "booth". I prefer buyers only know my address when they WIN an item, not when they look at what I'm selling. Especially if you're just selling excess personal items like shoes, handbags and clothing and aren't a wholesaler with a generic main street address.

I've listed an item both on Bonanza and Ebay and it definitely sold a lot faster on Ebay than on Bonanza despite its search engine pandering. In fact, when I neglected to remove the listing from Bonanza and someone bought it months later, I had NO idea how to cancel the listing on Bonanza. I refunded them via PayPal but after clicking (because I think their layout is not intuitive and kind of messy) around for a few minutes I gave up and contacted their customer service, which were helpful and resolved my problem.

At this point, I'm not really sure what the point of this site is other than maybe being a bit more useful if you know how to utilize its features and fewer fees (but doesn't matter if no one's buying your things). Etsy is still far superior in terms of having more variety if you're looking for handmade. Apparently though if you're in the market for selling 1K+ Chanel bags, Bonanza has a bags section just for that purpose.

To avoid being censored too many much, I can only comment this one is to be experienced for yourself. If you have a smart phone and have typed meningitis, catboats and Quetzalcoatl without meaning to then you will find this site hilarious.

I also encourage people to send in their own screenshots.

This site is exactly as self explanatory as you imagine. It's for people who love colours! An infinitely helpful site with commercial and user generated colour palettes, patterns and colours for download. It's useful if you need to redo wallpaper, if you're a webdesigner and want to see certain colours, if you're an artist or any general purpose that requires the need for palettes.

One would be surprised at the amount of time spent on there if not careful...

I'm cursed with size 5-5.5 feet, actually I'd say 5.25. That means, 5 is too small and 5.5 is too big. I've found 5, with stretching accommodates and 5.5 with ankle straps and whatnot helps.

It's a complete nightmare trying to buy shoes at department stores or any store that's within my budget (and in my vicinity). The two styles in size 5 are either tacky or uncomfortable or depending on the season, just not my thing. So I've learned to buy shoes online... which is great for UPS, hit and miss for me.

I've eyed 6pm for a long time, being the sale outlet of Zappos and having great deals on decent shoes. After reading some very divided reviews, I decided to order from them once and try anyway seeing as they had a Mother's day free 2-day shipping deal. I'm happy to say, I received my items a day early and all of them looked new. One had very minor white paint marks on the soles but no one is going to be looking at that while you're walking.

The odd thing is, a shipping confirmation email was sent a day after they were shipped. 6pm does not offer free shipping, as of now, it's $6.95 per order to and out of pocket back. However they do have free shipping deals for holidays, so it's worth it to take advantage of that. Another thing that I did notice is that the prices do change, I'm guessing based on a free flowing supply and demand system which adjusts their prices automatically. In their case, I think it's up to the discretion of the buyer to fully realize that they do not offer price matching, that the shipping is not free and that the period to return is 30 days.

This is another site for if you're slightly bored and/or in need of amusement (and maybe need some actual advice for your relationship... and if you're girl and don't know what guys mean). It's basically a user-submitted question relationship/advice site that features different "types" of guys that you can choose to ask your question. If chosen, they will feature your question and their answer. Non relationship related questions can also be asked such as, "Do you listen to Justin Bieber?" which one of their members is more likely to answer than actual serious questions.

I understand they need to maintain a balance of providing what the site does and entertainment, but some of their chosen questions truly seem pointless but are indeed quite funny. I've submitted what I thought were serious questions just to see if anyone would answer me and have never had them answer, so I think that there's a huge volume they have to deal with. However, what's refreshing is that they will answer some very serious questions covering topics such as rape, domestic abuse and incest.

And on a lighter note, some of the incomprehensible questions are just too funny.

I've always had a crush on Tesla. Who hasn't? Anyway, this site features some pretty serious bangable dudes in history (and chicks). Suggestions accepted too, so go submit your secret crush on Emily $#*!inson and the like!

(To perpetuate SJ filter hilarity)

Asiajam used to sell their own Japanese/Korean imported clothing, accessories and stuff but recently shut down their store and is only operating their Marketplace (user sold items). For anyone who's interested in wholesale clothing from asia in the latest Japanese/Korean fashions - the forum has a great thread on reviews of sites like: Asia Fashion Wholesale, Wholesale Dress, Dressky, etc. The consensus from what I've read is that the shipping is not worth it if you're ordering for personal use. Even if the price per item is tiny, ~$5 - the shipping of say 4 items to the US ends up being a minimum of $20.

In addition, like the custom dress making sites based in China - these clothing are all imitations from catalogues of actual brandname clothing from Japan and South Korea. Therefore, the quality is most likely to be poor, the design a bit different from the pictures and a hit or miss fit.

This is actually the central Interweave Press site, which publishes crafts related books, magazines and e-media. I used to subscribe to Stringing Magazine and Interweave Knits which are published quarterly. I've never missed an issue from them and they have a free issue deal if you're a new subscriber.

Interweave Knits is a very "audience friendly" magazine featuring models in various sizes and ethnicities with a focus on garments that will fit the average woman. Unlike Vogue Knitting's at times ridiculous designs that both waste yarn and time, almost every pattern in each issue is casual enough for daily wear and yet has its own handknit charm. That being said, over the past 2 years I've noticed a change in the editorial direction in the sorts of styles that they feature which don't appeal to me - probably because of their subscribers in the older generation that have complained about too trendy designs in the past. Ah well...

Stringing Magazine is always a pleasure to look through, they have a great layout, even more improved photographs and the projects never feel old. Interweave also publishes drawing, quilting and other subjects for example so it's definitely worth a look for the crafting enthusiast! Now they've started publishing their older Interweave Knits on CDs at 4 issues per CD with relatively frequent sales, no more anxious eBay bidding for backissues!

I never got around to ordering from here, though I bookmarked a couple of items for christmas gifts. In trying to come up with a guy's birthday present, this site finally came to mind.

But a coworker did buy from here and the shipping time even around Christmas season was reasonable, a week to a week and a half from what I remember. And the gifts seemed to operate as they should, as skeptical as I was of a guitar t-shirt O. O.

Similar to lookbook.nu, where basically users can submit their own outfit photos, receive comments and post comments about other users. It's kind of like a facebook for dedicated fashionistas who are all too hip for the common mortal. Sarcasm aside, it is interesting to browse some of the outfits from French girls, for example who tend to espouse a certain aesthetic and photo sensibility. Last time I checked, they had a points system for doing things like commenting/receiving comments/etc that you use to redeem for actual products.

If you need fashion inspiration and want to look through hundreds of photos - some actually very well shot, not inferior to fashion magazines of guys and girls in too-hip-too-chic for you poses, brand flaunting and genuinely clever outfits - then this is the site for you.

Or if, you're one of those people looking for a community to join, lookbook is the place for you. I should add these are all user submitted photos, which makes it slightly less artificial than generic model layouts in x magazine.