Boston Proper

Full review
I recently placed my first order with Boston Proper. Their website is well organized, and is visually uncluttered.

At the home page, you are greeted with a huge banner, usually announcing a sale, with several options for finding the clothes you want.

You may:
1) Browse Catalog - which gives you the latest four catalogs and lets you view them page by page. This feature is useful if you saw an item in the catalog but don't have it handy. On a slow dial-up connection, this option can take a lot of time, especially if you must browse the whole catalog. You may select pages two at time, just like they would appear in an open catalog sitting on a table. The scanned catalog pages are displayed along with additional photos you mouse click to select.

2) Catalog Quick Order - enter the catalog code and the item number and jump right to the item.

3) Shop Site - you can dive into the site via several methods,
a)categories (accessories/dresses/intimates/jackets & outerwear/jumpsuits & overalls/knit tops/pants & shorts / shirts & blouses/shoes/skirts/sport/sweaters/swim;
b)collections (bp favorites/bp jeans/bp stretch/bp travel/bp twills)
c)catalog quick order-see above
d)browse catalog-see above
e)sale-mark down items
f)search- a powerful search engine allows you to search by categories (see list above), by keyword, and by item number. You may choose to see results in a list or by thumbnail photo.

Whenever you select an item for further viewing, several informative items are displayed: a short description, sizes, the current price and original price if the item is marked down, and a handful of complimentary items that Boston Proper suggests would coordinate well with the item you are viewing. Also available is a larger view, an alternate view, fabric detail, and color swatches.

There is a link to Daily Specials, which are sale items offered that may not be in the catalogs.

If you register with the site, you can track your orders. When placing an order, you are informed immediately if the item is in stock. If the item is not currently in stock, you are given the estimate date of arrival and the opportunity to delete that item from your cart.

Tech Issues - Tech support is spotty. I had problems with my user id and tried to contact tech support in the evening on three occasions. Each time I received a message saying tech support was unavailable due to site maintenance. However, they did provide a coupon code for $10 off my next order. I eventually gave up on getting help and created a new logon code. The massive number of photos can take a long time to load on a slow dial-up connection. If you have a broadband line your shopping experience will be much more pleasant.

The Clothes - trendy / funky. Many items are not likely to be found at the homogenous malls and department stores across America. These clothes aren't wacky, but they are a cut above the mainstream clothes. The selection is huge, wide and deep. The line runs the gamut from sleek evening dresses to casual wear and swimwear, but not lingerie. A word of caution, many items require special care, such as hand washing or dry cleaning. These are usually clearly labeled so be careful before placing your order if you prefer not to pamper your clothes.

The Value - These items are expensive at full price. Markdowns are frequent and there are always plenty of items in the sale category. The items I received all seem to be of high quality, but my wife hasn't had them long enough to determine how well they will hold up.

Shipping - Items arrive very quickly with standard delivery, especially compared to that ubiquitous Victorian company. I had free shipping on my first catalog order, but the prices were relatively reasonable.

Order Accuracy - all items were correct. One item was backordered for a lengty time. I twice received a post card giving me the estimated arrival date with a business reply card to return if I wanted to opt out.

Customer Service - (see tech support above). I placed one call to customer service to get an update on my backordered item. I was quickly given the estimated arrival date.

Overall Satisfaction - I am very pleased with this company. They have excellent merchandise, even though it's often pricey. Their website is fun to browse through, but it is very slow with my home dial-up connection.

The following is direct from the Boston Proper Website:

Ways to shop
Item availability
Sizing information
Promotions and Discounts
Benefits of registering
Technical requirements
Effortless shopping at your fingertips
For an effortless view of all your shopping options, simply "mouse over" any of the selections at the top of each page on our site. Here's a quick look at all the ways you can shop:

Browse and shop the pages of our most recent catalogs using browse catalog.

If you've already found the perfect item in our print catalog, order with speed and convenience using catalog quick order.

If you prefer to browse and shop the site, you can choose from two methods:
shop by category lets you browse our entire inventory in a particular category.
shop by outfit offers you the head-to-toe look for travel, evenings or the latest trends.

If you are looking for something specific, product search will search our entire regular price inventory or a specific category for your "keywords."

Our sale section has hundreds of styles at 20% to 80% off our original catalog prices. Choose to browse all items in a sale category, search the entire sale inventory or a specific category for items in your size. Simply select "all apparel" or a specific category and select your size.

Daily specials features items specially priced on our Web site. Check them frequently for the latest bargains.

Once you have found an item that catches your eye, our product page is loaded with information to assist you:

To view the product from a different angle, see detail or colors, simply place your mouse over one of the buttons beneath the product image.
To view a larger image or sizing information about the product click on the appropriate button.
To add an item to your shopping bag, e-mail the item to a friend or add to your wish list, simply click on the appropriate button beneath the size and color fields.
In order to maintain a wish list or your shopping bag, you must be registered with Boston Proper. On your next shopping visit, simply sign in to access all the information in your account. See "Benfits of Registering" for more information.
Click here to register now.

As an added convenience, bostonproper.com lets you share your favorite products with your friends. Whenever you view a particular product or outfit on our Web site, you will see "e-mail this item to a friend". When you click on this link, you will be able to e-mail the product along with a brief message to your friends. WE DO NOT RETAIN THE E-MAIL ADDRESSES OF YOUR FRIENDS IN OUR DATABASE.

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Item availability
When you choose to add an item to your shopping bag we will advise you of the item's availability. If an item is available, you will see a confirmation message indicating that the selected product has been added to your shopping bag. If the item is backordered, the message will indicate when we expect the merchandise to be available for shipping. At this point you may elect to add the item to your shopping bag or view another size, color or shop for an entirely different product. Backordered items added to your shopping bag will ship as soon as they are available. You will not be charged for backordered items until they are shipped. All shipping & handling is usually charged on the first item(s) shipped. Any remaining item(s) will not incur any additional shipping and handling charges. A detailed summary of item availability is provided in your shopping bag and wish list for your review.

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Sizing information
Whenever you view a product at bostonproper.com, you will see a link next to the main image that says, "see size information". A majority of our apparel fits into a size chart that is displayed. If the size chart is not applicable you will see a message in the size window to refer to the description for relevant sizing information. We update our sizing information regularly, so you may see a "proper tip" in the description advising you to size up or down. Additionally, the description will tell you if an item has a true fit, body conscious fit, or a loose fit to better assist you in making your decision.

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Promotions and Discounts
To redeem an advertised promotion from our catalog, you must enter the code in the blue box on the back cover in the "source code" field during step 1 of the checkout process. To redeem an advertised promotion from an email, you must enter the code mentioned in the "promotion code" field during step 1 of the checkout process.
Only one promotion may be applied to an order. Discounts and promotions may not be combined with any other offer.
Items in our sale section may have had interim price reductions.

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Benefits of registering
The best way to shop our site is as a registered user. Upon registration you enjoy the following benefits:

My account: a convenient way to maintain and update your personal information.
Address book: save multiple shipping addresses for yourself, friends and relatives.
Wish list: save all your favorites for later or send a little hint to your friends. We retain items in your wish list for six months. Whenever you access your wish list you will see a link that says "send wish list to a friend". When you click on this link, you will be able to e-mail a link to your wish list along with a personal message to your friends. Your friends will be able to view the products in your wish list but cannot make any changes to it. WE DO NOT RETAIN THE E-MAIL ADDRESSES OF YOUR FRIENDS IN OUR DATABASE.
Saved shopping bag: as long as you are signed-in we will save your shopping bag for future visits. When you return, simply sign in to access and review your prior selections.
E-mail updates: exclusive previews of our latest collections and private sales.
Click here to register today!