Gap

Pros:  More options in sales areas, GapMaternity

Cons:  No search box, redundant homepages, teasers aren't worthwhile

The Bottom Line:  The site, apart from a useless homepage, is quite simple to utilize. Whether you should or not---well, I guess that's really not the issue.

Full review
The Gap. From hopelessly mediocre with "off brand" jeans, to star player in what is hot and hip complete with celebrity studded commercials. Who knew this could happen?

Somewhere along the line The Gap carved out a nice niche. A name for itself, a brand identity that can often be heard in the mundane lines of a network comedy. Huge billboards filling Time Square and internet locale. This is The Gap....

Going Home
Enter Gap from two angles....the straight forward Gap.com, or somehow through a variety of clicks within AOL. Either way you'll come to a decidedly sparse home page complete with Gap's definition of "hot" model and links to the department of your choice. Note a few things:

~ If there's an online deal it's probably mentioned here. This usually means a free shipping offer with a certain level of purchase. Upon checking today, that's free shipping with $100 before tax.

~ If there's a contest going on you'll find a link here as well. Once again, today's offering involves $1000. Simple link will take you to an entry form

~ Gap.com involves two departments: Men & Women. Sub-sites include BabyGap, GapBody, GapKids, GapMaternity. Similar to the mall---once in the same, yet separated ever so slightly

What you will not find is instant search capabilities. That's right...no immediate ability to search by typing in a keyword of some sort. Somewhat archaeic for such a "universal" store.

Why Shop Here?
An important question for online shopping is "why". Surely this is easily answered when discussing an experience that is unique to the 'net. Why shop Amazon.com? For one, there's no brick and mortar storefront (forgetting, of course, that one could argue that similar though not identical stores do exist in the "real" world). The extra challenge a Gap.com has is to convince those of us with a mall in driving distance that shopping online is beneficial.

Deals would be a good way to go. Apart from free shipping offers, however, one is often hard pressed to find these at Gap.com. There have been the occasional T-Shirt offering but rarely dollars off a purchase offer. And needing to first purchase $100 in merchandise before receiving free shipping can seem rather daunting.

Unique clothing is the second likely avenue. In part, Gap has accomplished this fete. Sure the men's, women's and kid's stuff is typical. And while not in every mall just yet, GapBody isn't too special. But the stylish mom-to-be may justifiably argue that GapMaternity is just what the OB ordered.

And So One Shops
Buldging belly or washboard abs, whatever the case many enter the Gap.com cyber doors to do their shopping. This mom recently did for her little ones (children, that is) because an added comment: items on sale are bound to have more available sizes online.

Clicking through to BabyGap brings me to a separate homepage similar in set-up but differing in color from my entry into Gap.com. Here I'm asked to choose boy or girl, or in the event I'm lost return to one of the other Gap departments. Choosing "girl" I arrive into what I would have anticipated as the initial homepage rather than the rather drab and empty first set I landed on.

Here I am greeted with pictures galore, links upon links, a shopping bag icon, customer service, GapCard information...yet still no search box. Within this department are various links allowing me to choose from various types of clothing (knitwear, outerwear, tops...) or I can surf over to the sale or special value areas. These seem to have been created just for this customer and so I continue...

To Buy or Not To Buy?
Ah, that's always the question. Sale items are hyperlinked with the general description to the left and the price immediately following. Not necessary to actually look at the item to find out the cost. It is necessary, however, to proceed to the item to determine available colors & sizes and to add it to my shopping bag.

Also available: wishlists to create & share, sizing chart, and a stand alone swatch showing the print detail or color fabric a bit more clearly.

A few notes....

~ Although there are sub-departments, all items can be placed on one order and checking out occurs at the same time. So if you're trying to reach that elusive $100, it can be done from Gap, BabyGap, GapKids, etc.

~ If an item is not really gender specific it should display in both infant departments. However, this will not happen in regard to adult clothes (at least past experience demonstrates this).

Gimme the Visa I Gotta Have It...
When all is said and done the check out experience is very pain-free. Use any major credit card, including Discover, to complete your transaction. Various shipping options are available depending on the delivery window you prefer - from standard (ground) to overnight (do you really need the jeans that badly?). Costs are very typical and while not refunded if the sweater doesn't fit quite right, returns can be made at any Gap store.


In the end, Gap provides a simple shopping experience. I'm personally not convinced of its necessity apart from the maternity department. That said, I will add the caveat that shopping online sales racks will appeal to the bargain hunter because of greater selection. The homepage is really quite useless, creating just an extra step to reach real shopping & the lack of a search feature by keyword is quite backwards. Considering online order tracking is available would it really have been more difficult to throw in a search box?