The magic of Mr Price

Ask any women what her very favourite thing is about shopping and most will say: scoring a bargain!

And for that reason I love Mr Price. I cannot walk past a store without popping in to just see what good deals they've got.

With the recent launch of their online store, getting my fashion fix has become easy... probably too easy, especially as the entire range (over 18 000 items) are available.

I was a bit concerned about the safety of online shopping but I was willing to overcome my internet fraud fears to at least give it a try. I found out that the site is secured by Cybersource – an anti-fraud service provider favoured by many international online retailers.

After filling in all my details, I signed up on mrp.co.za via my laptop to begin my first online shopping experience. You can also sign up onto MrP via Facebook, your tablet or iPhone.
And so the shopping began.

Kudos to the creative geniuses who built the site because they really went all out! It's visually appealing, user-friendly, detailed and sectioned appropriately. My personal favourite is the aptly titled What’s Hot section; including awesome sub-sections such as Optic Shock or Deco Tribe which houses an array of items that relate to that trend in colour or style.

Better still, you can zoom in on any item to get a closer look at the material as well as a "back" view too. After browsing through many images this way (and adding a gazillion to my wish list), I finally decided on five accessories and one top — two sets of earrings, a three-pack of lumo belts, a three-pack of cute Alice-bands, leopard print butterfly clips and a leopard print slouchy tank top.

 I decided to play it safe in my first online shopping experience because I wasn't sure about not actually seeing and touching the item itself... but I guess it's just about getting used to the idea of virtual shopping and besides, Mr Price has a thirty-day grace period in which you can swap out your buy if you aren't satisfied.

I added all of my favourites to my wish list and then into my shopping bag and after buying the items via credit card I was told I would get my clothes within two days. Other payment options are available such as EFT, money transfer and on account.

We ordered the items on Tuesday evening and late on Friday afternoon I got an email telling me that my items had arrived at Maynard Mall, ready for in-store pickup. If picking it up at a store isn’t your thing, you can also have it sent to your nearest post office or have it delivered to your home or office. There is a standard R35 delivery fee on all online purchases.

 Fetching my package was a delight - just like unwrapping a Christmas gift since each item is individually wrapped. The cashier opened the package to check that all of the items were inside which was met with a collective "oohs" and "aahs" from my sisters and I when we saw our stash.

All in all, my first online shopping session with Mr Price was awesome, very easy and safe. I’ll definitely shop again soon. Check out Mr Price's new apparel store here.