The Sale Game

At this time of year, there are a lot of good clearance sales and extra discounts going on, and you can pick up sweaters and things that you'll make use of right away and for the next couple of months (although the way things are going with weather patterns, that may not continue to be the case).

The trick to these sales is finding the things you want in your size and/or color. I got three J. Crew gift cards over the holidays, and I've had my eye on a couple of items. I've had a contact in customer service for a couple of years who is usually able to locate items in my size, even if they have sold out online. Last week I wanted to take advantage of the extra 30% off sale items, so I emailed him, but he was unable to find either item.

The extra discount went away for a couple of days but came back this week and will be around through next weekend. Typically the sale section gets restocked every few days, as items get returned and added back into inventory. Yesterday I lucked out and was able to order one thing I wanted, a pair of shearling-lined chukka boots. But online shopping can be iffy about inventory levels, and until I get the email confirming that the shoes have shipped, the order could still be canceled. Meanwhile I'm still checking daily to see if the other item I want reappears in my size.

Update, 1:20 pm: And the shipping confirmation just came through...