It’s no secret that we love our sample sale sites around here.

If you’re not yet a sample sale shopper I urge you to check them out this holiday season because you never know what you’ll find and each site has a distinct identity so you may find one site appeals to you more than another.  Sample sale sites are like shopping at T.J. Maxx … except you don’t have to leave your chair and the “racks” are more organized.

One thing to beware of though is that all sites were certainly not created equal when it comes to shipping times.  Some sites are absolutely horrendous when it comes to shipping times.  Others are mediocre. And then there are those that get a big red A+ for shipment speed.

I should note that most – but not all – sites give you an indication for when your order will ship.  For instance, two weeks ago I placed my first order at Kembrel.  While for most sites I would expect to have my order by now, there was a note before I placed the order letting me know that I should not expect to receive my order until December 5.  I have no problem with sites being upfront like this and giving an expected time frame and you should always check to see if a time frame is available when you place your order.

As you’re checking out the sample sale sites this holiday season, here are how many of the sites rank when it comes to shipping times.  If a site isn’t listed then I either haven’t ordered from them or would put them in the “average” shipping range.

Sample Sale Sites with the Quickest Shipping:

Gilt: I believe that Gilt has warehouses where they store all of the items they’re selling, meaning that they can ship your items out immediately.  I have never had to wait more than a week to receive any item from Gilt.

One Kings Lane: It normally takes about 7 days for my orders from One Kings Lane to arrive, which is within my threshold of being considered awesome.  As an added bonus, OKL normally throws in a free small gift with each item they ship out.

PLNDR: The one time I ordered from PLNDR I was shocked at how quickly my order arrived.  The package was at my door well before I was expecting it, which is always a great surprise.

Rue La La: Items from Rue la La usually take between 3-5 days to arrive at my house.  I did just place a Stonewall Kitchen order with them and there was a note before I checked out letting me know that there would be a shipping delay with this order, though it would still arrive well before the holidays.

Swirl: The last two times I have ordered from Swirl I have received my items the very next day.  Let me repeat that – the very next day.  That’s pretty darn speedy, though as the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear I don’t expect that same level of extreme speed.

The Foundary: I placed my first order at The Foundary on Sunday of this week.  I received half of my order yesterday – just 3 days after the order was placed!  As an added bonus, I received two emails keeping me up-to-date on the status of the order.

Sample Sale Sites with Average Shipping {AKA – You’ll still get your order before Christmas, just don’t expect it by the end of the week}:

HauteLook: I love HauteLook, but I am not in love with their shipping.  My guess is that after a sale ends they have to place the orders with the brands so their turnaround is longer than some of the companies above.  With that being said it usually takes an order about 2.5 weeks to arrive at my house.

Ideeli: Ideeli is in the same boat as HauteLook.  With the lone exception of final sale items, which arrive astonishingly quickly, Ideeli orders seem to lag a bit and I always find myself wondering when my purchase will arrive.

Order from these Sites with Extreme Caution {AKA – The chances of your order arriving before Christmas are iffy, at best}:

Beyond the Rack: I have order from Beyond the Rack frequently.  However, this site is housed in Canada, which bumps up the shipping time considerably.  You are generally looking at a three-week turnaround MINIMUM.

Order from this Site if you Want Your Order for Christmas 2011:

Totsy: Just check out Totsy’s Facebook page.  {You’ll have to change the view so that you can see the comments posted by others.}  I placed one order from Totsy and it took a ridiculous SIX weeks for my order to arrive.  I emailed and I called about my order and the company responded that since they don’t keep their items in stock, they have a longer turn-around time.  I call BS on this because many other sites don’t keep items in stock either but manage to ship out in a reasonable amount of time.  {I consider “reasonable” in this case to be three weeks or less, and NEVER EVER more than a month.}  While Totsy has some great sales on items for children I cannot recommend that you place Christmas orders from this site.

What have been your experiences with shipping times when it comes to the sample sale sites?

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