Technically speaking, sarees are the easiest clothes to shop online. There is no confusion about fit, and size at all. So, sarees should have been at the forefront of the online shopping experience.
But frankly, I still for the most part go to my old favorites - Nalli, Kumarans's and the like - traditional brick and motor shoes for saree shopping.
Until this online shop - Craftvilla came to my attention. Craftvilla is touted as India's largest online ethnic wear store, and the amount of choice they have, it sure feels like it.
I am a big fan of Benarasi sarees, and I was impressed by the collection of these sarees online.
Here are a few of my top Banarasi picks
In the other sections, I found myself drifting towards the hot pinks, and bright blues, and eventually narrowed my wish list to these two sarees.
Apart from the choice, what I love is how the website makes it easy for you to narrow down and have your pick of sarees online.
You can search for sarees by material, color, style, the kind of work, pattern, and so on. Considering the wide variety of sarees available, this method really helps you narrow down your choice very quickly.
You can also sort by price range. I did a quick search and I saw sarees being sold for as less as Rs.500/- and as much as RS. 5000/- and beyond. So, they have enough stock to cover both ends of the market. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that even the low-end sarees come with a blouse piece.
Really good value for money!
And if you are not particularly into sarees, Craftsvilla still is a site worth browsing.
There are salwar suits for women, men's kurtas, home furnishings, jewelry, and so much more available, that my head got quite dizzy from browsing.
What I loved from their site:
One thing I really loved from their range is the traditional foods from around India that is available for online ordering.
So, this Holi, order a box of specially made sweets from your native place, and feel as if you are back at home for the Holi holiday.
Favorite from home furnishings:
Another thing I absolutely fell in love with and plan to get either for myself or for gifting is this Jaipuri blanket.
I am a sucker for bright colors, so this one particularly appealed to me. I know my son will especially love the camels, and hopefully this blanket will inspire him to wrap up a little more (instead of kicking off the blankets as he normally does) this winter.
Favorite kurtas for women:
Did I tell you they have a variety of kurtas? Check out these favorites of mine.
Yes, they also stock material. I loved the bright blue of this one.
So what are their payment and shipping options?
Like most other online retailers, they accept the standard modes of payment. They also accept cash on delivery for many of the items. This site also caters to the international shopper. Just switch your geo-location to International, and the prices switch to the international dollar value. As per the website, they ship globally, so I guess most international destinations are covered. They also offer 100% buyer protection, so that is also a relief especially for when you are getting things shipped internationally.
Note that below each item, they clearly list if something is applicable for cash on delivery, and list the approximate shipping times.
Before you buy anything, take a quick look to see if the payment and shipping option works for you.
I was overall very impressed with the transparency and navigation of this site.
Have you tried shopping from Craftsvilla before? What was your experience with this site?
Leaving you with an old pic of me and Snubnose in matching sarees.
Have you shopped at Craftsvilla? Any experiences you'd like to share?
