Back in the 90s, the idea of shopping for clothes online was verboten. However, times have changed and online kids clothes shopping has become the most common way for busy parents to find cute outfits. After all, trying to haul kids to the mall isn’t easy. Getting fussy kids to try on clothes isn’t a cinch, either. 

Online children’s clothing stores offer an easy solution to an often-tricky problem. But, it’s not always a good solution to pick. Each online kids clothing store will be different. Here’s what you need to be aware of before you shop for children’s clothing online…

Not all stores will use the same size chart, so measure your children and check online reviews about how sizes run. 

This is a huge deal, especially when it comes to new online stores. Not all kids clothing stores are the same. Take your child’s measurements carefully and make sure to look at the size charts provided by the company.  You kiddo might be a size 5 in one store, but a size 8 in another. 

It’s also worth noting that a lot of stores don’t even have rigid clothing sizes. If you find a store that’s more realistic about sizing, bookmark them. That’s not easy to find these days, and truth be told, it’s great to be able to rely on a company when they tell you how something would fit. 

If you’re stuck between sizes, then size up. Your child will grow into it. 

PRO TIP - If you are new to ordering from a certain store, take a couple of different clothing items and check their return policies. If they all fit, great! If they don’t, you now know how to order or whether you want to order at all. 

Buy early, and check for fast shipping. 

Do you have a special event that you want to attend? If you want to get an outfit for your child through an online store, then you’re going to have to act quickly. Due to the large scale shipment delays and supply chain problems we’re experiencing, it’s best to shop earlier than you think you need to.

Fast shipping is a good investment for events where you need to have great clothing. With that said, it’s always better to err on the side of safety with event clothing. Order the clothes at least four weeks in advance so that you can try them on. If they look good, great! Otherwise, you can get a return and reorder so that it still comes in time. 

Always check the company’s social media and reviews before you start buying from them.

It’s scary how many parents have been burnt by companies that claim to be one of the best online children's clothing stores on the net. There are a lot of sites that steal photos from other companies, post up a makeshift shop, and then take people’s money. 

Once the money changes hands, they close up shop and make it hard to get a refund. Some go so far as to steal credit card information. It’s sad, but it happens quite a bit. These kinds of scammers are growing in popularity, which is why you always need to do your homework on a company. 

Beware of companies that have a lot of questions on Instagram and Twitter from other clients that go unanswered. The same can be said about reviews on major sites like Google that claim there’s something fishy going on. 

If there is no trace of them online, then you may want to skip them. Any childrens online store worth its salt will at least have some kind of online presence and following.

Yes, it’s totally fine to seek out stores through the brands that they sell. 

Sometimes, the best guarantee of a quality store is to seek out online childrens stores that sell the clothing brands you like. There’s two reasons why this trick works so well. First, you know you’re going to love the way your kids will look in the clothing because you love the brand. That makes a huge difference right off the bat, especially when it comes to sizing.

The other major reason why this is a smart move deals with the brand itself. It’s a brand that you trust, and that means that you can expect the brand to be choosy about the stores that carry it. No decent clothing company would want to do business with a dodgy seller. So, if you trust the brand, trust the stores that are official resellers.

While your kids may grow up fast, durability is still a major focal point. 

Every parent will eventually learn this the easy way or the hard way. Kids may grow up fast, so many well-meaning parents might want to save a quick buck by skimping on clothing. The idea is that kids won’t care if it rips because they’ll grow out of it before it does. 

Unfortunately, that’s not how reality has things work. 

Kids are always going to be a bit rough on clothing. Whether it’s spilling pudding from lunch on their jeans, or getting hurt at the playground, kids clothing needs to be able to handle all the spills that a child can have. Otherwise, your kid might have a wardrobe malfunction at school. 

Durability is one of those things that you cannot go cheap on. Those “discount clothing items'' that are made of poorly stitched, thin cloth will not cut it. The best online stores for kids' clothing will make a point of having clothes made of real cotton, not polyester.

Always seek out clothing stores that are upscale, but still have clearance sales and racks. 

While the days of being made fun of for not having specific brands are drawing to a close, that doesn’t mean that you should go for bottom-of-the-barrel clothes. Contrary to popular belief, you can still find great, Instagram-worthy kids clothes on sale at upscale stores. 

Online childrens clothing stores tend to have great clearance sales, especially during those “end of season” weeks we all see. If you have a thing for shopping the sale rack, it makes sense to keep a “digital rolodex” of sites that are noted for their deep discounts when kids clothes go on sale. 

It also makes sense to sign up for those promotional mailing lists. In many cases, they can offer you firsthand peeks into the newest sales. The same can be said for promotional text lists as well as loyalty rewards clubs. Stock up on those sales!

Check to see other reviews or posts of kids wearing the clothes that you want to order from the brand that you like. 

This is another major reason why it’s beneficial to stick to popular brands. If you can find the clothing online on Instagram posts from real customers (or even on the site with notes about fit), you can be fairly certain of what the clothes will look like on your son and daughter. In the world of online shopping, this is a very big deal. 

We’ve all heard of online kids clothing stores (or even just regular clothing stores) that had clothing that looked one way in the photographs, and another way in real life. Imagine shelling out $100 for an outfit, only to realize it looks terrible when it finally comes in the mail. This is actually quite common. 

Take a look to see if others who bought from the seller showed off clothing using the store’s name or hashtags. The more photos you see of other kids wearing the clothes, the less likely it is that you will find yourself in the middle of a “bait and switch.”

Always check the refund policy and customer service ratings before you buy.

People do not recognize how important an online store’s refund policy is until you actually have to use it. The same can be said about customer service. You want to be able to have a line of communication that is open with the people who are shipping your clothing out to you. That’s why customer service with a prompt reply is vital.

A company that refuses to have refunds or has a very strict 5-day return policy is a company that can seriously harm your overall experience with online shopping. Shopping on the net is always going to be risky and there’s a good chance that you might open up that package and think, “Huh. I thought this would be better.”

When you have that moment, you have two options. You can either eat the fee that you paid for the clothes then try to resell them or donate them, or you can return them. Most of us prefer to get a refund or exchange. A bad refund policy will prevent that from happening. 

Can you have a legitimate company that just doesn’t have a lot of skill in the customer service department? Sure. Should you buy from them? Probably not, unless you’re okay with taking a risk on a bad experience.

Large-scale platforms have problems individual stores don’t, which is why you should avoid them. 

When people shop for kids' clothes online, the first thing they want to do is go to a major platform they already have an account with, like Amazon or Etsy. This is not a good idea, especially if you want to be able to reliably use them to get clothing that you like that will actually stay intact. 

Large-scale platforms are run by individual sellers. Each seller is their own store, which means that you will have a different returns policy for each seller that you go to. This can lead to issues with quality control, sizing, and all sorts of different policies that you may not be aware of. Since many companies don’t carry off-brand clothing on large-scale platforms, you also don’t get quality clothing.

While you can luck out, it’s just that—luck. There is no guarantee that you will get good quality, be able to speak to the seller (or a customer service rep that actually sees the clothes) on the phone, or that you can get prompt responses with emails. It’s a gambit, for sure, and it’s not one that tends to work out well. 

While you might have a vision of what your children’s clothing should look like, it’s really up to your kid at the end of the day.

You can shop online for children's clothing you like all day, but that doesn’t mean that your child will want to wear it. Kids have their own personalities, likes, and dislikes. Even if you have specific desires in clothing, there’s always the chance that your child might refuse to wear it.

Before you buy anything online, talk to your kids about the kind of clothes they wear. As a parent, you’ll eventually start to get a “beat” for what your kids want to wear. It’s important to remember that your kids’ clothing will affect them more than it will affect you. If your child tells you that they get bullied as a result of the clothing they wear, then you need to listen to them.

Thankfully, most trendy children’s clothing stores online will have good selections that both you and your kiddo can agree upon. That’s what makes them trendy rather than embarrassing, after all. 

Are you looking for the best online store for kids clothing?

Shopping for kids is always a hassle, but Meant 2 Be Kids is here to make things just a little easier for moms and dads. Our clothes are trendy, soft, durable, and totally kid-friendly! Better still, we offer great support, awesome sales, and amazing tips for parents who want to shop for the best clothes for their little ones. 

So, what are you waiting for? Bookmark our page, start browsing, and shop your hearts out. We’re here to make your kid the most stylish one in class.