Luxury at Your Fingertips: E-shops That Ship to Beijing

We already compiled a list of online shopping options earlier this year, but since then a number of luxury brands have begun clamoring to enter China. Plus, deals and discounts abound at the moment, just in time for the holidays. We’ve identified the ones that will serve you best below.

Here’s our pick of splurge-worthy e-shops that now ship to Beijing.

FEI Space (www.feilook.com)
We’ve written about this 798 multi-brand boutique plenty times before (see here for our interview with its creative director, or here for news on its latest store concept), and for good reason. FEI Space has been an integral part of the growth of Beijing’s shopping scene, most recently helping guide Topman and Topshop’s entry into China, among many others. Their newly launched website is still being tweaked for the time being, and doesn’t showcase the store’s full collection, but you can still browse many of FEI’s exclusive and hard-to-find labels (i.e. Alexander Wang, Henrik Vibskov, Mulberry, Raf Simons, The Row and more). Best of all, there's free shipping for all Beijing residents.

Lane Crawford (www.lanecrawford.com)
Just last month, the Hong Kong-based mid- to high-end boutique announced its plans to extend online shopping to mainland China. Lane Crawford’s bilingual site, which offers e-commerce as well as editorial content, stocks women’s ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories. (We’re told menswear, cosmetics and home and lifestyle products are to come later.) Same-day shipping is available in Beijing for only RMB 50. Other perks include new shipments every week, a buy-online-collect-in-store option and free returns. Also, from now until November 30, all standard shipping fees will be waived.

Shopbop (www.shopbop.com)
This women’s fashion e-commerce site is one of our favorites – if not for its expertly edited range of designer labels, then for its sophisticated product categories and editorial features. Plus, there’s free three-day shipping worldwide for all orders over USD 100 (or USD 10 if it’s under).

The Corner (www.thecorner.com.cn)
We had the scoop about the debut of this popular multi-brand website in December 2010, but it didn’t officially unveil itself to Chinese netizens until September 2011. This web-based retailer favors the more avant-garde brands for both men and women, operating like a creative platform by featuring fashion shoots and short films to better educate its buyers. And did we mention that they’ve struck a deal with FedEx? (See our September 2011 issue’s Style Lead-in for more details.) For no additional charge, you can make your order, try on the clothes within the safety of your own home while the deliveryman waits outside your door, and then hand him the pieces you don’t want. While standard shipping will usually set you back RMB 50, it's free right now for a limited time only. (Next-day shipping is RMB 75.)

Net-a-Porter (www.net-a-porter.com) and Mr. Porter (www.mrporter.com)
The one-stop shopping destination for all-things luxury: Net-a-Porter for women, and Mr. Porter for men. Both carry all the top-of-the-line labels, including many exclusives that can’t be found at other local venues – but for a price. Both Net-a-Porter and Mr. Porter charge RMB 200+tax for two- to three-day shipping.

Nicely Made in China (nicelymadeinchina.com)
So Nicely Made in China’s e-shopping options are still in the works, but founder Lionel Derimais assures us that more products are to come soon. We’re inclined to put good faith in a design blog that specializes in seeking out local retailers who provide quality services and products. So far, as of late October, yak wool sweaters by Beijing-based company Khunu are now available, with a 10 percent discount for NMiC readers. Standard shipping fees apply (but Khunu offers free shipping on all orders around the world).

Saks Fifth Avenue (www.saksfifthavenue.com)
Not ideal when shopping from China, especially considering its shipping fees (dependent upon the weight of your purchase) and wait time (5-7 business days at least). But at the moment – at least until Sunday, November 27 – there is a USD 19.99 flat rate shipping fee on orders of USD 99 and more. Just enter the promo code ROWSHIP at checkout.

Luxbible (shop.luxbible.com)
The recent opening of its Beijing flagship showroom accompanied the launch of this luxury e-commerce site. Find local and international labels from D-SATA to 3.1 Phillip Lim. Whatever the brand, it's an impeccable selection of new and vintage high-end fashion items. It's RMB 30 for standard three-day delivery, or you can simply use the website to place your order and pick up your purchases free of charge.

Of course, for any websites that don't ship to China, you can turn to ShopWeShip.com, which will forward items to your Beijing address for a small fee.

Do tell us about any e-shops we may have missed in the comments section below. By the way, rumor has it that Neiman Marcus has ambitious plans of expanding into China – but plans to ease its way in through the online operation first. We promise updates on the blog once that happens. For now, happy e-shopping!

Photo: Airlinesanddestinations.com