Shopping Sorcery: H&M

Shopability: 2

Reliability: 2

Return Policy: 2

Snapshot: New to the west coast in the last few years, H&M is a great place to find fresh, modern and on-trend styles.  With clean lines and a polished aesthetic their men’s and women’s departments are great for career wear and for polished-casual pieces.  Their department for the younger set lends itself to a less-polished and more edgy feel, but even the late-twenties/early-thirties crowd can find a gem in this collection.  Their sizing is notoriously odd (they use European sizing), so a trip to the fitting room is a must, especially with pants or skirts.   Their accessories, like scarves, gloves, bags and hosiery should not be missed.  Even their lingerie is worth a look, though they don’t cater to unusual sizes. 

Shopability: 2

Selection- Their selection is wide and variable—no tiny boutique feeling here.  H&M feels a lot like a cross between Target and the Savvy department in Nordstrom—a big selection, but in a posh environment.  The store is large and full, though not difficult to navigate.  You’ll find lots of examples of different items, everything from blouses to dress, to slacks and even the random pair of polished shorts thrown in for good measure. 

Cleanliness- For the size of the store, and the wide selection, H&M is surprisingly tidy.  You may find a mis-folded shirt on the table, but never should you find a pile of tees that more resemble a laundry hamper than a display (unlike some stores which will remain nameless until I shamelessly call them out in future posts!) The store is organized by color and style, but not by type of clothing.  So you won’t find all the dresses together, next to all the cardigans.  But you will find items of a similar style and in complementary colors within eye shot of one another.  The cleanliness of the store keeps the wide selection from feeling overwhelming. 

Reliability: 2

In all honesty, if it wasn’t for the Junior’s department, this score could be a 1.  Stick to the women’s and men’s sections and you’re golden.  There will certainly be items that aren’t to your taste, but the selection is reliably on-trend, polished and attractive.  You won’t have a problem finding solid pieces to add to your wardrobe.  However, if you venture into the section for the younger-set, be careful.  It takes a trained eye to recognize the diamonds in that particularly rocky rough. 

Return Policy: 2

As of December 8, 2010, the standard return policy is as follows:  Cash back (or back on your card) within 30 days, if return is accompanied by a receipt.  A store credit can be issued for returns without a receipt, within 30 days of purchase.  That’s pretty good.  Honestly, as good as you’re going to find in a store of this size and price-point.  No, it’s not Nordstrom or REI (who will take anything back, no questions asked), but that’s why the prices are so good. 

As a side note, the holiday return policy:  Returns with a receipt are accepted for cash back (or back on your card) until January 31^st.  Returns without a receipt are accepted for store credit through January 31^st.  Pretty cool huh? 

Have you had a different experience at H&M?  Have anything to add?  A funny H&M related story?  Add a comment or message me!