Avid consumers of fashion blogs are no stranger to the array of “global” shopping sites that have sprung up in the last year. They infiltrated various blogging alcoves quickly and offered clothes in exchange for features with few strings attached, leaving both sides marginally happier.
I too have been intrigued by these stores but remain skeptical because of how formulaic this new niche market is. They share similar marketing tactics, use stock photos that lack uniformity and seem plucked from unrelated external sources, offer expansive collections that border on the schizophrenic, and most seem to operate out of China (the country of incorporation is of little importance but speaks more to their homogeneity).
When I was approached by a few companies to showcase their clothes on this blog, my sense of adventure overtook my laziness (sponsorship opportunities normally come with a ball and chain for smaller blogs like mine, which is why I don’t often explore those opportunities).
Some of the posts in this “Asian Fashion’ series will be devoted to profiling these new ventures but I will also discuss a few other more outwardly “Asian” (at the risk of pigeonholing a whole sub-category of e-commerce) companies that I personally sought out and ordered from. As always, I will disclose at various points–in photo captions, in the body of the post, and in the disclaimer–if items were gifted.
Ok, enough rambling, on to the store of the day: Persun Mall.
In short, the order-to-delivery process was streamlined. Only one day transpired between order completion and dispatch; I chose the slower delivery option which meant my order took about 2-3 weeks to arrive from China. The packaging was unembellished and economical: clothes in clear plastic bags sent in a larger plastic bag (think Forever 21 without the white tissue paper).
 |
| c/o Persunmall V-neck Vertical Stripe Chiffon Shirt | Forever 21 Relaxed Fit Racerback Tank | Zara Diamante Eagle Necklace (similar here + here) | Hermes H Buckle Reversible Belt | H&M Burgundy Pleather Skirt | Zara Office City Bag | Salvatore Ferragamo Vara Pumps |
Polyester (or any of a number of synthetic fibers) and rayon tops are almost always a safe bet as are skirts if you fall within a specific size range (I want to say size 2-8 or S/M). Dresses and jackets are riskier choices because of the amount of details involved and shoes are always tricky to order online so those are categories I would stay away from unless there exist positive reviews from people similar to you in measurements.
In comparing measurements I took to the ones provided on the website, there are small discrepancies but I think they are generally reliable.
 |
| Batwing Sleeves Check Shirt | S Length: 23.5″ | Width: 22.5″ |
Persun Mall’s return policy is stringent and several categories are final sale (hosiery and sale items are among them). To return or exchange an item, you must request a return authorization number within seven days of receiving the order and the customer pays return shipping AND any shipping charges associated with the exchanged item.
So, Persun Mall, like a lot of e-tailers, has its share of wins (fun choices) and woes (mediore return policy). It’s a store I would revisit, but perhaps not frequently.
Disclaimer: The V-neck Vertical Stripe Chiffon Shirt and the Batwing Sleeves Check Shirt seen in this post were gifted to me by PersunMall. No additional compensation was provided for the writing of this post.
