Professional shoppers do more than boast about their great steals and deals; they offer handy tips to other fashionistas as well.  Researching into what people say online about Loehmann’s brings up some great tried and true ways to get the most out of your Loehmann’s shopping experiences.  This list is a compilation of various tips and advice notes from real people all over the web. The common thread is that it is all about Loehmann’s:

Mental preparation:

“Loehmann’s is not a place to go if you’ve got 20 minutes to kill.  But, if you’ve got a few hours to spare and cash to burn, well, you’re in for a shopping experience bordering on dreamlike.”  

 “Don’t go there if you only have an hour: as I’ve learned you can spend nine or ten hours in Loehmann’s and keep finding new things.”

“You have to be patient - sometimes you won’t find anything  that you are willing to buy for weeks, other times it will be a windfall - but isn’t that half the fun?”  

“You definitely can’t go in looking for something in particular - but if you go in with an open mind, you almost always find things you like.”

“Breathe, focus, dig, budget, change quickly, prioritize, and all will be right in the universe.”

When to Shop:

“You have to be in the mood to look and make sure you don’t have low blood sugar.  Bring a candy bar or something.” 

 “And DON’T go on a Saturday, unless you want to be knocked down by crazy women frantically trying on designer shoes in the middle of aisles.”

“I only go on weekday nights so I haven’t experienced the weekend trauma yet.”

Before you go:

“Eat a hearty breakfast, you will need your energy to weed through what is not your thing and what is the mother lode.”

.“Wear a bra and underwear set that you won’t be embarrassed to be standing around under fluorescent lights in. The private fitting rooms get pretty jammed, but the communal fitting room is quick and worth it.”

Plan of Attack:

“Hit the shoes first though, because you’ll need some energy and you don’t want to lose out if they only have a few boxes of each shoe in your size (especially if it’s a popular size).”

  “Once you have your shoes, go up to the top floors and work your way down again.  You will find so many deals that you’ll find it hard to pick and choose what your budget will allow.  I went in the spring to look for fun dresses (for wedding season), and I left with four! “

“Great handbags and shoes - but it’s all about timing.  Subscribe to their email list and get the low-down on upcoming shipments. It’s a hit-or-miss type deal. But the deals you do hit are worth it.”

“Never put down anything you think you might want.  Not even for a second.  Never ever ever.”  

What’s the real deal with the Insider’s Club?

(Seems like people like it!)

“Become an Insider Member for tons of extra coupons and savings.”

“Their Insider’s Club program IS pretty good because I get weekly emails notifying me of new stocks or in store promo’s they have going on.”

“Definitely sign up for the Insider Club; you’ll get email alerts about special sales and Insider Points promotions… “OOH, a 3-hour sale! Gotta get up early!”

“I HIGHLY suggest signing up for their insider club thing. You get 10% off when you first join and you get insider points, every 100 points is 10% off and you can use up to 2 at a time, 20% off. And you get 15% off for your birthday and you get to know before everybody else when the sales are and you get special offers. Totally worth it. Totally!”

 “Tip #1: Go to the Loehmann’s website and sign up for their mailing list.  You get awesome coupons practically every weekend…hey, 20% off your entire purchase is a fabulous deal, especially when prices are already slashed from retail.”

“Get a Loehmann’s card (and you can get coupons too) and then on top of the amazing deals you can cut even more money out.  Honestly, Loehmann’s is one of the best stores to find great clothing at incredibly low prices.”

Conclusion?

Get up early, eat a hearty breakfast and don a nice set of underwear. Don’t forget your “Insider’s Club’ card!

Have time to kill and open your mind to receive the offerings from the divine shopping gods.