Whether you're looking for a spectacular gift or the perfect accessory for your favourite black dress, you'll find exactly what you want when you shop online - and you'll find it for less. Online discount shopping has come of age. Buyers across the UK have learned to take advantage of the convenience and savings of shopping for designer clothes, jewellery, watches and women's shoes online.

Nearly anything you can find at the shops, you can find online - and at a discount. It used to be a bit harder to find just the right thing - the online sales were mostly through obscure little web sites that offered big discounts on last year's designer clothes lines and women's shoes, but that's no longer the case. Online discount shopping is not only more popular than ever, it's now chic to buy your name brand and designer clothes through the internet.

Even the High Street retailers have become wise to the discounting possibilities of online shopping. Many of them, like Tesco, offer special internet only discount deals on some of their most popular items. The strategy has paid off for Tesco, which sold to over one million online customers in November and December of 2005, and John Lewis, which posted over £100 million in online and catalogue sales last year.

Many people may be hesitant to buy clothing and jewellery online - especially at cheap, discount prices. The fear of being cheated or buying fake or inferior merchandise isn't an idle one when you're shopping without actually seeing what you're buying. There are some common sense precautions that you can take to be sure that you're getting what you're paying (at a discount) for.

1. Shop at trusted sites. That doesn't mean that you're confined to shopping just the big name catalogue stores, though. There are some wonderful internet shopping directories that let you search and compare prices of designer clothes, electronics equipment, jewellery and women's shoes. However, there are some really great comparison sites that only list legitimate shopping sites where you won't be cheated.

2. Shop using a credit card. When you make a purchase via a credit card rather than paying with a cheque, you have the option of disputing your charges if the item is not delivered, or proves to be less than hoped for.

3. If you have the option when shopping for designer clothes online, try on the item at a local shop first to be sure you get the right size. If that's not possibly, most internet shopping sites have a sizing page so that you can check measurements and be certain that your purchases will fit.

4. Be sure to check the return policy of the web site you're shopping just in case. You may have to return the item at your own expense, though some online shops make it easy on you.

5. If you're shopping for women's shoes, take the time to have your feet properly sized before ordering. It's better to try on shoes in a similar style first to be sure that they'll be a comfortable fit.

6. Do beware when buying expensive watches and jewellery online. Check the contact info of the web site from which you're making the purchase if it's not a business that you've used before, and do a quick internet search of the company name to turn up any complaints against them.

You can get incredible bargains on women's apparel, including hard to find designer clothes and shoes by shopping online. Make the internet your first stop when shopping, and be sure that you're getting the best possible price from a trusted source.