E-commerce boutiques are giving street boutiques and department stores a run for their money by eliminating the middleman and doing the work for you.

Cutting edge technology is constantly being used to replace everyday activities, and shopping is no exception. Sites like Shoedazzle.com, Sendthetrend. com, Justfab.com and Jewelmint. com are approaching shopping at a creative new angle by using computer algorithms to create an online boutique tailored to fit your individual style.

Upon visiting the site, the customer takes a short quiz to determine their fashion preferences and based on the answers, the site assembles a collection that best

reflects their taste. Customers are then able to pick their favorite pieces and purchase them at a low price, usually ranging between $25 and $30.

“Send the Trend offers customized picks based specifically on the customer’s style at an affordable price point – it’s like having someone do the work for you,” Send the Trend co-founder Divya Gugnani said.

Having the website make the choices for you is what sets e-commerce boutiques apart from their real-world equivalents. It’s the same as having a personal shopper, except that it works for free and around the clock.

“I’m always excited by the pieces Jewelmint.com puts in my showroom,” mass communication senior Kristen Diaz said. “The quiz you take at the beginning to set up your account does a good job

feeling out your style.”

While e-commerce websites do provide a unique and easy way to shop, there are some downsides. Within the first five days of the month, a customer on Jewelmint can choose to opt out of the service by clicking the “skip this month” button; however, if they forget to do so, their credit card is automatically charged $29.99. The customer then receives a Jewelmint credit, obligating them to make a purchase sometime in the future.

However, some companies such as Shoedazzle are revolutionizing their sites and eliminating these penalty fees.

“The only way to stop your credit card from being charged was to ‘skip the month’ by a certain date, or deactivate your account. This was a huge problem for a student budget, but Shoedazzle recently eliminated the requirement to skip

the month, so in my opinion, there’s no downside now,” economics senior Olivia Burns said.

E-commerce sites also use celebrity endorsements to attract customers. Shoedazzle boasts reality star Kim Kardashian as their chief-stylist and co-founder, Jewelmint is the birth child of actress Kate Bosworth and her celebrity stylist Cher Coulter and Justfab employs the expertise of Phat Fashions designer Kimora Lee Simmons as their president and creative director.

By simplifying the process, offering products at an inexpensive flat rate and using famous stars to promote their businesses, e-commerce boutiques have established their positions as fierce competitors in the fashion world.

Olivia Lueckemeyer can be reached at [email protected]