CONTRIBUTED BY LARISSA
Shopping at Yomitan Pottery Village with my favorite Army Wives!
Shopping is inevitable whether you like it or not. You must shop for groceries, new school supplies, pottery, random office supplies, the perfect gifts, etc. Shopping is a reality in our lives and it’s easier said than done when living overseas. One big decision we have to make is where to shop – on-base, off-base or on-line. And, if you are anything like me, I get overwhelmed with the prospect of researching who ships to FPO/APOs, where the best deals are, what companies make returning easier, etc. So, I was wondering where you all do your on-line and off-base shopping since we all know where you do your on-base shopping.
And since you all are in the mood to answer my questions please share with me…..
Where do you shop on-line and why? (Ex. Where do you buy shoes, gifts, scrapbooking supplies, etc.)
Where do you order photo prints and why? How much does each print cost and what is the shipping? (I’d love this random info since I have a lot of reprints to order soon!)
Where is your favorite place to shop off-base and why? (If it has not already been covered on Okinawa Hai I will check it out and give you the props!)
What is your favorite shopping blog and why? (Besides Okinawa Hai, of course!)
I know that’s a lot of questions but I believe you all are up to the challenge! I’m looking forward to exploring the island and the internet with you as we share our best shopping ideas!!
I don’t have a favorite place, but I have a favorite WAY to shop. I love to zip into any unusual looking “store” (and I use that word loosely) when I see it. I’m drawn to the unique one-of-a-kind places that are everywhere on this island! You know, t-shirts hanging outside someone’s house with a hand printed sign, a van at the beach with the side opened up and some dude selling pizza-by-the-slice, anything out of the ordinary says to me, “There’s an adventure here for you!”
I love online shopping and have quickly found who ships here and who does not! For clothing the Gap/Old Navy/Piperlime site ships very quickly as well as Jcrew and Victoria’s Secret. For housewares, I have ordered quite a few things like curtains, lamps and rugs from JcPenney and have had no problem getting them here quickly.
For ball dresses, Nordstrom is great too!
I default on Old Navy ($7 shipping for everything) and Amazon (for seeming everything — love the free shipping).
Have been very disappointed lately with shipping from Drugstore.com who I used to order a lot of things from. They’ve stopped shipping priority as a “standard.”
Where is the Yomitan Pottery village? I am fairly new to the island (month and a half)and am quickly learning the frustration that if the PX doesn’t have it, I just can’t run down the hill an hour to Target. SIGH, how I miss Target. I have purchased things online from Kohl’s and Amazon. Some of the things from Amazon weren’t even directly from them but one of their sellers. I usually get the stuff in about 10 days. I get Kohl’s emails and they always have 20% off everything deals. Plus, free shipping if you spend over a certain amount. Amazon is great. An order I placed got lost and they are sending me a replacement order. They have EXCELLENT customer service.
I love zappos.com when ordering shoes! Their customer service is awesome! No shipping and no tax on most orders. And they ship to APOs. When I ordered in the states I would get my shoes in two days usually. It will take a bit longer here, of course.
I usually order clothes from express, banana, nordstrom’s, macy’s, and bebe. I get shoes from dsw and road runner. I have recieved my packages in one week. I have ordered from amazon as well and great customer service. Just like the previous post, some things come from the direct seller and may take more than a week to get here. I haven’t shopped on base except for jeans so that we all don’t walk around like clones and I really haven’t found anything out in town that has caught my eye.
I am new to online shopping and LOVE Amazon and Old Navy because of their great shipping and no tax! Overstock also ships here for only $2.95! And Piperlime is about to start carrying Juicy Couture, AG & Paige Denim along with some other really great brands!
Out in town I like to visit Notori for dishes and housewares, etc.
The local on base gift shops also carry great furniture and accessories. And who doesn’t like Yellowbox and the 100 Yen store!
Thanks for all your input ladies – I love it!! I’ll compile “our” list and stash it away for later!!!! If you think of anything else, please come back and share!
Audrey – Where is Notori’s? Does it go by a different name? I do love the base gift shops but they have been covered on Okinawa Hai so I was looking for something “new”. I have also dropped a bundle at Yellowbox and I don’t regret a single purchase. 100 Yen stores are the best for candy to send back to the states – my peeps love getting packages from me!!!
Thanks, again, for contributing your thoughts – I really appreciate it!!!!
For Photo prints: I use Shutterfly & Snapfish they both have great deals and I often get emails for 50 FREE 4×6 prints that I in turn use and send Oki Times back to my Family at home.
For Off Base Shopping: Kids clothing I LOVE the Birthday store & the Bunny store, I can buy kids shirts for my son for around Y299!!
For Men & Women’s clothing off base I LOVE Outlet J- They have great clothing and great prices!!! My Husband can wear the LL shirts just fine!
I’m in love with Amazon, as long as it ships from Amazon and not someone just on there selling.
I have ordered scrapbook stuff from Oriental Trading. Shipping was kinda expensive.
I order pics from Snapfish. Again shipping is kinda expensive but it’s still cheaper at 9 cents a pic. They had free shipping a week or so ago and I saved $28+ for my 1000+ photo order!
Nice to see that Old Navy will ship for $7.
For here, 100 yen stores steal our money!
Oh and we shop at Yellowbox. American furniture is hard to come by around these parts. If you order something you’ll have to wait 6-8 weeks for the boat to bring it, but well worth the wait!
Let’s see. I don’t use Amazon at all because they don’t ship half of what I need to order to APOs anymore so I use BestBuy, Powells, Aafes.com, and BAMM for books, and electronics, that I can’t find here.
I use JcPenney, SierraTradingPost, Target and JCrew for most clothes. I do buy some clothes off base at some of the import stores, and of course, I buy a few things at the BXs too.
I use Drugstore.com for most toiletries that I can’t get here.
I use York Photo for prints…usually 8 cents a print and always have coupons for free shipping and Netflix for movie rentals.
Love Jusco, Nitori, OK Furniture, Best Denki, Daiso, Sanzo’s, various stores on Kokusai-dori, and of course any pottery festival.
Does Netflix ship movies out here?????
yes they do. it’s rather slow, they tend to come all at once – but yes they do.
Nitori!!
link to nitori.co.jp
check them out!!
Can someone tell me how to get to the Yomitan Pottery Village?
For online shopping, I generally use Amazon (mainly books and movies,sometimes exercise equip), BHPhoto (for photography equipment), and Old Navy.
For Photos: I usually go to Kitamura or for cheaper prints, the photo print store in the 4 seasons annex by Foster PX (they have nice glossy prints.) I’ve heard Snapfish is a good online source, but I haven’t tried them yet.
Off base: Jusco, Gushikawa Main Place, Uniqlo, Lace (clothing store down in Naha,) and Sports Depot…plus other cool random stores I find.
http://www.okinawahai.com/2008/05/shisa-shopping.html
Oh, and Sherry, you can find directions to the Pottery Village in this previous post.
I haven’t been here long so I don’t have many off-base suggestions. I have already discovered how hard it is to get some things around here if it is not the “right time”. I am an avid gardener- I love my flowers. I have had a really hard time trying to find good plants and discovered that the Store behind KFC just past KAdena Marina has a fairly decent selection. Also, some of the fruit markets (such as the one outside of Kadena gate 3) usually will have plants. Also, there is a flower shop outside of gate 5 I believe.
I have to mention Nitori again. For any of you who are wanted to decorate your home and shutter at the thought of using the limited resources of the BX, this is a great place to go.
Finally, I use picaboo.com for my photos. I usually don’t print a bunch of photos out, rather I will drop my photos into very easy to use templates which creates photo books. This has been a good way for me to have pictures and memories, but not a bunch of loose pictures. They are slightly costly ($9-80ish) but they run specials every couple of months so I just order during the specials. The photo books (which have different sizes and covers) are a better quality than the ones I have bought from shutterfly.com or winkflash.com in the past. The shipping takes about 2-3 weeks.
I know where the Bunny Store is, but where is the Birthday Store? Anyone know?
Marcia – here is the link on Okinawa Hai for the Birthday store.
http://www.okinawahai.com/2008/07/the-birthday-st.html
HI! I was just wondering for those of you out there who have ordered from VS (Victoria’s Secret), how long the shipping took? On the average was it close to the estimated shipping time VS stated? i.e. I just ordered and VS advised about 4 weeks which seems long (compared to some places). I was also wondering if any of you received your orders before the estimate? Thank you!
Mia,
VS ships pretty quick! I ordered my bathing suit earlier this summer and it came in 1 week.
How long does Zappos take to get here?
Thanks
Does anyone have a website for yellow box? and also do you recommend yellow box?
@Marisa|August 27, 2010
If you are referring to Yellow Box Furniture store, here is their website, all in English!
link to yellowboxfurniture.com
On their homepage click on the button ABOUT US for maps and directions.
You can also check out Okinawa Hai Society Forum Pages:
link to okinawahai.ning.com
Sometimes information is in the Okinawa Hai Society pages, especially the forums section, and is not in an article in Okinawa Hai! or related comments.
Marisa: I do recommend Yellow Box, along with a few other furniture stores as well. Half of our furniture is from Yello Box and we are very happy with our purchases. If you are in the Courtney area they have a “satellite” store on the commissary side where the PX is. Happy Shopping!!
does anybody know if yellow box takes american express card?
For all of the plus sized women out there finding clothing that is new style and reasonably priced is not always that easy. I have yet to find clothing stores in town that carry my size. I am a size 14/16 top and 16 bottom. I am please to announce that one of my favorite plus sized stores back in the U.S. now ships internationally and to FPO/APO addresses. It is Ashley Stewart. The shipping rate over here is a $35.00 flat rate no matter if you order one item or 10. I hope this helps.