The definition of last-minute shopping has shifted since the dawn of the digital era. We’re not as likely to buy a Lotto scratchie at the train station on our way to our best friend’s birthday weekend away because ‘last minute’ now includes the buffer of delivery time. That heart-sinking panic is still there though, because if the gift you ordered doesn’t arrive before you set off for the train station, expect your (former?) BFF to feign excitement at her scratchie and promptly scratch you off the next invite list.

Birthdays, weekends away, festivals, parties – they all require a little preparatory flutter to a strict deadline – and if you’re anything like me, you will cram that purchase at the eleventh hour, no matter what promise you made all those weeks ago.

Short of changing your ways and going all Ms Sensible on me, why not embrace this tendency by turning it into an art form?

Express yourself

The first thing to do, my lovelies, is to quit denying your last-minute habits and pay upfront for quicker deliveries – see it as a kind of insurance premium, covering those inevitable big Express fees that come from flying by the seat of your pants. At ASOS, they call it Premier Delivery: for $39 you sign up for free unlimited express shipping and free returns with no minimum order value for the whole year. Express shipping is usually $10 a pop, so if you shop with ASOS more than four times a year (well, duh!) it’s definitely worth doing.

Delay tactics

Don’t get too blasé once your Premier fees are paid: you still need to remember that a busy holiday rush can jam-up order dispatches, so at these times always add on about two days to your delivery buffer time. I know, I know, that renders it not-so-last-minute, but surely you can pull your (typing) finger out and make an effort on special occasions, right?!

Too choosy, you loosey

Hear me sweet shopping sisters: when I send you a style suggestion, and you heart what you like, the item will then sit quietly in your Wishlist, like, forever, if you don’t just Buy. Don’t let it get moth-eaten in that Wishlist while you browse the months away; keep swinging by and reminding yourself what you do ‘heart’, especially at the fast approach of that life-defining networking social. Buy Now or pay later.

Sign-up ‘o the times

I know too many emails can cause anxiety but if you stick to the very cream of your Shop You brands list and be specific about which marketing channels to subscribe to, you can stay on top of your inbox. E-newsletters help to remind you of upcoming needs (for instance, when the coming of autumn coincides with the coming of a Uniqlo email, I know it’s time to buy cashmere and thermals). This is a must if you’ve a habit of forgetting about a time-specific shop (the two words ‘Gift Guide’ have saved me on many a last-minute occasion).

Use and abuse me!

Above all, just remember I am here for you! Online shopping can bum-steer you in all sorts of directions but if you shop with me, you can rest assured that every suggestion will not only be produced by a brand you love, it will suit your style and your body shape too. Last minute shopping has never been so easy. 😉