IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CARTED
Words by Julia Kittelty
A one-week test of Carted.
I’m a big shopper. I can’t leave the house without buying something, whether it be an iced latte, a little treat or a cute top I see in the window of a thrift store that I just have to have.
I can’t help it, I just love material things and I won’t hear a bad word about it. I love buying clothes that make me feel more like me, and I love buying homewares that make my space feel cosy and unique. I love finding that perfect accessory that’s going to match that one jacket in my closet. But more than anything, I love a bargain.
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I have a lot of wishlists. There are the items I’ve already added to my many carts online, my liked feed on Depop, countless Pinterest boards, a graveyard of screenshots buried deep in my phone, not to mention the chaotic Notes app folders where I jot down anything I have my eye on (they stress me out just thinking about them). So when given the opportunity to try out Carted, a wishlist app designed for shoppers like me, I jumped.
Carted allows users to save all their (many) wishlists and open tabs in the one place. Instead of ‘adding to cart’, users can categorise items through the app, comparing them side by side and tracking prices. You might shortlist the items you’d typically impulse buy, or track prices across multiple websites to get the best deal. For me, Carted meant planning my wardrobe a little more cleverly and making more considered purchases.
As an avid pre-loved shopper, my first question about Carted was whether I could track items from secondhand platforms like Depop and eBay. And the answer is yes, you can add anything, from any store.
You might be looking for a new vitamin C serum or, I don’t know, a toaster. Whatever it is, all can easily be added and tracked on the app. If your favourite moisturiser tends to sell out, Carted will also notify you when it’s back in stock.
After downloading the app, I first scrolled through my extensive list of Depop and Universal Store likes and added all the items from my wishlists to my Carted profile. It was easier than I’d anticipated. The app has a ‘share’ extension that allows users to quickly add items to Carted from any website, on the spot. You can also copy the item URL into the app. It didn’t take long at all to migrate my wishlists and tabs to the app (great for my ever-diminishing attention span).
So, did it work?
At the moment, I’m on the hunt for a staple winter shoe. Because I haven’t decided on the exact style I’m after yet, I’ve created a few folders within the app so I can separate and organise the different styles I find.
When I started cataloguing all the shoes I loved, I saved them into either ‘Mary Janes’, ‘Knee High Boots’ or ‘Platform Boots’, the three silhouettes I’m trying to decide between. Within each folder, I can see all my options for that style in one place, despite them being listed on different stores.
To help my wardrobe planning, I ended up going super specific with my lists, separating the ‘Knee High’ folder into two: one for boots featuring buckles and one for the boots without. You can also add items to multiple lists, which is great if you want to sort by type, and also by outfit or aesthetic.
The great thing about shopping online, especially for secondhand pieces, is that prices are quite malleable. What’s not so easy is tracking those prices and ensuring you’re getting the best deal. I always end up with way too many tabs open and numbers swimming around in my head. Carted was helpful here, because it also tracks prices.
I’ve been very into mini skirts recently, especially pleated ones. There was this beautiful, vintage, Jeanswest number on Depop I’d had my eye on. It was black-and-white houndstooth and had a low waist with big, statement pleats. My dream skirt? Maybe. Every time I’d open the Depop app (which is embarrassingly often) I’d check on it. Had it sold? Was it discounted? Could I still live my ’90s Chanel mini skirt dream?
A few days after I added it to my ‘Mini Skirt’ list in Carted, I got a notification the price had dropped. I added it to my cart and bought it right then and there, in between sets at the gym.
Carted is really great for those pricier investment pieces too. A lover of Dr Martens, I’m on the lookout for my next pair. Because they’re on the more expensive side and I plan to wear them for years and years, I want to be very intentional with my choice. I’ve been adding all the pairs I think will fit with my personal style into the one folder, to compare and consider before I buy. I love that I can add pre-loved and new pairs of the same boot to compare within the app, and it’s not just my bank account that’s benefitting.
I’m a big believer that a tidy space is a tidy mind, and that applies to my shopping habits. I’m not a natural planner (unfortunately, I do love an impulse buy), but I’ve found that Carted is helping me to slow down, and make conscious and deliberate spending choices.
To download Carted now, head here.