The pros and cons of buying an abaya online are not dissimilar from those of buying any garment over the Internet. The advantages of purchasing an abaya online include convenience, particularly if someone lives in an area where there are few Islamic clothing stores, as well as the possibility of being able to secure the lowest price on the abaya. Disadvantages include not being able to try on the garment to see how it looks, fits, and feels. In addition, if someone is unused to selecting and wearing traditional Islamic clothing styles, she may not have the advantage of working with a shop clerk who can explain how to properly wear unfamiliar garments. Other disadvantages include the possibility of Internet credit card fraud as well as delays in shipping.
For some, buying an abaya online may be the only way that they can purchase the garment. Even if there is an Islamic clothing store in someone’s community, it may not have a wide selection of sizes or colors. In addition, some women favor more elaborate abayas for formal wear, which may likewise not be available through a single shop. By shopping for an abaya online, a woman has access to numerous styles and can quickly and easily compare prices between merchants.
There are difficulties that result from selecting an abaya online as well. The main problem is sizing. Not all garment manufacturers use the same sizing guidelines, and as a result, a woman may end up purchasing an abaya that does not fit her properly. If it does not fit, she is forced to either have it tailored or to return it by mail to the online merchant. Both options are time consuming, and the first can be costly as well. It is also difficult to determine the quality of an abaya by simply looking at online photographs.
Buying an abaya online also carries with it the small risk of identity theft and fraud. Some mail-order dealers can be very slow to ship items or may simply take the customer’s money and not deliver the garments that she has ordered. Unscrupulous employees may misuse the customer’s personal or credit card information, and hackers may enter a company’s database and steal information as well. As such, those who choose to buy an abaya or any other type of clothing through an online merchant should take care to work with reputable dealers who have sufficiently secure websites.
