Can you shop online and have your specialty cheeses and fine dining too? iGourmet.com thinks so, and it seems plenty of others agree as it has been nominated for a Luxist Award in the Best Gourmet Food category and was named 'best gourmet food website' by Forbes for five years in a row: from 2003 to 2007. It's a family business that originated from three generations of cheese importers and started as a mail order business (known as "International Gourmet") well before the internet was even invented. With no "brick and mortar" shop, igourmet.com has an extensive website complete with large photos, flavor descriptions, usage ideas, and recipes in an effort to not only offer exquisite edibles but also educate its customers so they really get what they're shopping for.

iGourmet.com offers everything from meats to sweets to oils and vinegars, but they especially pride themselves on their extensive line of gourmet cheeses imported from France, Italy, Sweden, and every other European country that exports it. They also offer a wide array of unique gift options for the holidays or any time of year in the form of luxe and beautifully packaged gift boxes, gift baskets, and cheeseboards plus a selection of 6 different gourmet monthly club options including Cheese of the Month (of course), Tea of the Month, and Connoisseur of the Month clubs.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed in Gourmet Foods. Readers' Choice Awards for Food will be announced on November 30th.

For the typical upwardly mobile, successful man of today custom shirts are a must. Yet, finding the time to locate the proper store and make a myriad of decisions can be tough in a busy schedule. ShirtsMyWay provides a great solution offering premium custom shirts through online shopping with free international shipping. You can visualize the fabric, colors, patterns, cuts and details with their digital model. Simply make your choice, send in your measurements, and voila! Original, well-fitted shirts that suit your style needs. Did I mention they have seven trillion different possible shirt designs?

Luxury auction retailer Portero has created a new private sale site. Portero Private is currently in beta and is an invitation-only site similar to Ideeli or Gilt Groupe offering 24- to 72-hour sales with a limited inventory of luxury brands at special prices.

Like most of these private sale sites Portero Private is starting off small. a select group has already been invited and each member has three invitations. The first sale event,starts on Thursday and will sell Hermes scarves. The Examiner reports that future sales will include Temple St Clair, Montblanc, Chanel, Cartier and others.

Fashionista's theory is that amidst tough economic times, fashionistas recessionistas are turning to online shopping to get their fix semi-anonymously. WWD reported a 12% increase in online sales as compared to last year, and it makes sense considering gas prices and the general cutting back that's happening across socioeconomic lines. But I like Fashionista's rationale -- that shame is keeping shopaholics from venturing out to do any damage.

It's kind of the equivalent of ordering way too much Thai food when you're home alone on a Saturday night, but at least there's just the delivery guy to keep quiet.

[via Fashionista/WWD]

In its latest design collaboration, mass-retailer Target has teamed with handbag designer Anya Hindmarch, famous most recently for her cheeky and impossible-to-get "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" tote. This group of faux patent bags is a bit more styled and features options ranging from an oversized clutch to a chic yet roomy tote. Though the collection won't hit stores until October 12, shoppers will be able to purchase online at Anya Hindmarch's site from October 8 through October 12. Mouses, on your marks.

[via Racked LA]

Baller Toys is a new website designed to bring you the very best in glamorous home entertainment--and we're not talking TVs and stereos!

Above is the Climatech 1001 Climate Controlled Cabinet Humidor. At $4,695.00, it is the least expensive of the four humidors available from Baller Toys.

Some exclusive items from the luxury website include:

• Mars Made and MartinBauer custom billiards tables ($35,000-$100,000)
  

• Teckell crystal foosball tables ($7,500-$10,000, other designer foosball tables up to $27,000)
  

• The International Dance Party, one-of-a-kind party machine ($67,000)

• VirtualGT Racing Simulators ($18,995+)

Keep an eye on Baller Toys for great things now and in the future. We love their motto: "Nothing is too extravagant."

Artnet recently launched an online art auction (still in beta mode), featuring photography, prints, works on paper, sculpture, and paintings. At a glance there were several hundred works posted, and there's info on the home page for art dealers on how to become an authorized Artnet seller. The site is straightforward and seems to work much like any online auction -- place a bid (U.S. dollars or euros) or just add to your watch list. There are starting bids, estimates, and end times. While the site is just getting started, I bet that with people shopping more and more from home (saving gas), even shopping online for art will become commonplace.

Nordstrom has a bit of this and that -- uptown to downtown, and great shoes. But did you know that it also has a "Designer Collections" shop on its site? I just discovered its handbag shop. As I write, there are 195 designer handbags offered, in brands that include Burberry, D&G, Kooba, Roberto Cavalli, Versace and a select few others. Fall styles are out -- get shopping! And/or see the gallery * for a few styles I picked at random.

* Note: Gallery pictures open to full size once you click on them.

Alexander McQueen -- bestowed high honors from the Queen herself as well as the late ruling monarch of fashion, Isabella Blow -- has just granted devotees across the globe, or at least those with functioning laptops, their wish come true: online shopping via his website. As of yesterday, McQueen's Autumn/Winter 2008 Collection is available for purchase online. Featuring seemingly life-sized models posing in various Fall looks, the site's menswear group appears en route to an obscenely chic hunting party in the English countryside. One can waste a good portion of the afternoon viewing catwalk video from the Fall show, each look an exercise in sleek, fashioned from luxe black tulle and mohair and often with intricate crystal detailing. Oh, and there's free shipping in the U.S. Same day messenger service available to Manhattanites. How befitting.

The Animal Rescue Site has harnessed the immense power of the Internet and put it to use for a good cause. The site features a button that visitors can click as many times as they want to provide much needed food to the millions of animals in shelters across the US. The food is payed for by sponsors that advertise on the site, and it's distributed by volunteers. So, next time you're bored at work... click away! Like most charities The Animal Rescue Site has an online gift store, except this one is more like and online gift mall, I was blown away by how much cool stuff they have (jewelry, cute clothing, home and garden supplies and pet accessories and much more), I put the shopping link in my favorites, I will definitely check back next time I'm buying a gift! If you're going to be shopping online it feels good to know you aren't just fueling the mass consumerism lifestyle, when a portion of the money goes to a good cause it makes shopping so much more enjoyable! Plus I can justify spending more knowing the proceeds go to animals!

Want to support your favorite school every time you shop online? Schoolpop.com offers internet shoppers an easy way to donate to the school of their choice, while conveniently buying their everyday shopping items. Since its inception, Schoolpop has contributed more than $200 million to over 30,000 schools nationwide! Choose from hundreds of your favorite retailers, Arden B., Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, L'Occitane, Pottery Barn....and hundreds more. Check out the Schoolpop website to see if the school you'd like to support is listed, chances are ....it is! If you're kids school needs a simple and effective fundraiser, get them listed on the site! Some purchases kick back as much as 20% of retail price to the school. I love this site, what an easy way to contribute to the education of future generations.

Online retailer Bluefly.com is doing its best to keep shoppers coming back. Over the last couple years they have run racy television ads to lure consumers, now after some new financing they have launched a new boutique within the main retailer. B*fly is a new boutique aimed at the younger crowd. It carries trendy separates for men and women that focus on contemporary trends at reasonable prices. The new store mirrors a move that some bricks and mortar stores such as Barney's with their Co-op and Neiman Marcus with their Cusp stores. Will it be enough to boost the online retailer, which has reported a weak fourth quarter and has released lowered expectations for the coming year?

English consumers now have the option to shop a duty-free shop without going to the airport. British Airways has launched the High Life Shop, an online duty-free shopping service that will deliver jewelry, perfume, watches and more to customers all around England whether they have been on a British Airways flight or not. The full range of the shop, with the exception of cigarettes and alcohol will be available and British Airways will pay the VAT on the goods. There are currently around 370 products on offer and the company plans to add luggage, eye masks and other things associated with travel.

I've written before about closed online shopping communities but for the most part they have remained relatively limited. That might change a bit with the latest partnership. Long-standing closed social network A Small World has partnered with online luxury fashion site Net-A-Porter to let members of A Small World access and shop directly from the latest international designer collections. Members of A Small World can log on to a special Net A Porter micro site that features the latest looks from over 200 brands including many limited edition items. The site will be updated on a weekly basis and will also have gift guides for shoppers.

It's not big news that counterfeit items can be purchased on eBay but the lawsuit by Tiffany against eBay may be a turning point for the fight against counterfeits at the popular auction website. In his opening statement in the suit, James Swire, a lawyer for Tiffany, said that a full 75% of 325 items that Tiffany has bought on eBay through a buying program the company started in 2004 were counterfeit. That's a pretty damning statistic. The lawsuit alleges that eBay has failed to stem the tide of counterfeit Tiffany merchandise available for sale on their website.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Bruce Rich, eBay's lawyer, said the company is always working to ferret out sellers of fraudulent goods and has always been responsive to the complaints from Tiffany. Tiffany first sued eBay in 2004 saying that they should automatically screen their listings for counterfeit products. Mr. Rich's take is that according to federal trademark law it is the responsibility of the trademark holder to deal with counterfeiters. He also said that hundreds of thousands of sellers have had their accounts suspended after reports of counterfeit sales. The Verified Owner Rights program on eBay does provide an online form through which a company can notify eBay that their intellectual property rights are being infringed upon and this often results in the auction listing being pulled.

This is far from the only suit that has faced eBay over counterfeiting. They have faced legal action from Louis Vuitton and Rolex over the same problem. In 2001, Rolex sued eBay's German subsidiary for trademark infringement and lost. Earlier this year, Germany's top court ruled that eBay must do more to halt the sale of counterfeit goods on its site.

For the consumer who wants to avoid counterfeit merchandise on eBay, a little research can make a big difference. Looking at the feedback score of the seller and reading the comments can give you some insight into the seller's history. A feedback score of at least 99 percent is best. Also when you are in the seller's history click on the past auctions. If this seller has sold a lot of similar or even identical branded items this is a big red flag. Also, sadly, if it sounds too good to be true and the price is really low you may be looking at a fake.

Another option for online brand name shopping is Portero, an auction site which guarantees 100% authenticity and sells directly to the consumer rather than through sellers. The only problem with Portero is that it is a much smaller operation and the selection is limited. Also the prices are generally higher.