Best Online Gift Shops For Unique Presents
It takes more than just your wallet to be a good gift giver. The challenge of finding the perfect present for any occasion can be difficult, but deeply rewarding. The right present isn’t about spending a lot of money (though that can certainly help!), it’s about finding an item that captures a shared interest or fills in something that’s missing from your gift recipient’s life. It doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant: Something small or useful can have just as much impact because it shows you’re paying attention, and that you genuinely care. Even the most practical gifts can still come from the heart, as well as something out-of-the-ordinary that they wouldn’t pick for themselves.
Finding the right present isn’t about spending a lot of money, it’s about finding an item that … [+]
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Of course, your perfect gift will be personal to you and your giftee, and knowing where to look is a challenge in and of itself. So to make gift shopping a little easier, we’ve compiled a list of 26 of the best online gift shops, from the unexpected and quirky to the convenient and hassle-free. Many of the companies featured on this list are women or BIPOC-owned, some have a sustainable emphasis, others are small businesses and some are classic standbys that won’t steer you wrong. Gifting is a language that you can learn to speak, and you’re off to a great start if you’re shopping at any of these companies.
Best Online Gift Shops
Nordstrom
- Prices: Starting at $10
- Shipping: Free standard shipping on all orders, expedited shipping starts at $12
Nordstrom’s iconic silver gift box is all your recipient needs to see to know they’re getting something good. Nordstrom has offered stylish, sophisticated gifts for over a century, and they have practically every category locked down, from skincare to shoes. Scroll through their gift guides for inspiration—you’re sure to find something they’ll treasure, whether you’re shopping for a baby shower or birthday celebration.
Etsy
- Prices: Starting at $6.30
- Shipping: Options and pricing vary by seller
A well-known online destination for artisan goods, Etsy should be your first stop for unique, thoughtful gifts. Pick up a print inspired by your giftee’s favorite show, a jewelry box personalized with their initials, or a custom leather keychain. There’s a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind, made-with-love gifts for anyone and everyone to be found here. Take note that all Etsy sellers set their own processing times and shipping options, so allow for extra time for custom items.
Amazon
If time is of the essence, you can’t go wrong on Amazon. The most prompt retailer on the internet (probably) is home to everything from the truly strange to the truly genius–you just have to go looking for it. Amazon makes it easy to find the perfect present with their gift finder, broken down down by recipient. For coffee lovers and at-home baristas, I love this Zulay milk frother, which will help them make Starbucks-quality coffees from the comfort of their kitchen.
Miiriya
- Prices: Starting at $3
- Shipping: Options vary by seller
Miiriya is an online marketplace for Black owned businesses, run entirely by one visionary, Lamini Loco. She has a distinct vision for Miiriya: “to create convenience for shoppers who want to support Black businesses seamlessly, while also creating a surge recirculating the Black dollar.” The platform marries the artistic with the convenient, so you don’t have to go searching around on other sites to support Black businesses and find unique goods. You can follow individual vendors, or browse through each category—of which there are many—to find the perfect present. Similar to Etsy, each vendor has their own policies with regards to processing and shipping, so read carefully before purchasing.
Uncommon Goods
- Prices: Starting at $8
- Shipping: Economy shipping starts at $6.95, or try Uncommon Perks out for 14 days and receive unlimited free standard shipping
Need something for the person who has everything? I can practically guarantee they’ve never owned a dog clock that waves its tail to mark the seconds, or a custom book of what the New York Times looked like on the day they were born. Quirky, funny, original and sentimental gifts all find their home here. Uncommon Goods makes it easy to shop for gifts by occasion or recipient, and they also have a delightful gift finder feature if you’re truly stumped.
Bloomscape
- Prices: Starting at $39
- Shipping: Plant-friendly shipping is free on orders $75 and up, and $7 for anything less
A houseplant is the gift that says “I trust in your ability to keep this living thing alive as a testament to our love/friendship/bitter animosity towards each other.” Bloomscape has an entire section devoted to low maintenance plants that make a great present for even the least nurturing among us. Pair your plant of choice with one of their signature ecopots, and you’ll have a budding gardener on your hands in no time.
West Elm
- Prices: Starting at $10.50
- Shipping: Starts at $4.95
We all know and love West Elm for their modern take on furniture and decor, but right now I’ve got my eye on their outdoor dining and entertainment section. Surprise your friends with new summer entertaining pieces that more or less force them to invite you over for an al fresco dinner party.
Verishop
- Prices: Starting at $6
- Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $35, $5.99 standard shipping for all others
An eclectic home for up-and-coming brands, Verishop has endless gift options for everyone on your list. Chic home goods meet edgy tech devices meet soothing spa products on this one-stop-shop for uncommon gifts. And right now you can score up to 70% off during their end of season sale, so it’s the perfect time to start thinking ahead for birthdays, anniversaries and the holidays.
Homesick Candles
- Prices: Starting at $34
- Shipping: Free shipping on orders of two candles or more within the 48 continental states
Homesick is best known for their destination candles, which thoughtfully evoke the scent of your favorite city or country in wax form. But they also have tons of special occasion candles to commemorate a move, wedding, birthday, promotion, and more. Some are customizable with a personalized handwritten message, like the let’s toast candle, so you can really make it your own. Each candle burns for 60-80 hours and is made of non-toxic, natural soy wax infused with their own blend of fragrance oils.
AAKS
- Prices: Starting at $57
- Shipping: Free on all orders
The Ghana-based designer Akosua Afriyie-Kumi created AAKS as a celebration of traditional weaving techniques and a means to provide sustainable employment in the region. They make lamps, baskets and bags that take a week or more to weave by hand and ship worldwide. Each piece is uniquely crafted with care, and would make an incredible addition to a colorful home.
Linoto
- Prices: Starting at $8
- Shipping: Free on orders over $100 within the continental United States
Jason Evege began making linen sheets out of his apartment in 2007, when he was frustrated by the lack of linen bedding options available in the United States. That eventually turned into Linoto, which has since fulfilled over 10,000 orders of affordable, hand-made linen goods, sourced from Italy and Belgium and made by hand in their workshop in upstate New York. Their artisan sheets, towels, curtains, and napkins make wonderful housewarming gifts that will last for years to come.
Labotica
- Prices: Starting at $78
- Shipping: Flat rate ground shipping is available for US customers, and international shipping is available through their shipping partner Garmentory
Labotica (pronounced “la-boh-tee-ka”) is a conceptual, luxury fragrance house founded by Dawn Marie West, who draws upon her Afro-Dominican heritage to make upscale candles, fragrances, and more. They use ethically-sourced ingredients to make all their candles, which are hand-poured and range from the musky, floral-infused Nolita 96 candle to the citrus and woodsy Saint Vela candle. Each one burns for about 70 fragrant hours and comes in a signature Labotica dust cover bag, making it a memorable gift for your favorite candle connoisseur.
Atlas Coffee Club
- Prices: Gift subscriptions start at $60
- Shipping: Available on a monthly or biweekly subscription basis
You can’t go wrong with gifting your coffee-obsessed loved one with a monthly delivery of high-quality roasts from around the world. Atlas Coffee Club sources single-origin coffee beans from the world’s preeminent coffee producers, like Guatemala, Kenya, Indonesia and Ethiopia, and ships them to your door each month. Each package includes a postcard with information about the roast, along with serving suggestions and tasting notes. It’s a special treat for coffee lovers who won’t be able to find these roasts at their local grocery store. Have a tea lover in your life? Atlas recently launched an Atlas Tea Club that offers a similar subscription for tea drinkers.
W&P Porter
- Prices: Starting at $7
- Shipping: Free for orders over $50 within the continental United States, and $5 for orders less than $50
W&P Porter makes being eco-friendly oh so chic. They offer sustainable replacements for commonly-used plastic kitchen products, like ziploc bags, water bottles, storage bowls, and more. Personalized engraved monograms and messages are also available on select items, so you can make sure no one will steal your recipient’s precious water bottle or wine glass.
Diaspora Co.
- Prices: Starting at $10
- Shipping: Free for orders over $65
Diaspora Co. reimagines what the spice market would look like without the influence of colonialism. Founded in 2017, they source fresh, single-origin spices from farms across India, resulting in ethical, flavorful spices to flavor your favorite dishes. For gifting I particularly recommend building your own six-pack, so you can fully customize the kit with the spices your recipient will love and use most (plus, you’ll get $5 off!).
East Fork
- Prices: Starting at $18
- Shipping: Ground shipping available within the continental United States
North Carolina-based ceramics company East Fork makes stunning kitchenware that add subtle personality to any dinner table. This is not the kind of china you’ll want to reserve for special occasions–their ceramic plates and bowls are ones you won’t want to keep hidden. Dishwasher and microwave safe and suitable for everyday use, choose from their various pottery forms or give the gift of a complete dinner set as a wedding or anniversary gift, or to celebrate a new home.
Brightland
- Prices: Starting at $22
- Shipping: Standard shipping is free on orders over $65
Olive oil is the foundation of so many meals, so make sure you’re springing for the good stuff. Brightland, a BIPOC, woman-owned company based in California, offers transparently-produced extra virgin olive oil and vinegar from family farms, packaged carefully to lock in flavor and keep it fresh. Give the gift of their antioxidant-rich duo with a monthly olive oil subscription, which will bring a whole new dimension to any home chef’s meals.
Society6
- Prices: Starting at $18.99
- Shipping: Earn free shipping when you sign up to receive automated text messages
Society6 exists as a free platform for artists to share and sell their work. Their work can be printed on just about anything you can imagine for your home, from prints to pillows to yoga mats. Every purchase benefits the artist who designed it, so you get the joy of supporting your favorite creator and a fabulous gift all in one.
Fancy.com
- Prices: Starting at $6
- Shipping: US orders over $49 earn free shipping
If you’re searching for highly-curated and values-driven gifts, don’t overlook Fancy.com. It’s a marketplace for artisans to put their most unique ideas on display, specifically designed for discovering new artists and tastemakers. They even have helpful gift guides for different budgets and recipients. But perhaps the best feature of the site is the ability to filter products by values. That means you can exclusively shop from BIPOC or women-owned artists, small businesses, businesses with sustainable practices, and more.
Lockwood
- Prices: Starting at $2.25
- Shipping: Free US shipping on orders over $50
Lockwood is a beloved Queens-based decor and lifestyle shop with an emphasis on local and up-and-coming brands. Here you’ll find charming odes to New York as well as colorful jewelry, baby gear, clever mugs, and so much more. Shop their bundles to find the perfect gift for self care, a growing family, or your coworkers.
Coming Soon
- Prices: Starting at $2
- Shipping: Available to ship worldwide, with free in-store pickup at their New York retail shop
Coming Soon is where you’ll find furniture, decor, and gifts like no other. Founded by Helena Barquet and Fabiana Faria in 2013, Coming Soon melds creativity, color, and style into their highly-curated collection. Whatever the occasion, you’ll find something original and eye-catching, like this elegant lucite backgammon set, a mirror with a face to match your mood, or a multi-purpose dish shaped like a bathing lady.
Jungalow
- Prices: Starting at $10
- Shipping: Standard shipping is available for all US orders
If their space more closely resembles a greenhouse than a home, then you need to complement their greenery with a gift from Jungalow. Founder and creative director Justina Blakeney uses the most sustainable processing and packaging options possible to make and ship wallpaper, textiles, plant accessories, home decor, prints and more from the brand’s Los Angeles headquarters. Many pieces are designed in-house and others are made by a rotating selection of artists, but all share an affinity for color and bold print.
Goldbelly
- Prices: Starting at $25
- Shipping: Options may vary by restaurant and region
You probably can’t give them their favorite home cooked dinner, but you can give them a delicious meal from Goldbelly, which is almost the same thing. Goldbelly partners with restaurants across the United States to send their most mail-friendly food items anywhere in the country. That means small businesses and local spots have the opportunity to reach a nationwide audience (a saving grace for many during the pandemic), and your giftee gets a memorable meal with no effort on their part.
Anthropologie
- Prices: Starting at $6
- Shipping: Free shipping on orders of $150 or more for AnthroPerks members, standard shipping starts at $4.95 on all other orders
For chic, bohemian-inspired decor and gifts, look no further than home decor staple Anthropologie. Treasures abode in the home gifting section, where you can find artfully-made goodies with personality and flair. Check out their selection of monogrammed goods for an extra-personal touch for any occasion.
MINNA
- Prices: Starting at $17
- Shipping: Domestic and international shipping options available
Radical transparency in retail can be hard to find, but MINNA sets the bar for a brand of global origins with ethical practices. They partner with artisans and makers across Latin America as well as established US-based artists to offer tasteful home and lifestyle goods, many of which are handmade. Sort by category or country of origin, and find a one-of-a-kind gift they’ll cherish forever.
Areaware
- Prices: Starting at $7
- Shipping: Free shipping on continental US orders over $50
My family is a puzzle family: On long vacations, we always pack a puzzle or two, and everyone spends at least a few minutes sorting and placing pieces. I gifted my mom an Areaware lenticular puzzle for Christmas, which was only 500 pieces but a real challenge to solve because of the complex design. All this goes to say that they make great gifts. And if your person is not a “puzzle person,” try a funky candle or vase instead.
