Internet shopping

I hate internet shopping.

Knowing what you want to buy doesn’t make it any easier. If you know the type of item but are unsure on brand, you could trawl hundreds of items on any site.

Sure, Google has a handy ‘shopping’ feature that allows you to search for item (‘red jumper’ or ‘usb stick’) and shows you results from multiple websites. But it’s not adept enough, doesn’t cover everything. And doubles up where the same item may be for sale in multiple places. It’s also overwhelming when you see the thousands of pages you could trawl through.

But at the end of the day, you’re buying something based on a picture. Something that, everyone who can use a smart phone surely knows, can be easy to lie through. You can’t feel the item or judge the sizes.

I’ve taken to picking brands I like the general feels of and floating between their websites on a wet Tuesday. In between staring at the wall and trying to get the motivation to get dinner on. Cath kidston jumpers, New Look dresses. Next jeans, River Island tops and SuperDry ANYTHING.

I spend 5 minutes a piece, scrolling through endless possibilities. My eye drawn to design after design. Saving possibles in my favourites until I’m bored looking through the same things and go and sift what I want to my basket. I don’t know what’s on the other websites just yet so this is as far as it goes. I do this for 3- 5 websites, get bored. Can’t decide between one jumper and 17 others. Think they’re all over priced for what they are. Inevitably the things I settle on that I went hunting for in the first place are spread across 4 websites. I refuse to pay shipping if there might be other things I want on that website that total enough for free delivery. But to be economic I have to actually get through each website. I start to get irritated, find something else to do to cope with the irritation, as per my therapists instructions. Get overwhelmed by the thought of going back to the task for a few days. Forget all about shopping. Next Tuesday arrives and everything in my baskets is now out of stock. Grumpily throw phone against wall. Buy substitutes that suit my requirements in the supermarket because it’s easy or its gone from ‘wanted’ to ‘needed today’. Another Tuesday and some tumbleweed passes and the whole sorry process starts again.

Don’t get me wrong. Online shopping may be convenient when you know precisely what you’re looking for. But if you don’t, then it can be a ballache. I wonder how many others are fondly remembering wandering around a shopping centre looking at various clothing garments in various shops. Perhaps buying along the way knowing if you see a better option you can go back across the road and get an instant refund. Perhaps keeping a mental/written note of prices and options before finally circling round the shops they have selected items from.

If anyone asks me about loss, I talk about department stores. They allow shopping to be experienced. With pauses for coffee. Instant refunds. Clean toilets. Other than the sheer number of people they used to have through for maximum profit, This makes it pleasant for those who get excited as well as those who may find shopping overwhelming. This new 2m rule and the max capacity reductions would have enhanced the experience. Too late. They seem to be a thing of the past.

I like to shop methodically. I like to make informed purchases. But I get little satisfaction from tapping away on a screen. I know it’s a first world problem.. but the point of this blog is to reduce frustration so 🤷‍♀️