Shopping

The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one.
‒ Erma Bombeck.

Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping.
- Gertrude Stein.

If you spend fifteen minutes in a shopping mall, you will pass more people than our ancestors saw during their entire lifetimes.
‒ Rolf Dobelli

How much shopping do you do online?

I’m not opposed to shopping online, but I’m a little cautious. I admit to being burned a few times – products that weren’t as advertised, products that never came at all. But I’ve also found a lot of great stuff.

It’s a learning experience, I guess, and the biggest lesson I’ve learned is: just because it’s advertised on Facebook, doesn’t mean the vendor can be trusted. Like the pre-Christmas present I got the daughter. I saw an ad for a David Bowie advent calendar and couldn’t resist ordering her one. I could just picture her pleasure at all the little bobble head Bowies and other treasures. I even paid an extra $20 for the deluxe edition.

I started getting worried when it took so long to get here, but it did get here, and it looked like it did online. However, the little collectibles within each day’s compartment are not as advertised. It’s very disappointing.

So, when buying online, it pays to stick to vendors you know you can trust, like Indigo for books, or Old Navy for clothes. And another drawback of buying on line is the wait period.

Now with Indigo or Amazon Prime, you usually get your product in a couple of days. But with a lot of vendor it could take a couple of weeks or more. Which is why I didn’t do a lot of online shopping for Christmas – by the time I thought about it, I wasn’t sure I’d get what I ordered on time.

Which is also why I’ve subjected myself to that dreaded seasonal pastime, Christmas Shopping. I absolutely refuse to go shopping on the weekend at this time of year, so the hubby and I have been going during the week. Four trips in all (counting the solo trip I made last night because I had to go to Toys ‘R Us) and we’ll be going again today. Dare I hope we’re able to finish off our lists today?

I remember back in the day I used to love Christmas shopping – the decorations, the music, the energy. Of course, back in the day there was lots of snow by now to make the season bright. Yesterday it was so warm people were wandering around in spring coats.

Also, over the years I’ve started liking being around people less and less, even before the pandemic. Ideally, I’d like to do more Christmas shopping online, but it means having to do it in October because I’m too focused on NaNo in November.

Maybe I should pencil it in on my 2022 calendar.