Hello my name is Jen Andre, and I have an online shopping problem.
I use online shopping to help me get through a bad day. I use it to help me get through a great too! There are some people that are simply not online shopping fans. They have to go into the store, feel the clothes, touch the fabrics, try them on, etc. I am not one of these people. I have a pretty good handle on what size I am in what fabrics, and at what stores or brands, so online shopping is pretty easy for me. In fact, its almost too easy. Once you have visited a site and purchased something from it, they remember your payment information. Therein lies the problem; these nefarious websites have found your number. You don't need to take out your wallet to find your credit card and fill in your information over and over and over again (or, if you are like my mother-in-law, who is the preeminent online shopper, you have it memorized so its not about taking out the card, but showing off your memorization skills...haha). Having the information stored right there is really convenient, that's for sure.
But it is also very lethal. Having to take out your wallet to find your credit card would allow for some down time and a little self-reflection "do I really need another pair of Jessica Simpson pumps?" or "do I really need another dress for an event that I have not been invited to yet?" By removing the need for pause, all I simply have to do is click "Add to Cart." It excites me to add something to my cart, to watch the little icon in the upper right hand corner tell me I have three (3) items in my bag, especially when you are on a website like Ruelala or Ideeli where time is of the essence. They give you just a certain number of minutes or hours to purchase this one-time only, super incredible sale price. I am a sucker for those. I get a rush of energy when it hits 10AM and I know that Ruelala is open and ready for business!
I will browse those sites, finding the perfect "must-haves" and add them to my cart like its nothing - and really it is nothing. Putting something in your cart does not mean you are purchasing it. It just brings you one step closer to having that beautiful item in your closet. But if you are feeling really frisky, and you know you just gotta have it, then there is always the Purchase Now option! No need to put the item in your cart. You can simply purchase it directly from that screen. Amazing!
Online shopping is meant to make the overall shopping experience a little more convenient - and I think that some sites have accomplished this. As long as return policies seem honest and fair, then I am all about purchasing items online. Some noteable companies, with some pretty great return policies - first and foremost Zappos! If you have not shopped Zappos before then you are really missing out. They have a 365-day return policy, free shipping both ways, and excellent customer service. Local stores (like Express or Gap) have a good return policy as well - you can either ship the items back, or take them back at the store. That's always nice, so that you don't have to pay for shipping to send it back. Word to the wise: be sure and look at the return policies before you make any impulse buys.
Oh, and never, ever, ever, show your husband the boxes! Nothing good ever comes from that...trust me! Happy shopping.
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