For those of us who remember mall outings with friends back in the day, shopping once had this sheen allure to it — an activity of secondary purpose (I mean, sure, we were there to buy something), shopping served as the background for scores of gossip, revelations, cat fights and…(gag) bonding.
Fast forward to 2014, and the wave of internet shopping has crashed over us, forever encouraging us to click as-needed and skip the lines (Doesn’t fit? Send it back.), but is it all really for the best?
Convenience-wise, the argument against online shopping is more or less a dead-end. Deals on shipping make purchasing bulkier items on the internet a no-brainer; airtight return policies often make for a risk-free purchase; the option to research before you purchase is the best way to save the biggest dollar.
But what’s happening in the bigger picture? Physical stores are shut down as they quickly become unneeded; employees go without work as computers and hardware replace their jobs in the stock room; the irreplaceable value of seeing a good firsthand before purchase becomes nonexistent. And...the bonding?
Online shopping is just one more outlet to disconnect from the world, but that doesn’t mean that’s all it has to be. A herd of giggling girls racing through Macy’s might not be necessary to maintain societal order — but the beating heart of a connected society is. So, how do we strike a balance?
Conscious shopping at the grocery store has more than caught on — why can’t the same thing happen on the interwebs? While online shopping definitely has its perks in the financial department, it can also encourage a decrease in quality in some markets. We advise items that are handmade, antique or vintage and are available local to be seen in-person (and you need to see some sunlight anyway), so get out of the house and get to bargaining.
Gifts in particular are a great reason to enjoy the shopping ritual. If it’s a loved one’s birthday, make choosing the gift an occasion — not a series of clicks until you mutter, “Good enough.” A wedding? Sure, maybe they need a cheese grater, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find something small as well that’s totally unique and awesome to help celebrate the day.
Hate shopping? I mean, really, truly hate it? The internet is for you! Besides, if you honestly don’t want to be there, you’ll just be in our way.
For those of us who miss the excuse to window shop, perhaps we simply need to band together to fight the clicks and save the sisterhood.
Image: Wikimedia
