Look, I’m Gonna Be Real Here
It was 2008, and I was in Austin for SXSW. My friend Marcus (let’s call him that, he’d kill me if I used his real name) dragged me to some ecommerce panel. I was skeptical. I mean, honestly, who needs more stuff?
Fast forward to last Tuesday. I’m sitting in my kitchen, surrounded by 17 different veggie choppers. (Don’t ask. Long story.) And I’m thinking, “What the hell happened?”
I Tried to Quit Online Shopping. It Was a Disaster.
About three months ago, I said enough is enough. I was spending alot of money on crap I didn’t need. So, I committed to a 30-day no-buy challenge. Day one was fine. Day two, I was already weak. By day three, I was on my laptop at 11:30pm, staring at a pair of shoes I didn’t need. And guess what? I bought them.
“You’re weak,” my colleague named Dave told me over coffee at the place on 5th. “It’s a committment issue,” he said, sipping his latte like he was some kind of expert. Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But here’s the thing: online shopping isn’t just about willpower. It’s about convenience. It’s about the thrill of the hunt. It’s about the fact that I can find a veggie chopper that’s “aquisition-grade” (whatever that means) at 2am. And that, my friends, is a problem.
Why I’m Not Blaming Myself Anymore
I used to think online shopping was a personal failing. But then I read this study—okay, it was an article on BuzzFeed, but still—about how ecommerce sites are designed to make you buy stuff. The colors, the layouts, the “limited time offers”—it’s all meant to trigger your brain into thinking, “Oh, I need this.”
And don’t even get me started on the reviews. You know the ones: “This veggie chopper changed my life!” Yeah, right. I’m pretty sure 87% of those reviews are fake. But still, they work. They suck you in. They make you think, “Maybe this will change my life too.”
“It’s psychological manipulation,” my friend Sarah told me. She’s a psychologist, so she probably knows what she’s talking about. “They’re playing on your emotions,” she said. And she’s right. They are.
What I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)
So, what’s a person to do? I’m not gonna lie, I’m still figuring it out. But here are some things that have helped me:
First, I’ve started making a list before I shop. Not just a mental list, but an actual, physicaly written one. It’s like a shopping manifesto. If it’s not on the list, I don’t buy it. Well, I try not to, at least.
Second, I’ve been trying to find better sources for reviews. You know, like actual blogs run by actual people. Like, for example, the folks over at veggiechoppers.com. They seem legit. And if I’m gonna spend my money, I wanna make sure I’m getting something that’s gonna work.
And third, I’ve been trying to find other things to do. Like, instead of scrolling through Amazon at night, I’ve been reading books. Or going for walks. Or, you know, actually chopping veggies. (Who knew?)
Oh, and if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, check out Vermont things to do this weekend. It’s a great way to get out of the house and spend some time doing something that doesn’t involve buying more stuff.
A Tangent: Why I Hate Black Friday
Look, I’m gonna go off on a tangent here. Black Friday. Ugh. The whole thing makes me want to scream. It’s like a feeding frenzy for consumerism. People trampling each other for a discounts on stuff they don’t need. It’s completley ridiculous.
I remember one year, I was at a mall in Chicago. It was like a war zone. People were pushing, shoving, screaming. And for what? A TV? A pair of shoes? It’s insane. And honestly, I think it’s a reflection of what’s wrong with our society. We’re so focused on having more, more, more, that we’ve lost sight of what’s actually important.
But I digress. Back to the point.
The Bottom Line
Online shopping isn’t going away. And honestly, I’m not sure I want it to. There are some amazing things about it. The convenience, the selection, the fact that I can find a veggie chopper at 2am. But it’s also a slippery slope. And if we’re not careful, we’re gonna find ourselves drowning in a sea of stuff we don’t need.
So, what’s the answer? I’m not sure. But I think it starts with being more mindful. More intentional. More aware of what we’re buying and why we’re buying it.
And maybe, just maybe, we should all take a break from online shopping once in a while. Go for a walk. Read a book. Chop some veggies. Who knows? It might just change your life.
Or at least, it might help you resist the urge to buy that 18th veggie chopper.
About the Author
Sarah Johnson is a senior editor with over 20 years of experience in the magazine industry. She’s written for major publications and has a love-hate relationship with online shopping. When she’s not writing, she can be found chopping veggies, reading books, or exploring Vermont.
