My name is Dana and I’m addicted to shopping online.
You can say it happened overnight, most likely after I had my second child. I quickly realized there would be no leisurely stroll through the mall, where I would happen upon some sandals on sale, try them on, and take them home, after stopping for a venti cappuccino. Oh no. Two young boys at the mall, not going to happen. So I stopped going, Cold Turkey. Now, a trip to the mall is a meticulously planned excursion. A rare moment when I have a small block of time to myself. Usually, the only reason to go is to return something I purchased online. If that rare moment happens, the stopwatch is ticking. No time to meander the familiar shops I once knew and loved.
Once, brick-and-mortar shopping was literally one of my hobbies. I could spend several hours at T.J. Maxx strolling random aisles, stuffing my cart with anything and everything I didn’t need. I may have come in for a bra, and ended up with Italian chocolate biscotti, olive oil from Spain, face cream from the Dead Sea, a bathing suit, and some gifts for kids’ birthdays yet to come. So invariably, online shopping has saved me money. Yes – when I shop online, I’m actually saving money! Because I’m not getting distracted by random things I don’t need.
For me, every day is Cyber Monday. It is my procrastination mechanism of choice. Instead of checking off my to-do list, I’ll pop into my favorite online haunts and check out what’s new. Sometimes I’ll even fill a virtual shopping cart and leave the items there. It’s that gratifying. Then come those ads. Mysteriously, that dress I had just clicked on keeps appearing on the side of my email inbox. Taunting me. Only 1 left in my size! I can always return it, I reason.
There’s nothing like the actual purchase, and tracking its FedEx journey from the fulfillment center to my front door. I can see it make its way from New Jersey…to Maryland…and ultimately, to my loving arms. Will it fit? Will it look like the picture? How will the fabric actually feel? The anticipation will sometimes keep me up at night.
I suppose there are worse out there than me. They get several boxes a week. My receivables were enough to illicit unwelcome comments from my husband. “More shoes? The FedEx guy knows you by name!” he would balk. So I grew clever and started ordering things to my office.
I am addicted to shopping online and have no intention of stopping anytime soon.
