-By KK-
Shopping has become a craze today. Especially, in this digital online world, where lounging from the comfort of your sofa any purchase seems like a steal. Come sale and I see even the best of the intellectuals’ intellectualism drop down a jaw-dropping 70-80% same as an online sale. Of course, Up to 50% purchase chaos applies here too.
End of season sale, final countdown, lowest price ever, +10% with HDFC, ICICI, Paytm, and innumerable other online payment option add their weight in crushing us onto sale platter. Not to mention ‘sale ends at midnight’ and a countdown click forever is visible like a time bomb ticking away, a constant reminder of limited time spell before an explosion of devastating closure.
Under such terrible pressure, you begin your purchases in a do or die frame of mind.
There’s an online rush resulting in server breakdowns and browsing breakdowns and I am sure mental breakdowns too. As the fingers select, compares, latest trends, brands, colours, prices, styles, size, shop by category, best of men’s, women’s kids’ wear etc and a race begins with the invisible online buyers.
Shoes, sandals, flip flops, bags, handbags, Jewellery, clothes, cosmetics, home decors, ethnic wear, festive wear, western wear, men’s wear, kids and toddlers wear, sportswear, popular purchases, from highest sale percentage check to lowest sales percentage check ie 80%,70%,60% and so on..Whew, you forage, pursue, hunt, seek your purchases. Don’t even dare assume it’s an easy task.
It is a formidable feat. Though brands, colours, size filter are available to ease your purchase plan your eyes burn as you scroll through at least 100-200 varieties of any given cloth item that one needs to purchase. An exhausting task if, you sit to browse in the daytime. You might have external interference. Bell ringing, maid coming in.. Worse, your mobile may decide to ring just the moment your finger is poised to add a particular item to bag. Also, by the time you get off the call (will call you in a bit dearie, am in the middle of something), your size is not available anymore. You are panting out of sheer frustration as you look up other brands for the item you needed. Again begins the exhaustive search task.
Not to mention diversion. ‘Suggested for you’- pops up. The same garment from other brands appears, and the minute you click on one, you end up on a road, lost to some beautiful irresistible garments put up in the scenery of flash sale of unwanted, unlisted items luring its way to your bag. By the time you come to your senses, a few items are already in your bag, (and getting rid of those unwanted purchases is the hardest). Suddenly you are browsing your mind, wondering where you had left off and reverse back to your shopping grid.
At long last the Herculean task of shopping list (and some more) price was just low, couldn’t resist buys, ‘just got diverted buys’ are all lying in a pile like Mount Everest.
Then, I begin a survey of my listed items in the bag. Each item goes through a scrutiny of required buy, apt buy, needless buy, couldn’t refuse to buy, this is a coup at this price buy, should I remove or add it to wishlist buys, seasonal buys (autumn/spring/winter/summer/rain) is round the corner buys, oh! Actually, all buys are justified at this price conclusion and I smugly shut myself up against raging debate and arguments. Hehe… Victory!!!
Now payment… I lick my lips as I scroll through bonus points, card points, bank-affiliated discounts to reduce the price of the already discounted items in the bag. Select card, net COD payments. Payments are made by net payment, some by COD (easy stowaway cash- no IT official can ever trace this cash that a woman gleefully stores in grain cans). And lo! Behold! Purchase complete. Sigh!
Wait, wait! It does not end. Then begins the round of ringing doorbell (you endure this for return and exchange too), from – you may not be home, you have to be home- to collect parcels. Then model for size, fit, the accuracy of colours, clothes material, does it flatter, kill or enhance your beauty, figure. Neck too low..? Too high..? Cleavage show? Oh god! Click selfies, send it to friends for second opinions. It’s an exhausting ritual that leaves a mess of heaped clothes needing sorting. Which to keep and which to return.
Not to mention the aftermath. A heap of plastic stares at us demanding a clean. Also, a heap of new garments needs to be fitted and organised into already overflowing wardrobes.
A round with kids and husband, coaxing, cajoling, threatening them to try it on for size and suitability. Again, a round of decisions. Which ones to retain, and which to return. Oh lord, don’t cut the tag. Not until you have decided you scream a reminder to your family while they sullenly check their outfits.
And then again begins the round of return of items unwanted, exchange list, refund status. The travail of online shopping. Evidently, not that effortless or hands-down smooth or easy.
We are the Ja-bo(I)nged into Myntra, we Amaze-on as consumers flipped over on a FlipCart ready to be taken for a sale ride. Happy Shopping!!!!
-By KK-
The Writers Room 