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Shopping Frequency?

Annie

I have recently completed a closet edit and have some major wardrobe holes to fill. Just wondering how often do you all browse, try on things at the store, and/or buy new pieces for your closet? My office is located in a major shopping district, so naturally I browse and try on clothes frequently during lunch break. Because I visit the same retailers on a weekly basis and they are staffed with the same sales clerks, I am beginning to feel self-conscious about my weekly visits and NOT buying most of the time because things just don't fit or look good on me. A couple of the clerks even commented on how often they see me at the stores, which makes me feel even more self-conscious! Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

Shopping

22 replies

Latest reply was from Annie

adorkable

Veteran

Much sympathy here. I live about four feet from a mall, and I often buy things, take them home and try them on with other things, and then return them. I've gotten some comments - it makes me really uncomfortable too!

esperanza

I wouldn't worry about it! I often go a couple of months without buying but browse and try on frequently.

JAileen

Veteran

I used to work across the street from the biggest mall in town. I had to go through Lord & Taylor to get to the mall!

I think when a store doesn't have what I want it's their fault not mine. I'm certainly not going to buy something I don't like just to make them feel better.

rachylou

Veteran

I have frenzied phases. My local Ross sees me a lot because it's by the Petco. I *do* wonder if they wonder why I'm there so much... I wonder too about what a good schedule is for seeing what's up. I always feel a little out of control about the whole thing, but then again Iive in a fog...lol.

Anonymous

I do. I work across the street from a wonderful mall. I stop in on my lunch hour just to get out of the office. It was a bit embarrassing, but they wouldn't have jobs if I didn't shop.

MRL

Veteran

I love clothes/fashion but don't love to shop. I tend to browse online to look for things in which to fill the holes in my closet. I order online or go to the store - it depends. I live about 10 minutes from a mall with a Nordstrom (but it's a smaller one) and about 20 minutes from a very large mall. Occasionally I get the itch to just get out there and look because they offer so much!

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I have a few places I frequent pretty often, and at one of them they greet me and make comments if I've been absent a week or two. I don't mind this at all. If you make few purchases and many returns, well, that's nobody's business, if you ask me. I'd say that makes you a savvy and more happy customer than if you bought stuff and then hardly used it. A happy customer is a good customer, right?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

There are a couple of SAs at the nearby Nordstrom who know me by name. Oh, and one at the Nordies 45 minutes away (across the street from my sometime workplace) that also knows me. That should tell you something.

There was also a wonderful locally-owned shoe store nearby that knew me by name -- I got to be pretty friendly with the owner and one of the girls who worked there. They are responsible for half my shoe collection! Sadly, that location closed and the next nearest one is nearly an hour away.

I feel a little embarrassed when it feels like I'm in the stores a lot, but I tend to go in phases. I'll have an active spurt in which I shop a fair amount and then stay away from the stores for a couple of months or so. I doubt anyone is taking notes on our shopping behavior, though.

nancylee

Veteran

Since I don't live near any decent mall (except for a small plaza with a Banana Republic, White House Black Market, and Eddie Bauer), I shop almost exclusively online. This can be a hassle, but at least returns are shame-free. As a result, I buy, browse, and return often. I probably return 80% of what I purchase!

I can completely understand why you feel bad buying and returning frequently face-to-face. Maybe you could browse the item in the store and then buy it online to avoid awkwardness?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Oh, about returns. I do sometimes feel a little embarrassed about the number of returns I make, but here's the deal. Even though I have a number of good stores about 5 miles away from my house, it's a quite conservative town and the buyers know it, plus our Nordies is a pretty small one. I tend to find items online at Nordstrom or Anthro, for instance, that are not available in store. So I have to order to try them, and then I make a lot of returns in store. But quite frequently, that means I take a look around and may buy something else, so I doubt they mind so much.

I'm actually a little embarrassed that I just packed up an item to return to Zappos that I bought over nine months ago. Tags still on, never worn. But true to their policy, I had up to a year to return it! Gotta love that!

rosi

The politics of returns does not exist here. You may change the clothes, but git it back and have your money back?? No way.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I would not worry about time spent shopping. It's true that if we don't shop, they don't have jobs! I did retail for a year in high school, and from that point of view, as long as the customer doesn't leave a pile of clothes on the floor in a heap when they're done, it's all good.
As for returns, that's a bit stickier. Most of my returns are online purchases that I did not get to try on beforehand. I understand that sometimes something will not work out once you get it home, but honestly this rarely happens to me. I give it a good test in the dressing room. I think returning things bought in person repeatedly means either you have to sharpen your shopping skills, or hone your decision making skills. Just my opinion, of course.

LoriFLA

I have some major holes as well.

I do not shop that much, at all. I go through phases where clothes are not on my mind. I'm very busy (we're all busy) so either I don't have the time, desire, or the money. I'll buy a pair of jeans here, a top there. Yesterday I bought a pair of pants for work that looked great. That was an accomplishment. I rarely buy more than a couple things at a time. I can go months without buying a piece of clothing.

I love fashion and spend a good amount of time looking at clothes on the internet. I know I need to go in and try on. My local mall is dismal when it comes to choice. I don't know if it's me, but I don't like my Macy's. Everything looks cheap and nothing appeals. I have to travel to find a good selection of stores, and that is fine, even fun, if I can find the time. My husband works weekends so I'm home with my kids on the weekend. During the week I'm working or doing other stuff and before you know it, the day is over and the kids are home from school and I still have nothing to wear.

I was so happy to buy a pair of jeans (High Waist Skinny) and try on some jeans at the Gap. I ordered a the Curvy boot (I love them, wore them last night to the movies), a casual jersey skirt, and two t-shirts.

One of my major problems is that I become overwhelmed when shopping. I don't know what my plan is. I find myself second-guessing a lot. I wish I had somebody to direct me and keep me focused.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Fastkat, I don't care much for my local Macy's either, and I'm not sure whether it's that particular store or Macy's in general. They seem to have gone downhill in the last decade. Too crowded with merchandise, too much cheap quality, not enough interesting selection. I find some unexpected gems in their jewelry department sales, but not much else these days. Our Lord & Taylor is much nicer, IMHO.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Annie, it makes sense that you shop on your lunch break since it's right there. I go in phases - usually I'm either in the area where the shop is and stop in while I'm there, or I am looking for something in particular, or I'm in the mood to browse for a bit. Concretely, there's probably not a week that goes by that I don't go shopping somewhere, whether it's stopping in at a local thrift store or just poking my head in at a local store near where I'm running errands. I've never had an employee comment but then I live in an area with a lot of people so they probably don't notice me in particular.

Gail

Veteran

I dislike the Macy's where I live too. Very poor selection. The only other choice I have is JC Penney and Boscovs ! I do have a couple of super nice huge malls about an hour away but when I go to them I am very overwhelmed as they are unfamiliar. I tend to buy shoes from Zappos as they have great return policy and free shipping.

I can go to a Loft or AnnTaylor but have found that their quality has gone down, especially Loft. Marshalls and TJ Max are on my list of go to places. I would love to have a Nordies , Bloomingdales or Sak's closer

ironkurtin

Veteran

If they know you maybe they can help you find things that you like. My local boutique is like that - I come in, they say hi, they offer a few things, I say no, maybe I buy something, usually not, see you next time! But it helps that they knows what I like, and they are not offended when I say pass.

rabbit

Veteran

Before this winter my shopping strategy for years was to go to Marshalls 2 to 3x a year, try on a ton of clothes, bring home maybe 10-20 items, and then return 3-6 of them the next day. Because I wasn't really paying attention to clothes at retail in the meantime (although I noticed street style), there was a process of coming up to speed with new styles and experimenting that had to all get packed into that shopping trip. Also I didn't have anyone who could give me a second opinion on a new look, cut, or color until I got home. I always was careful to be polite, friendly and patient with the SA, and try the best I could not to make more work for them - and go shopping during a slow weekday morning, but I was trying on maybe 30 items in the dressing room at one time...

Now I'm being more intentional about building a wardrobe, and am taking more time in the process. Part of it also is that I need to make my dollar stretch further to try new looks/more variety, so I shop differently. (I also now have the luxury of setting my own schedule, which I know gives me much more flexibility during the week). Now I do a circuit of Ross/Marshalls/T.J.Maxx stores a couple of times a week during weekday mornings, and ONLY look at their clearance racks, shoes, and bags. I also often hit Macy's on Friday mornings, when their highest weekend sales discounts are in effect and the store isn't busy - again ONLY looking at clearance. For thrift stores, I'm learning from E and basically searching for Merino wool and cashmere sweaters - or interesting skirts, if I go there.

I end up buying a lot less, maybe one item per shopping trip to three stores, but that item is heavily discounted, and usually fills a specific wardrobe hole. It's also been interesting to get an idea of the rhythm of markdowns (at one local Marshalls some leather Fossil bags made it down to 29$ apiece.) I don't think this way of shopping is sustainable, I'm reaching the point where I'm pretty much set for the next several months and need to be running around less often, but for a short time it's been very useful. Oh, and the sales assistants (at Macy's in particular) recognize me now. But I always make an effort to be cheerful and complimentary, and thank them a lot, so I don't think they mind the fact that I'm constantly haunting their store

It's interesting the different impressions of Macy's. I like them, and find a lot more variety there than at my Nordstroms (where I love the items, but they are never ever in my price range except at the Rack).

DonnaF

Veteran

I shop online a LOT. (And return a lot.) Umm, my UPS driver even stops his truck to say "Hi" to me when he isn't making a delivery to my house. I feel badly that my trips to brick'n'mortar stores are almost always to make returns since they don't generally stock what I like online.

As to Macys, Ross, H&M, or almost any other store: Location, location, location. The Macys closest to me has worst selection ever. I swear, one would have to try hard to choose such ugly frumpy stuff. Yet other stores are fine, especially the flag ships. Lot of difference in H&Ms, even though they are within walking distance of each other. I never cease to be amazed at the differences between and among the stores in a single chain. Some are begging to be closed.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Most of my shopping is on line as I live in a really small town. Shopbop and now Zara are my favorites. I've been getting things off eBay this past month as well, because I am selling on eBay at the moment. Every year I sell off what doesn't work for me, my mistakes or especially, things I'm turning a corner on. I'm learning to listen to that "I'm getting tired of this look" voice. If I post it soon it will sell much better than if I wait a year or two "just in case I might want it again." Anyway this thread isn't about selling it's about buying. But wait -- I'm going to connect the two! I find the more I sell, the better I am at buying. Both from analyzing my past mistakes as well as being respectful to sellers, even big corporate sellers.

To your concern, you needn't feel awkward. I would turn it into a positive. As in, "hi, it's me again! How's your day going?"

Linda

I am in the same boat with you, Rabbit! I went through a wardrobe "dry spell" a few years after I retired. I bought, maybe, one or two things, online. Then I did our Christmas shopping almost entirely on the 'net. I realized how MUCH was out there. Also I returned to YLF. I kind of went on a spree -- although, I am a bargain-hunter through and through. I have only in about the past month or two been visiting B&M stores. One of the malls, the one nearest to me, is having so much trouble (stores closing, etc), that when I go into a couple of the stores, they do recognize me. But it is only because they have few customers, I'm sure. And, I'm pretty much set for my wardrobe at this point for a while, except for a couple of accessories. (I keep saying this and then noticing one of those ads on the side of the page!!)

I don't like shopping where SAs make me feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. I think that's human nature. I don't mind at all, being left alone to shop and try on and such. And so far, I haven't found any place where I felt that if I tried things on I had to buy them. Maybe I am just not intriguing enough, to the SAs, for them to try to sell to me actively, I don't know. I'm a pretty self-sufficient shopper too. I like to browse, I like to choose my own sizes/colors, and I try to leave the dressing room neat, and return clothes to where they belong.

I DID rant a while ago, about trying to return some running tights at an EXPRESS B&M store, after ordering them too large online. And that really was a pain! I can't imagine having to do that again, in fact. I've been more careful since, about trying things on in local stores before deciding to buy online -- but I still have the too-large tights, and that store doesn't carry the fitness items! Ugh!

Annie

Thanks for your input, everyone! Glad to hear that there are others with similar experience. Will definitely try some of the suggested shopping strategies and work on honing my decision making skills. I often experience shopper's remorse after a purchase because I am swayed by sales, purchasing for my imaginary lifestyle, or purchasing something that I thought looked good at the store but does not quite work when I take it home.