shopping habits

always trying

Another thing I should have put on my new years resolution list is Improve my shopping habits. While shopping for the things I am really looking for I am way too easily distracted. This is more easily done in shops as on line but happens on both. Sometimes these distractions, like on your way to the cashier in a store you pass a sale rack or see something at the end of a rack that grabs you, end up coming home too. Most of the times these end up being great buys and things I wear a lot. But the other bad habit I have is not being patient enough when I can not find what I want and getting something else.

10 years ago

Shopping

6 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

Anonymous

I"m the same.

10 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

I'm guilty of this too!

10 years ago

Anonymous

I'm certainly guilty of this. But if the purchase is something that is a great buy and that I wear all the time, I am actually happy with my decision to buy it. I happened to find a cotton cardigan on deep, deep discount on a sales rack while I was waiting in line to buy something else. As it turns out, I wear the cardigan all the time. I can't even remember what my original purchase was so it certainly didn't stand out in any way.

10 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I almost never go into a store these days just focused on one thing. I tend to "survey the field" while I'm there, see if anything catches my eye or seems like a good bargain. Things change so much in the retail landscape that you never know what you might find.

But I know what you all mean - it's tricky to find the right level of decisiveness - making decisions quickly but not rashly, and staying focused. And being patient when you're not finding the right thing, but not to the point that you're getting too picky and focused on small details that really don't make a big difference in the larger scope of things.

10 years ago

molly221

Active Member

I am just browsing most of the time. Always looking for something with a wow factor. I am trying to be less influenced by the just because it is on sale. ..I do keep a running list in my notes section of my phone but it is more of a check box to convince me to buy it. For example I bought a sweater for 7.00 but a dark printed long sweater was on the list so no guilt.

But I don't shop for those. Like just because navy mid length puffy coat is on my list, I won't head to stores just to look at coat departments.

10 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

Me too!

It is really helpful to try to shift brain focus to feeling as much rewarded if I come away empy-handed as if I buy something! Such as, whoo, still have budget in place for something better! Next! Or, good ideas found for creating outfits via SYC! That sort of thing.
I have been trying to be very mindful of that, not only spending less % of time shopping, but also, since I do enjoy it and expect to continue, help myself feel that shopping is okay of itself and not just based on tangible results--so it is retail research, finding a new brand, seeing what are the price points, finding a new style that I might not buy then, but now know a style or fit to research further.

So a combination of both less time being tempted and being more list-focused and enjoying just the process, not just the take-home.

The other thing is to not cut tags the same day, and to be aggressive with returns. So if I tossed in those cute socks and then wondered, what was I doing?--can remedy it.

10 years ago

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