The Real Cost of Retail. It’s About Time.

Shopping. I simply do not like it, online or otherwise. Whether it be clothes, groceries, furniture or even airlines tickets, I find it to be one of life’s most tedious activities. I recognize I’m in the minority and that most find enjoyment and satisfaction in perusing the endless options placed before them. I definitely understand the desire to grab a deal but, especially as I get older, I question its true cost. Earlier today I happened across an article in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Lessons From a Six-Month Shopping Detox, that shed light on how we easily get wrapped up in retail, causing us to often waste our most precious commodity… time.

The WSJ article began as a project to help writer Hayley Phelan break her behavior of continually adding to her ever-expanding closet, not an easy task for one that functions in the fashion realm. Ms. Phelan decided to impose a six-month shopping detox, and while she yielded the expected result of having more money, she also gained something of even greater value.

“Though I’d often agonized over the monetary price of fashion, engaging in complicated cost-per-wear equations to justify my choices, it turns out I was worried about the wrong resource. During my self-imposed hiatus, I realized was wasting something else: serious amounts of time.” – Source: Hayley Phelan, Wall Street Journal

We’ve all been there, sitting at our computer, intending to do a quick search for a single item only to be sucked down into the retail rabbit hole. What started off as trying to find the perfect sandals to go with a summer dress has now turned into an entire wardrobe makeover! What? Yup, thanks to those ‘oh so helpful’ pop up ads, we realize that a 5-minute search has now turned into a 3-hour quest. A quest that generally yields no reward, not even those shoes. Wait, it was shoes I was searching for right?  Sadly, this becomes lost time that could have been spent laughing with friends, playing with your kids, getting your groove on (you know what I mean 😉 ) Ever late for an appointment, event, or even work because you just needed to ‘check something real quick’? Uh-huh, I’ve heard it all.

“Once, convinced that a new swimsuit might slightly improve a coming vacation, I spent the better part of the afternoon before my flight madly searching for one. I came home empty-handed – with barely enough time left to pack.”  – Source: Hayley Phelan, Wall Street Journal

I am ever in awe of those that find shopping fun… I could use your services. 🙂 What I really want people to understand though is that life moves quickly and shouldn’t be wasted. Enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds you, spend time with those you love, treat yourself to new experiences and don’t forget to share it with Fan Fest News.