5 Stages of Shopping Online*

I have a confession to make, I’m dreadful when it comes to buying stuff online, especially if I’ve had a drink or I’m bored. It’s so easy to just open up an app and order something incredibly random or I don’t need, just because it’s there at my finger tips. I go through five stages of online shopping, well at least 5 thought processes and today I’m going to share them with you;

What Do I Want?
Usually when I’m shopping online, even if I’m drunk and it is a random purchase, I do try to think of what I want. Over the last few years I seem to have rid my life of unnecessary purchases at least most of the time so I’m able to afford our trips to Disney parks. I usually at least look through my eBay watch list, or Amazon wishlist so it’s something I do want I just need to find time to buy it. Or if I get an email about a discount on a clothing website. The deciding what I want is one of the hardest bits for me. Once I’ve decided that I’m going for it, the rest is just a slippery slope to having it arrive at my house.

How Much Can I Spend?
Another thing I put a lot of thought into when shopping online is realistically how much I can spend. Do I have a little extra on my credit card? Is there something in my paypal account, or better yet can I use the pay after delivery option (this is both a blessing and a curse!) which will give me time to recoup the cost through selling something (this is how my mind actually works!) Once I’ve set my budget I really can head to my shopping cart and start to check out.

Can I Find a Voucher Code to Make It Cheaper?
I live a fairly frugal life, especially when it comes to luxuries so I’m always googling for a voucher code to make it cheaper. There are surplus of voucher code websites now so I can pretty much always get something off. Sometimes if I can’t find a voucher code, I don’t even buy, it make it feel unnecessary. More so as to whether or not I can justify the spend. Remember something is only a bargain if you need it!

Will It Fit Through My Mail Box?
Although I work from home, I do rarely work from my own home. My mum lives in the village where my daughter goes to pre-school so it just makes more sense to work at her house while my daughter is there. Which of course means I need to make sure that anything I order can fit through the letter box or at least have a designated arrival time. One of the main causes of cart abandonment is people who can’t get the parcel to arrive while they’re in. You can learn more about a new app that’s going to help resolve this in the video below.

How Long Til It Gets Here?
After i’ve paid I then have the game of “how long until it arrives”? to play. Every morning I get up and watch for the postman.. because lets face it getting “good mail” aka not bills can be the highlight of a dull day. It’s the last thought processs in the whole shopping online saga and I can’t rest until the purchase is in my hands!