fake shopping.

Posted on 25 May 2018 by what sandra thinks

I did a bad thing. Twice.

Don’t get excited. It’s not as thrilling as it sounds.

…

I have second thoughts every time I spend money. I wasn’t always like this… which is probably why I’m like this now. It doesn’t matter if it’s something I need or not… I feel incredibly guilty when I spend money. It’s why I have so many online shopping carts full of stuff just sitting there. I do a lot of ‘fake shopping’.

Last week, I finally bought a couple of things. I had immediate regrets. But I really did need those things.

The sandals… they weren’t expensive. I thought I really liked them… until I wore them for longer than ten minutes. Then they just hurt. But I had worn them.

The jeans… I wore those, too. They were so cute. But as the day went on, every time I looked at them, I liked them less. I initially thought they fit great, but then not so great. And the wash wasn’t dark enough for me. But I wore them. I can’t return them.

Or can I?

I brought the sandals into the kitchen and cleaned the bottom of them until they looked brand new (not difficult… I only walked to and from my car a couple of times). Then I re-attached the tag… and packed them up like I never wore them.

Same with the jeans. They didn’t look worn. I re-attached the tags and folded them up neatly.

No one would ever know.

I successfully returned both… (at the store so I wouldn’t have to pay return shipping, of course). It’s ridiculous how stressed I was about all of it. I hate the thought of wasted money. Even just a few dollars. I would have been so upset if I was stuck keeping those things.

So I returned stuff I wore. That’s pretty bad. It makes me wonder if I’ve ever bought anything someone else has already worn. That kind of grosses me out. I’m a bad person.

But I got my money back.

And I’m back to jeans that are too big and old beat-up sandals. Maybe I’ll try again sometime…

 

©2018 what sandra thinks

About what sandra thinks

Sandra is a writer, sometimes blogger, poet, artist, emotional disaster. She thinks far too much and sleeps far too little. Sandra lives in the Northeastern U.S. but dreams of an oceanfront home in Italy, but she would settle for a non-oceanfront home in Italy. She loves books, brutal honesty, coffee, and the color black. She hates insincerity, beer, whipped cream, and facebook. And she is uncomfortable talking about herself in the third person.
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24 Responses to fake shopping.

  1. sonofabeach96 says:
    25 May 2018 at 1:27 pm

    I’ve known people to buy a dress or suit, keep the tags on it, wear to the event with tags tucked in, then promptly return the item. So, I don’t think you’re alone in this. 😃

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. JBlaide says:
    25 May 2018 at 1:37 pm

    Honestly having worked retail clothing before, you shouldn’t feel bad at all! 🙂 It’s actually super common for people to do this. I just did it this weekend! I tried on some new heels for an interview at the store. They worked awesome. After 20 minutes though they pinched my toes so bad they throbbed. So I exchanged them and most places understand that people have to wear clothes at least 10 minutes to make a good choice. No one ever spends that much time in a changing room in one outfit so it’s to be expected. 🙂 I don’t like thinking about how many people have tried on clothing I bought before I got it. Reasons to wash everything before wearing it out of the house! 😂 Interesting post!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • what sandra thinks says:
      25 May 2018 at 2:11 pm

      Definitely wash before wearing! The only time before this that I ever returned something that was worn was when my daughter wore a new shirt once and the seams started coming apart. I guess I shouldn’t worry about it so much! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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      • JBlaide says:
        25 May 2018 at 2:13 pm

        Ohh I would have done the same if seams undid that fast!! I worry about the strangest things sometimes (if I’m using too much Parmesan cheese at a pizza restaurant for example) so I get it! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

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        • what sandra thinks says:
          25 May 2018 at 2:19 pm

          I was just wondering earlier if I was taking too many napkins when I only bought coffee. I needed to replenish my stock of napkins in the car… so I have to take extra each time. But I sometimes feel like people are staring. LOL 🙂

          Liked by 1 person

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  3. Meg says:
    25 May 2018 at 1:43 pm

    Take it from the former Gap Store Manager (me in a former incarnation) everyone does that kind of thing. And actually, how the heck are you going to know whether you like something or are comfortable in it until you wear it for a little bit? You are not a bad person. And it is a lesson to wash your new clothes before you wear them! Lol!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • what sandra thinks says:
      25 May 2018 at 2:15 pm

      See, now, I didn’t wash those jeans. And I’m kind of grossed out now, but they came in the mail and looked like they came right from the factory… sweat shop? LOL sorry. Anyway… if I HAD washed them first, then I definitely would have felt like returning was out of the question! I’m way too paranoid that I’m going to get caught doing something wrong.

      And I’ve always thought the same thing… you can’t wear something long enough in a dressing room or near the shoe rack to know if it’s really going to work out…

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. Ogden Fahey says:
    25 May 2018 at 5:00 pm

    I got myself some shoes, they said not to wear them outside, or they’d not take them back – I’m sure I did, cos I remember inspecting the bottoms after cleaning them for return, they must have took them, but I do remember sweating over it!! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. Donnalee says:
    25 May 2018 at 6:05 pm

    I never buy clothes or shoes online, since without trying them, they may be terrible. It saves me the stress of wanting to return something, or giving it away–

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • what sandra thinks says:
      25 May 2018 at 6:15 pm

      It is a nuisance to have to return… but there is so much more available online that I have to do it. Plus I really hate in-store shopping. I am super hesitant, though, to shop at places where I cannot return for free. Oh, and I’ve had the same situation with in-store purchases anyway… thought I liked them in the store, changed my mind later. But yeah, I hate returning in any situation…

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Donnalee says:
        25 May 2018 at 6:19 pm

        I am not a big clothes shopper at all, so it is no trouble for me to basically dress like crap or wear/pretend to remake clothes that I have had for decades. Since my tarot office is in Woodstock NY, I do not raise eyebrows no matter how badly or well I dress, since you get everything from old hippies to international moviestars and everyone in between. I do buy tons of books online though–

        Liked by 1 person

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  6. stomperdad says:
    29 May 2018 at 12:31 pm

    I too have a virtual shopping cart full of stuff I’d like to get but probably never will!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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