I didn’t buy much online before the pandemic. I tried to support local when I could – and they weren’t usually online back then. I like to see and touch things, holding them and thinking about how they will fit with what I already own. Do I really need another pot? Is it really that much bigger than mine? Love the colour of that shirt, but not the feel of the fabric. Will that weighty vase will fit well in my collection

Online shopping seemed to deprive me of that tactile and 3D experience – and for me, that was the good part about shopping.

And then came COVID. 

Shops were mostly closed, and those that were open faced shortages.  We weren’t entertaining or wearing “real” clothes any more. I quickly ordered masks and hand sanitizer. Yoga pants were next, as I didn’t need office attire. 

Slowly, over the course of many months, Amazon, Etsy and others became my new best friends and the delivery guys surely know my house well by now. I will admit, not every purchase was successful and I did once buy one pair of advertised-as linen pants that turned out to be anything but, but for the most part online shopping worked well. I haven’t lost anything to porch pirates yet!

So by the time things started to open up, it was easier and more comfortable to continue, rather than put the mask on to go into stores. 

You can buy anything online, it seems, and my eyes were opened to just how much, this week when my daughter bought her first car – yes, a car – online.  It was simple. Find a used car you like the sounds of. Check out its mileage and accident reports. The paperwork was all there. Put down a ridiculously low deposit and then prove you have insurance. Like magic, they deliver the car to your driveway. You do get to test drive it before they take payment and there’s even a return policy. I was amazed. 

The process suited my daughter, who would have found the idea of shopping for and bargaining for a car quite overwhelming and anxiety-producing. And if I’m honest, I hate buying cars for the same reason. Why DO we barter for cars anyway?

While mask mandates are lifted and online shopping is easier than it’s ever been, I do still prefer to touch fabrics and test fit before I buy clothes. As we change seasons, I’m a little afraid to see what still fits. Maybe it’s time to go shopping!