I've always had a love/hate relationship with shopping. An overwhelming sense takes over every time I walk into a mall. Not many people understand why shopping is so frustrating for me, but there are plenty of factors that make shopping an unsuccessful experience for me. Let me explain.
1. Floor Space
If I need a map to find my way around the store, I'm walking right back out. I don't have time to waist walking through every cluster of "styles" when I'm on a mission to find one article of clothing. I don't need to look through a stack of acid-washed leggings and a rack of jean jackets just to get to the t-shirt section. If the floor plan has no rhyme or reason, it makes it very frustrating to shop in those types of stores.
2. Color Choices
It's one thing to find an item of clothing you actually like and looks good on you, but it's another to find it in your color. You know, the default color you promise yourself you won't buy more of--oh but wait--here you are and now you just can't live without having another maroon colored shirt.
3. Price Tags
You finally find clothes you like, but the tunnel vision of cute style causes you to overlook the small detail of the price tag. When you look, you contemplate how badly you actually want that crop top and pair of skinny jeans, when you're totally fine with wearing baggy sweatpants for the rest of your life.
4. Sizes
Another tag you should avoid completely. The inconsistency of sizes is ridiculous and too often overlooked by the industry. I've stood in stores and questioned whether I should get something because I wasn't usually that size. It's absurd; I'm a small at American Eagle, a medium at Forever 21, and a XL at Justice--wait.
5. Dressing rooms
I've never stepped into a dressing room confident about my appearance. The lighting shines on every insecurity and mocks you every time you trying something on. The music is always playing a little too loudly, probably trying to mask the defeated sighed of the people in the other changing stalls.6. Making the final decision
You're caught between needingand wanting the pile of clothes you've accumulated whileyou were in the store. Now, you have a choice on what you actually want to buy. The hypothetical is enough to make me sweat.
7. Wasting time
You waste 30 minutes in one store, contemplating whether to buy the items you've accumulated in your basket, only to make the decision that none of these clothes are worthy buying. You spend the rest of the day questions why you wasted so much time shopping for the end result to be nothing.8. Not enough food
Department stores should take a lesson from Costco: feed your customers while they're shopping. The pivotal point in my shopping experience is when the first pang of hunger hits and there's no food close by. From then on, I will make all my decisions on what will lead me to food faster.9. Dealing with people
Whether it's the lady folding shirts on a table asking if I need help or the customer giving the cashier a hard time, I don't want to deal with it. All the anger of shopping just grows stronger when you add more people to this equation.
10. Online shopping
I've tried. I can't. As much as I hate the experience of shopping in a real store, I hate looking at a digital version of what I want even more. The instant gratification of having a bag full of clothes that you bought, it more satisfying than seeing your "cart" on a store's website.These are 10 reasons why shopping is a frustrating activity for some people, including myself. So if you have a solution for my problem, let me know.