The 5 Stages Of Online Shopping

At this point, everyone is bound to have shopped for something online, whether it is clothing, decor, etc., and there are certain feelings that accompany the process. For most of my life, I pledged not to buy items online. I wanted to make purchases in stores, so I knew exactly what I was getting into when I bought something. Then, I became a college student. I've realized that it's so much easier to buy certain products online, but it's also dangerous for many reasons, some of which I list below. So, here they are: the 5 stages of online shopping.

1. Looking for the necessities

This is the first stage, and it is the reason you logged onto Amazon in the first place. You had a present in mind for someone, and you've decided to have it shipped to your apartment, because let's be honest, it's so much more convenient. During this stage, life is good, and your wallet is still smiling.

2. Putting random products in your shopping cart

Now that you've spent some time browsing through the online catalog, you've stumbled upon so many wonderful items that you never knew you needed, and this is where it gets dangerous. I promise that the 'Suggested Items' tab is your worst nightmare.

3. Reading the reviews of all of the items in your shopping cart

If everyone else who has purchased this really cool lava lamp has been happy with their purchase, the $150 it's costing you can't be that bad, right?? In other words, you're letting other people's positive opinions justify purchasing products you definitely don't need. (Don't lie; we all do it.)

4. Experiencing an inner battle about whether or not you should press the 'Order' button

You know that you have about five more items in your cart than you originally meant to, and the price is adding up quickly. You're looking at the total cost, and you're internally crying a bit, but you just can't help yourself, so you press the button anyway and await the eternal doom that will be your credit card bill.

5. Anticipating the arrival of your packages until they come to your door

You've waited two days, one week, two weeks (depending on your shipping preferences), and alas, the items have arrived. You rip open the package feeling excited about your new purchase until you discover what's inside the box, leaving you incredibly disappointed. You decide you're never going to buy anything online again, but then an advertisement for a really cool talking toothbrush comes up on Facebook, and you've gone back down the rabbit hole.