It was 2011 and I was reading fashion blogs religiously. One of my favourites was The Joye by former magazine editor Paula Joye. Through reading this and being enamoured with Joye’s accessible and fun approach to fashion, I became convinced that I needed not one, but two Sunny Girl short sleeve peplum tops that Joye had shown herself wearing. And for that price point (I have $35.95 in my head…), she and I both felt that owning the navy and the black was a no-brainer.
I remember the purchasing process was clunky. Online shopping had existed for a while before this (eBay and Amazon started in 1995), but whether I was a novice or the site itself seemed like it was going to steal all my details, I don’t remember.
A couple of weeks later when they arrived (like I said, it was early 2010s), I took them out and put them in my wardrobe, only to never ever wear them. They didn’t fit right, I didn’t even like wearing a peplum, they didn’t suit me, and I didn’t like how they felt.
Did this teach me anything about buying this online? Absolutely not.
There is a duality to spending money online. The internet is a much vaster shopping centre in comparison to what bricks and mortar stores can offer. This feels like a natural point to clarify that the online shopping discussed will be fashion, beauty, lifestyle related. As the world is increasingly globalised, our awareness of products and services reflects this; the rise of K-Beauty in the western world is a great example of this. Due to this, we want to be able to buy the exact version of whatever it is we see on the model, influencer or in the ad. And, if that is not possible, it feels that we would rather allow price (and personal budget) to dictate this, not the measly issue of geography.
Social media and online shopping remove barriers of access. The item is literally linked right there for you, the power of this being recognised in affiliate links meaning commission for where you saw it. This is more potent when paired with a few other factors. Firstly, with the Parasocial ‘it’s just like a friend recommended it’ scenario that these industries rely on. Secondly, the whole purpose of internet cookies and data mean that the product can be re-presented to you multiple times. As a result, we don’t forget about it or have any space from it to consider whether this is something we actually want. Thirdly, having online presence means an acknowledgement of our data being sold, in some situations, this can make us more susceptible to targeted ads. It is hard to talk about the internet sometimes without falling into dystopian tropes. However, services like Afterpay and offers to spend more to get free shipping are a legitimate concern.
The biggest argument in favour of shopping online is convenience.
The vast choice offered by online retailers is not imagined. Many fashion brands are increasing their sizing range, but larger sizes only exist online, there is a larger range of brands as well as different styles which you may not be able to access in store. I’m sure you’ve all had the feeling of going into a few stores to buy sneakers or whatever, only to find that every store is stocking the same stuff anyway. Also, sometimes not having to deal with people is nice. How many times have you walked into a store only to feel judged or ignored so you go home and order it online anyway? In 2021 Elle UK released an article, The New Shop Girls. This piece acknowledged the dire state of the ‘high street’ but remained optimistic due to the people working in these stores who were making it worth people’s while to go in.
In addition to this, our phones and computers have multiple way our information is stored so that the number of actions to even purchase something is reduced. PayPal, Apple Pay and Shopify’s online wallet, Shop Pay are excellent examples of this service. Likewise little bits of texts that have ‘low stock’ or ‘almost gone!’ next your size add to this sense of making quick decisions and buying quickly.
According to the article, Australia’s $63.6b shopping cart: Here’s how
your generation spends money online $63.6 is what was spent online in 2023, but that’s down from the year before by 1.2%, a stat they say is down to the rising costs of living. However the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ website shows that spending seems to be back on the rise this year. Just this past month the most growth when it came to spending was money was in the ‘clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing’ category. Australia Post’s eCommerce Industry Report encourages retailers to capitalise on these online retail habits. Their top tips are to strategically time sales, offer early access and leverage influencers. It’s worth pointing out however, that these strategies aren’t exclusively online.
Knowing this, and what the rest of the trends are in the report, as consumers we can reverse engineer it so that we see these tactics for what they are, simply tactics to get us to buy more. If the timing of a sale or whatever suits you, that’s your decision absolutely. But betters yours than theirs.
It’s my feeling that both online and in store shopping can encourage us to buy things we don’t need. Interestingly, this academic article outlines our perception of spending money online and how closely it’s linked to online reviews (amongst other things). This article found that your demographic has a lot to do with how you view spending money online. Many of the academic articles explored how we view shopping online from a safety, convenience etc. perspective.
In this research I learnt of Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller’s factors that influence consumer psychology. These are motivation, perception, learning and belief. Much of the research around electronic money looks at the role that it plays in people’s lives as well as how they perceive e-money in general. Naturally this takes us into the territory of credit and debit cards as well.
It all just feels so abstract. And in a lot of ways fake. If we are to look at the factors above, and take into account how broad our worlds seem, and all the people we come into contact with, it can seem as if we are the only one without a Stanley Cup or The Row Margaux bag. But the people flashing these things around online, are in the minority. Well maybe not when it comes to the Stanley cup but for sure when it comes to the bag. Plus, a lot of people probably buy stuff, post it and then return it so who knows what people are actually doing with their money. In fact, Australia Post’s eCommerce report argues they can be a profitable part of your business.
Often, I like the feeling of going shopping, and sometimes I am reminded that I get distracted and often come home with something or wanting something that if I just went and ordered it online in the first place, I wouldn’t now have or want. Likewise, I am excellent at simply walking around the shops to numb my brain. The layout of every shopping centre I have been in, is etched in my brain and I can navigate myself whenever I am in an unfamiliar place due to the stores I see around. It’s a unique talent.
Reflecting on my own purchasing habits it seems that certain categories are better bought in store whilst others are fine to be ordered online. Regardless, there is a further conversation to be had about how tapping your card differs from physical notes or coins, or how the act of shopping solo late at night via an Instagram ad, isn’t the same as meeting up with a friend and seeing things in the light of day.
Money also on The Middle Part