Thank you for talking about the time suck. It’s so true and it’s not something I ever really thought about until my household income took a hit a few months ago and I put a freeze on clothes shopping. The amount of time I’ve freed up that I used to spend trolling the RealReal is astounding. I also realized how high my time-to-purchase ratio was. So much “research,” so little to show for it. Time is the one thing you can never get back, and I’m hoping to be a lot more considerate about the amount of time I spend shopping mindlessly (and usually not even buying anything!) from now on.
The endless scroll is a such a time thief! It’s like intense window shopping...but virtual so we’re not even getting the IRL experiential payoff of going to a store to browse. Would be interested to know...did you go cold Turkey on the scroll? What do you do when you feel tempted?
I didn’t really go cold turkey so much as I started to really feel the futility of it. I’ll still scroll sometimes, but I lose interest after 5 or 10 minutes because right now, I can’t justify spending money on something I don’t need (and I definitely do NOT need anything), so what’s the point of spending the endless time looking? This has also had the added benefit of forcing me to use and appreciate what I already do have, so much of which I’ve never worn!
I love always taking a look at what we have in our closet and trying to re-wear it. I do it about every two to three months. It's helpful and I think ultimately, it's like looking in the mirror and coming to terms with certain purchases and understanding exactly why we bought them.
THE TIME! I will never get the hours back from The Real Real that I have spent scrolling. And they want us doing it (so we will spend money) hence why there is all the lore around what time they drop new things. Now there is a pull to check it- at least- twice a day to find the newest stuff. Frankly, it's such a mindfuck.
The thing I’m reaching for lately — and actively so this year —is “inconvenience”. Making it harder to get things, and building in opportunities for real world interactions along the way. I find it adds value to the experience and the outcome.
Also, a online frictional barrier I’ve found helpful is a having a secret Pinterest board, where I save things I like rather than clicking buy. It slows the path to purchase right down (and most of the time you don’t end up buying it, or if you do, it’s months later) and also acts as a way to catalogue all that “research” without needing to take ownership of the item in question.
I feel like this article cracked my brain open a little bit; particularly the bit about the free returns on items. I have a terrible habit of ordering things quickly with the mindset that "I'll just return this if it doesn't work out" and then I spend the entire month thinking about some stupid shirt because I anticipate it's arrival, I'm often disappointed by it's actualization, and then I have to track it's return because I'm still budget conscious.
As I commented earlier, I am totally struck by sales and I also have recently realized that getting things on the cheap also sort of cheapens them in my mind. Oh this old thing, I only paid ZYX for it and it retails for XYZ so who cares if I never wear it and it takes up space in my closet and mental load, etc.
I love your point about "cheapens them in my mind". Also how we acquire them...if we're just going after sale after sale, the dopamine thrills wear off. All of that excess kills preciousness.
Thank you for talking about the time suck. It’s so true and it’s not something I ever really thought about until my household income took a hit a few months ago and I put a freeze on clothes shopping. The amount of time I’ve freed up that I used to spend trolling the RealReal is astounding. I also realized how high my time-to-purchase ratio was. So much “research,” so little to show for it. Time is the one thing you can never get back, and I’m hoping to be a lot more considerate about the amount of time I spend shopping mindlessly (and usually not even buying anything!) from now on.
The endless scroll is a such a time thief! It’s like intense window shopping...but virtual so we’re not even getting the IRL experiential payoff of going to a store to browse. Would be interested to know...did you go cold Turkey on the scroll? What do you do when you feel tempted?
I didn’t really go cold turkey so much as I started to really feel the futility of it. I’ll still scroll sometimes, but I lose interest after 5 or 10 minutes because right now, I can’t justify spending money on something I don’t need (and I definitely do NOT need anything), so what’s the point of spending the endless time looking? This has also had the added benefit of forcing me to use and appreciate what I already do have, so much of which I’ve never worn!
I love always taking a look at what we have in our closet and trying to re-wear it. I do it about every two to three months. It's helpful and I think ultimately, it's like looking in the mirror and coming to terms with certain purchases and understanding exactly why we bought them.
THE TIME! I will never get the hours back from The Real Real that I have spent scrolling. And they want us doing it (so we will spend money) hence why there is all the lore around what time they drop new things. Now there is a pull to check it- at least- twice a day to find the newest stuff. Frankly, it's such a mindfuck.
You're a 10am and 7pm TRR shopper I take it?!
Yes to all of this. And to friction!
The thing I’m reaching for lately — and actively so this year —is “inconvenience”. Making it harder to get things, and building in opportunities for real world interactions along the way. I find it adds value to the experience and the outcome.
Also, a online frictional barrier I’ve found helpful is a having a secret Pinterest board, where I save things I like rather than clicking buy. It slows the path to purchase right down (and most of the time you don’t end up buying it, or if you do, it’s months later) and also acts as a way to catalogue all that “research” without needing to take ownership of the item in question.
I feel like this article cracked my brain open a little bit; particularly the bit about the free returns on items. I have a terrible habit of ordering things quickly with the mindset that "I'll just return this if it doesn't work out" and then I spend the entire month thinking about some stupid shirt because I anticipate it's arrival, I'm often disappointed by it's actualization, and then I have to track it's return because I'm still budget conscious.
As I commented earlier, I am totally struck by sales and I also have recently realized that getting things on the cheap also sort of cheapens them in my mind. Oh this old thing, I only paid ZYX for it and it retails for XYZ so who cares if I never wear it and it takes up space in my closet and mental load, etc.
I love your point about "cheapens them in my mind". Also how we acquire them...if we're just going after sale after sale, the dopamine thrills wear off. All of that excess kills preciousness.
Bom baweeee 🥋 love you