A Shirt I Didn’t Mean to Buy
I do not enjoy paying for shipping.
I completely understand that someone has to be paid to deliver items to my mailbox or my front door, but I just really do not like paying it.
So if there is an option to get free shipping, I’ll basically always take it.
I know that free shipping a marketing ploy to make people buy more than they intended to, because stores know that many people won’t be bothered to actually make a return and so just end up spending the extra money.
But one of my superpowers is that I’m really good at returning things (I would have picked flying as a superpower if I’d had the choice, but I’ll take what I can get), so I’m never worried about ending up with a pile of things I didn’t actually want to pay for.
I pick out a few extra things until I hit the minimum order and then I bask in the glory of free shipping.
Of course, what usually happens is that when my items arrive, it’s the things I planned to buy that all are completely unflattering or don’t fit and need to be returned.
And it’s the extra items I tossed in my online cart at the last minute that I end up loving with all my heart.
This leather jacket, which I’ve worn approximately 1 million times and is definitely one of my favorite items in my closet, was one of those things.
I was about $18 below the free shipping limit for Kohl’s, so I was searching around for something in that price range and this jacket was $20. I tossed it in and when my order came, I didn’t keep a single other item, but that jacket was love at first try-on.
The same thing happened last month with this top.
I was ordering this pair of blush sandals and this purple skirt to wear for Easter.
ASOS always has free shipping, but if you spent more than $150, you got two-day shipping and since Easter was getting VERY near, I needed that quick shipping if there was any chance of the skirt showing up in time for Easter Sunday.
So I picked two more tops and placed my order.
Everything arrived a few days before Easter, and tragically, that purple skirt was deeeeeeeply unflattering on me. And the sandals were not particularly comfortable or flattering. One of the tops was good, but not great (and I try to only keep great).
But this top? I was immediately sold.
Everything else, including the two items I had specifically made the order for, went back in the bag and made their journey back to a warehouse somewhere.
And the top I bought just to get quick shipping got a home in my closet.
It probably doesn’t say great things about my shopping abilities when my favorite items are things I didn’t mean carefully pick out, but if it means I have some favorite items?
I’ll take it.
LACE TOP • JEANS • WEDGES • BAG
SUNGLASSES • WATCH • BRACELET • NAIL POLISH
Photos by Grace + Vine
It drives me especially nuts when higher-end/more expensive brands (I’m looking at YOU, J Crew) charge for shipping. Really? You haven’t already built this cost into the price of the garment? I know *someone* has to pay for shipping, but just build it into operating costs so I’m not confronted with it when I go to checkout!
I’m EXACTLY the same way with paying for shipping and doing returns. I honestly can’t think of a single thing in my house that is here because I didn’t get around to returning it in time (probably similar to how I like to return library books the DAY I finished them and why I’ll soon be making my 4th library trip in 4 days). I love that the things you keep are the ones you aren’t planning on, that’s how my ThredUp boxes often end up!