This is Part II, if you have not had a chance to read Part I, please considering reading Part I first as it contains the intro, background, strategies and tips.
To recap, essentially I have a good friend that hates to shop and I know there are others that feel the same way. So I thought I would provide some ideas to help make shopping easier, better and quicker for you so you can find what you need or want without the experience of it being too painful.
In Part I, I mention to have a strategy before you head out to shop. There is also the strategy of on-line shopping. I decided to do a separate post (so this is not too long) on what to look out for when clothes shopping on-line and will post this very soon!
When shopping, listen to your inner voice and what it is saying as you try on items. Here is what I mean:
- If you hear yourself convincing yourself that you like it or to buy it…do not buy it. That is your gut trying to tell you something. You will likely end up regretting the purchase i.e.: you could have lived without it and wish you hadn’t spent money on it. Also, you may end up wearing it, because you bought it, when you do not even like it. Not a good confidence booster. Conversely, you do not wear it and sits in your closet.
- Your inner voice should say ‘I like this!’ or ‘this is nice’ as soon as you put it on. If you don’t hear yourself saying those words, keep going.
- If you try something on and do not buy it, and subsequently keep thinking about it, go back and buy it.
- Conversely, if you do not buy and you never think about it again, then you know you made the right decision.
- If you are really not sure (and you can return it), buy it. How many of us in our lifetime regret not buying something and either go back and it’s gone or you were in another city etc. and can’t get it. So many times! Avoid kicking yourself, just buy it. Conversely. If you buy it and are still not sure, then return it. Refer to #1. Do not keep it as there is something about it you are not sold on.
Ok, back to the situation at hand. So here we go, in no particular order, reasons you may dislike shopping and tips to help you through those reasons. Do any of these sound familiar?
| Reasons you hate to shop | Tips to consider |
| 1. Sales people eye you up judging whether you can afford to buy or not | We have all been there and have experienced judgment. My advice is to not concern yourself with what they think. Be friendly! It would be hard for someone not to respond positively to that. They are people just like you, no different. Remember that they work there, they do not own the place (typically), so try not to let sales people intimidate you. |
| 2. You do not want to disappoint the sales person if you do not buy anything | Some sales people are incredibly helpful and genuinely want to help you find something you love and feel good in. Smart sales people know that if you’re happy, you will be a repeat customer. If they are very helpful, and you do not want to buy something, with genuine honesty, say “you’ve been so incredibly helpful, I am so sorry I did not find these worked for me”. Trust me, I worked retail before, salespeople know that sometimes the stars just do not align. They WILL survive. It is not your responsibility to make them happy or fill their quota. |
| 3. You feel pressured to buy | Similar to above, do not feel pressured to buy and you shouldn’t have to. Sales people know their job is a numbers game. You are not the first and will not be the last person who does not buy something. Be friendly and if you are, there is no regret in that. |
| 4 .It is physically and mentally and exhausting trying on clothes | I understand this can happen. I said in Part I, always shop when you are fed and watered. Bring water and a protein bar for a pick-me-up. Also, be aware of just before you hit your limit and abort before that time. Shopping for too long, making yourself exhausted will deter you from future experiences. This also applies to your mental well-being. Make peace with the fact that you likely won’t find what you need the first go-around, that you may have to shop a few times to find what you need. That way you have no pressured expectations. And as always, love the body you are in. |
| 5. End up buying similar styles | You are stuck in a rut that is comfortable for you. Styles change, your tastes change and you change, so it is always a good idea to branch out and try different styles. The best pieces I have that I am most excited about are the ones I try on ‘just for fun’. Really! Sometimes when I shop, I purposefully go out of my comfort zone, grab something to try on for ‘experimental purposes only’, something I wouldn’t normally wear, and voila, I end up with a different style that I love. Try this method next time, doesn’t hurt to experiment and makes it fun. |
| 6. You do not have the patience | Well, I don’t know what tips I can give on this one lol. Other than find the patience within you somehow? I guess we all have different levels of patience (which may relate also to our interest) in different things. For example, I do not have a lot of patience or interest when buying technology. So when I have to, I force myself to focus and try to joke with the sales person to make the experience more fun. And because I am not very knowledgeable in that arena, I know it can take longer for me than someone who does know. So perhaps that goes back to the expectation of knowing it may not happen the first time around. |
| 7. You do not feel you make the right choices | Be clear with your strategy (see Part I), listen to your inner voice and do not buy it because it is ‘good enough’. Good enough is not good enough. You need to know it is right as soon as you put it on. And until you get to be more experienced or confident in your shopping choices, take a friend who can help you stay on track of what you are looking for. |
Final Thoughts
I hope there was at least one takeaway for you in this post. Obviously I cannot change you from hating shopping to loving shopping, just like that. My goal rather to provide tips on how to at least lean in the other direction. By taking baby steps toward enjoying shopping a little more, taking a bit more time in choosing and you may end up with clothes you love that you feel good in that will give you more confidence.
All the best and until next time…
