Look, I need to get something off my chest. I’m a 20-year veteran magazine editor, and I’m completley terrible at online shopping. I mean, I hate<\/em> it. The other day, I spent 36 hours trying to buy a new coffee maker. Thirty-six hours! And that’s not even including the time I wasted on product reviews recommendation guide<\/a> sites that were basically useless.<\/p>\n I’m not alone. My friend Marcus\u2014let’s call him Marcus because he’d kill me if I used his real name\u2014he’s the same way. We were at a conference in Austin last year, and he spent the entire keynote trying to figure out which wireless headphones to buy. He kept muttering, “I just wanna listen to my music without looking like a tool.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.<\/p>\n So, I decided to do something about it. I talked to experts, I read studies, I even conducted my own survey of 214 people. And what I found out? We’re all bad at this. Like, really bad.<\/p>\n First off, there’s too much stuff. Like, way too much. I’m talking about the sheer volume of options. You wanna buy a toaster? Great. There are 473 different models, and they all look the same. But they’re not the same! They have different wattages, different slots, different… I don’t know, toaster philosophies!<\/p>\n And then there’s the reviews. Oh, the reviews. You ever read a one-star review for a blender that says, “This thing is a lemon”? First of all, that’s not even a blender joke. Second of all, it’s not helpful. At all. I mean, is it a lemon because it’s broken? Or is it a lemon because the color is yellow? I have no idea.<\/p>\n I talked to a colleague named Dave about this. He’s a data scientist, so he actually knows stuff. He told me, “People are terrible at interpreting reviews. They see a bunch of five-star reviews and assume the product is good, but they don’t consider that the five-star reviews might be from people who got free stuff.” Which honestly nobody asked for but here we are.<\/p>\n Okay, so we’re all bad at this. But we can get better. Here are some tips that might help.<\/p>\n First, narrow it down. Don’t look at every single option. Pick a price range, pick a brand, pick something. Anything. Just pick. You can always return it later if it’s not right.<\/p>\n Second, ignore the reviews. Well, not all of them. But ignore the ones that are obviously fake. And ignore the ones that are just rants. Look for the ones that actually give you useful information. Like, “The stitching on this jacket is terrible” or “This coffee maker makes my kitchen smell like burnt toast.” Those are the ones that matter.<\/p>\n Third, use a recommendation guide. I know, I know. I just spent 36 hours on those sites, and they’re not great. But they can be helpful if you use them right. Look for sites that actually test the products, not just regurgitate the manufacturer’s specs. And be wary of sites that have a bunch of ads. Those are usually just trying to sell you stuff.<\/p>\n Fourth, talk to a human. I know, it’s 2023 and we’re all supposed to be living in a futuristic world where we never have to interact with other people. But sometimes, you just need to ask someone for help. Go to a store, talk to a salesperson, ask your friends. They might not know the answer, but at least they can commiserate with you.<\/p>\n Speaking of bad shopping decisions, let me tell you about the time I bought a mattress. It was about three months ago, and I was so excited. I found this mattress online that had, like, 12,000 five-star reviews. So I bought it. Big mistake. It was like sleeping on a rock. A rock that was also a sponge. It was the worst.<\/p>\n I tried to return it, but the company made me jump through hoops. I had to take pictures, and fill out forms, and then they sent me a label that cost more than the mattress. It was a nightmare. I ended up donating it to a homeless shelter, which honestly might have been the best thing to come out of the whole ordeal.<\/p>\n But here’s the thing: I should have known better. I should have read the fine print. I should have looked at the return policy. I should have talked to someone who actually knew about mattresses. But I didn’t. And that’s why we’re all bad at this.<\/p>\n Look, I’m not saying we should all become shopping experts. That’s not gonna happen. But we can be better. We can be smarter. We can be more informed. And we can definitely be more skeptical.<\/p>\n So next time you’re about to buy something online, take a deep breath. Narrow it down. Ignore the fake reviews. Use a recommendation guide. Talk to a human. And for the love of god, read the return policy.<\/p>\n And if all else fails, just go to a store. I know, it’s a radical idea. But trust me, it’s better than spending 36 hours trying to buy a coffee maker.<\/p>\n About the Author:<\/strong> Jane Doe is a senior magazine editor with 20+ years of experience. She’s also a self-proclaimed shopping disaster. You can find her on Twitter @janedoe or at her website janedoe.com.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been feeling frustrated with today\u2019s media landscape, don\u2019t miss this thoughtful piece on why the state of news reporting<\/a> leaves many of us disillusioned.<\/p>\nWhy Are We So Bad At This?<\/h2>\n
What Can We Do About It?<\/h2>\n
A Tangent: The Time I Bought a Bad Mattress<\/h2>\n
Final Thoughts (Kinda)<\/h2>\n
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