Online shopping is supposed to be easy, but let’s be honest and admit that most of the time it’s more like expensive gambling with worse odds.
Will it fit? Is it see-through? Does it have real pockets or those fake ones? Is it nice material or just thin and easily worn down? Was that model actually six inches taller than me? What does “runs large” even mean if every size chart is different?
Fabric is its own game of lying to us via pictures, lighting and models. Something can look great online but arrive looking like a dollar-store napkin. Patterns and designs? Yeah, in real life, they’re pixelated and look oddly shiny.
We all like to think we’ll return the things that don’t work. Let’s be real though: most of us won’t. The return window closes, we lose the label or even the post office is too far (we’ve all been there). Now, that top that didn’t actually fit the way you wanted it to just ended up living in the back of the closet, silently mocking you every time you reach for something you can actually wear.
So what do we do? Well, we keep guessing, of course. We scroll through our algorithms and shopping carts, compare reviews, try to analyze those blurry mirror selfies and trust strangers named “Hannah B.” who swears the pants are “super flattering for curvy girls!” Even after all of that, we’ll still get it wrong half the time.
Nevertheless, online shopping isn’t going away. It’s convenient, fast and it’s how most of us shop now. Until brands start offering better size guidance, clearer photos and maybe some truth about the fabrics they use, we’ll keep rolling the dice and praying for the best outcome.
At this point, we’re not even shopping. We’re just paying to play the process of elimination.
