Consumeritis

Here's what surprises me about shopping in an actual store...

For years I've only had access to online shopping, so my patience is such that I look up an item, put it in the cart and click buy. Well, there are some items that are better when you purchase them in person. Clothes, for example. In my packing frenzy to move I left behind the majority of clothing items that I own, so in the first few days back I was in some serious need for something to wear. In my head I had decided that I wanted to stop at Athleta and REI, but on the way we passed Ann Taylor Loft. Ok, I'll go in there and try on some clothes made in a 3rd world sweat shop. The low cost of making clothes in Indonesia allows us to buy shorts for $20, what a bargain. So I try them on, decide to make the purchase and now am in line. So far, pretty good.

Well, here's where the debacle starts. The person checking me out is having some issues. Issues like she doesn't have a clue what she is doing. She tries to ring up my items, but they aren't showing the correct price, then she has to try a different register, then she has to get help. Now she has to look up my account and then a second time. All this chaos while I am trying to actually give them some money. Here I am trying to make a purchase and it is painful. To the point that I actually say out loud to them, look, I'm getting frustrated at how long this is taking and I'm about to leave.

It was the same experience when I went to get a phone. I had to wait in LINE. We American's are actually waiting in LINES to spend money. We are being forced to wait so we can make these companies rich. Why do we do this? Has it always been this way? Have I just not noticed it until now, when I've come back to this purchase crazy culture? Shouldn't companies be competing to get our money? Shouldn't the actual purchase be enjoyable so we'll keep going back? Why do we keep going back? I am starting to dread the idea of the actual car purchase. Is there a pill for this consumeritis that we all seem to have?