Shop naked! It’s legal. Here’s why. Or, 8 reasons I’m now in LOVE with this type of shopping.

It’s sounds so funny to say, but I’m fairly new to online shopping. Especially weird when you realize that I live on an island with not THAT many stores and most items are a boat ride away. I’ve always been a big fan of shopping local—but seriously, where I live, often, it just doesn’t exist here. Also, now I have two tiny kids to lug around. And I take seriously the sage advice a girlfriend of mine who had her kids before me told me once, “Never ever take your kids clothes shopping.” At least not if you want to actually buy something. It just doesn’t work. For you, or them. Well, Christmas shopping, or any shopping where you have to actually weigh your options is in this category for me.

8 reasons I’m in love (with internet shopping). No. 5 is the BEST.

1. You can do it naked. Honestly, I’m usually in my pajamas, it is winter after all, but you could do it naked—it’s totally legal.

2. You don’t have to lug your kids along and chase after them while making a decision. The last time I made a gift purchase with my kids just standing at the check out counter elicited screams from my son who couldn’t have something prominently displayed there to catch his eye. So I had my daughter on my back, and my two-year-old wiggling furiously and shouting in my arms while trying to negotiate my purchase, interacting with the sales lady, getting my card out of my purse, signing the receipt etc. Seriously, don’t take your kids with you. It ruins all the fun. Shop at home while they are in bed.

3. Your closet is present at home where you are doing your shopping. You don’t have to mentally conjure that black dress and try to imagine yourself wearing those shoes with it. You can go get said dress and check it. Or reference your closet to see if you actually have a top to wear with that fabulous skirt.

4. You can see way more variety than you generally could even in any mall.

5. And this is THE BEST THING: You can read reviews. This is how I found out that the colorful towels I had been coveting fray within 3 months. Gads! It’s where I also made the shocking discovery that some luxury item brands are actually totally crap. I found one such brand that had almost as many super boo reports as they did good ones…. This is not a good sign.

6. You can, (especially if you use Pinterest,) make a virtual shopping cart of things you like, and then when you are ready to make your purchase, review all your chosen options and pick the one that is best for now.  I got these everyday slip on shoes this way. My favorite brand, Naot, with these shoes was a close second… though when I got to try them on side-by-side I discovered these ones were just not as comfortable as the cheaper Klogs.

7.No check out lines. Just click.  One finger.  (See previously mentioned check-out story to understand the true beauty of this.)

8. Free shipping. Lots of places offer it—especially shoe places. This is my favorite place so far to buy shoes: http://www.shoebuy.com. So, again, you can do your shopping at home and send back what doesn’t work. I tried my shoes on in my kitchen, in front of my husband, with clothes I would actually wear them with! I’m also a big fan of Amazon Prime for this free shopping reason… and their instant movies.

What’s your favorite thing to buy online?
Are there things you just don’t dare?