I know that before online shopping, people actually had to go to the store, sit in traffic, fight the crowds, buy gifts, and drag them all home. But life is easier now.

We can turn on our computers (those of us who have them), whip out our credit cards (those of us who have them), and shop online. We can compare quality (via reviews) and prices all with a couple of clicks. Then we do a few more clicks to buy what we want, and *poof* it shows up on our doorstep in a few days or weeks. If we need to mail the gift off somewhere, we can just tell the store to wrap it for us and deliver it to their door. What could be easier?

So I'm driving by the mall yesterday (not daring to actually go to the mall), and the freeway was completely clogged with people who were waiting to get on the exit to the mall. On the way back, it was clogged with people who were trying to get on the freeway from the mall. The mall parking lot was a sea of cars reflecting glimmers of sunlight. Thousands of people waiting and pushing and fighting to buy overpriced items (items they could have paid less for if they had bought it online), items that will break within days (which they would have known if they had read the reviews online), and items they didn't really want but bought anyhow because the mall didn't have the exact item they actually wanted (even though they could have purchased the exact item they wanted if they had bought it online).

So why do people still go to the mall for the holidays? What were they thinking when they decided to go? Did they assume that it would be an easy trip? Did they want to wait in traffic? Did they want to hunt for a parking space and push through crowds? Is that what makes the holidays special for them? Did they think that they would save money by buying stuff in person? I just don't get it.

Labels: Things that Annoy Me