Free Online Shipping at Any Price?

“Carrie: Honey, if it hurts so much, why are we going shopping? Samantha: I have a broken toe, not a broken spirit.” Sex and the City

Free Online Shipping at Any Price? Magnificent Mile – Saks and more on Fifth Avenue

I must confess that even I never thought I’d see the day when Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue (SFA) would offer fashionistas, essentially all consumers, the shopping expedition of a lifetime! Oh yes, the shop-till-you-drop retail Gods are alive and well and delivering mega doses of discounted luxury goods for all to enjoy.

Lately, you can sashay into these stores online/offline and walk out with discounted merchandise that will make an eBay seller weep. Yes, Ms. Shopaholic, the economy is in a downturn, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel: adjusted prices we could only dream of back in the day.

My word of caution is that as you speed through the designer shoes, bags, and clothing sections, grabbing every Manolo, Louis V, Chanel, YSL, and every imaginable ultra couture item in sight, put a mental limit on that plastic, or simply put it away, honey!

Why? When you choose to play this new shopping frenzy game, you have to plan a way to pay. Read my lips; that ostrich and lizard clutch looks cute on the counter today, and at 75% off, what’s not to love? How about shopper’s remorse tomorrow, next week, next month?

Ah, in case you choose right now to forget, the huge bill at the end of the month will remind you, rather unkindly, of the damage you wrought as you took that rather exhilarating walk down 5th Avenue, charging your way in and out of every luxury store until your Louboutin-clad feet could take it no more.

Right… and is that a huge headache I detect as the lender, more conscious of the unsecured nature of your loan, rallies to cut your limit in half, up the ante on your interest rate, and have one of its outsourced underlings call you just before dinner time to let you know your minimum payment has gone up. They just declined the payment for that fabulous Hermes bag you thought you now owned?

Skip the headache pills and get real. If the news on rising unemployment is any indication of where we are headed for 2009, may I humbly suggest that we take a moment to consider that the money we choose to burn now could represent the mortgage/car/rent payments we will need to address if/when those regular paychecks go south?

This is the time to use our hard-earned money to shore up our work skills, invest in substantive, meaningful items or household repairs, or simply put some away for potential emergencies. We can still treat ourselves to holiday gifts and pat-on-the-back specials, just don’t get carried away!

“George Washington had a vision for this country. Was it three days of uninterrupted shopping?” Jeff Melvoin

Free Online Shipping at Any Price? Bergdorf Goodman window display via workinpana (credits below)

While my blog might seem focused on women and shopping, guys, you know the drift… You are not exempt from this conversation. The Brionis, hot rods, and other male indulgent tchotchkes must be tempered, too. After all, we are in an economic downturn, and every 80%-off item is costing us the little 20% that could be saved for 2009 and beyond.

Of course, the current perspective is that now is the time to stock up on food and other necessary household items and to make required home repairs because prices for goods and services are coming down.

Granted, we can get good deals in the marketplace, but we still need to act logically and be judicious about taking advantage of only the much-needed goods and services. We could all do a great deal of good this holiday season by sharing our abundance and reaching out to other families in our communities.

I truly believe that in the coming months, shifting market conditions will not only force us to find new ways to rebuild but also empower us to meet the growing needs of our local and global communities. What are your thoughts?

Related articles

• Free shipping is here to stay, but challenges exist (econsultancy.com)
• Zoe You Want To Be A Stylista: See Neiman Marcus First (brilliantmagazine.com)
• The High Cost of Selling on eBay (rubylane.com)
• Nicole Richie’s House of Harlow 1960 Brand Launches Handbag Collection (shoppingblog.com)

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photos BG window display via Workinpana on Flickr and Magnificent Mile by Tony The Tiger via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank