Online shopping is undoubtedly one of the great new inventions of mankind.

From the comfort of your very own home, it opens the world to you, whatever you can imagine – it is there for taking, at the tip of your fingers. All you need is a search engine and a credit card.

All good? Well…

With that kind of freedom come several problems (Isn´t that always the case? Sometimes it is so tiring to be a grown-up).

If everything is available, is there anything you don´t need?

If everything is for sale, is it even worth coveting?

In the limitless world of online shopping, how to set the necessary limits?

Is instant accessibility a blessing or a curse?

The magic word seems to be moderation.

When there is a lot on offer, a lot of moderation seems to be necessary, to come out on top, particularly for people with a hobby (or an addiction, as I call it on a bad day). The new possibilities the internet offers are such, that they demand a whole new level of self control from us. It was not necessary to reign oneself in, when there was no way to fulfill every whim and craving.

I flew to the US once a year in my twenties. Once there, I shopped to my hearts content, not shying away from dragging a ball gown for 9800 miles across the western USA, because it was on sale on Day 1 in San Francisco, and might have been gone on Day 28 when I returned. That might have been stupid, but it is also a great memory, that gown is forever connected with a wonderful trip.

But these shopping extravaganzas where naturally limited, I went home, where there are shops too, but it is not the same, even if 90% of the stock is exactly the same, you know what I mean, don´t you? It is just not the same. 🙂

Now there is the internet. There is eBay and its evil tempters, there are convenient online stores, that ship internationally and even add the custom duties for you, there are friends you made in cyber space, who take care of that one last wish that cannot be fulfilled by hitting Buy it Now! yourself. Not so many memorable buys here. Do you remember that one time you logged into Paypal? It was so funny…No?

Wishes are getting a very short half life.

Oh, I´d love that… click, into the cart it goes. And it would go so well with that, click! If I order anyway, why not add this, I´ll need it eventually, one more item and I qualify for free shipping, click, click, click…

The thrill of finding something long cherished, the hunt for the hard to find, the memories of strange locations where this unlikely bargain turned up… now it is eBay we browse, not flea markets. There is more lost here, than only time.

As good as it is, as helpful and modern, online shopping also took something away.

Is it still worth wishing for something, if the wish can be granted right now?

Picture source: oshoppingdirectory.com, surveysuperstore.co.uk, photo by foxtongue/flickr via visualinsights.blogspot.com, some rights reserved, thank you!