trinity24
03-13-2005, 02:54 PM
Hi, I'm new to this forum - basically looking for some ideas, and sharing a few of mine. This post turned out to be longer than I expected, but I wanted to share a few things that worked for me, and a few that didn't. I would also love to see other people post their approaches, and hopefully learn some new tricks. Also - a note - this is meant for people who are too ashamed to go into a store, and simply buy a few items. I'm sure I may seem a little paranoid, about the risk of other people finding out, but that's the way I am, and it will not change. I'd imagine it's a problem for most of us. Here's a few different approaches I tried, including their downsides:
1) Shopping in person:
My first few items I obtained going into a department store far away from my neighborhood, like JCPenney's or Sears, late in the evening during weekdays, when there were few customers around, and grabbing a few items, quickly paying for them. It's been always taking a lot of courage though, and on more than one occasion I would make up my mind to go and buy something, only to chicken out the last moment, and simply leave.
2) Shopping on-line:
I thought, that would all change once I discovered internet, but unfortunatelly there are still some major problems. For example, when I purchased a bunch of clothes from Newport; to my dismay they arrived in a plastic bag labeled newport, and I have been getting catalogs from them ever since - until I moved to a different address. Here's my dilemma. I currently live in a building that has one entrance and four apartments. Everybody knows one another - and mail/packages, get dropped off in the main hallway, for everyone else to see (I hate this arrangement, because it can lead to very embarrasing situations)
This whole situation really pisses me off, because I see so many items I would love to order, but I am afraid I am going to be embarrassed by either the label from the sender (i.e. the name of the store I bought it from), or by the description of the item contained inside. Either way, I tried to come up with a few solutions, so here's what I got:
1) Ordering on-line, to pickup in store
I reasoned, that the worst part of buying in person (other than paying for the item), is browsing through it, and getting the right size. Ordering online with in-store pickup seemed like a perfect solution, to get the browsing done at home, and only pay on the spot. I know JCPenney offers this, and I actually tried it once - and I don't think I'll do it again (unless I find something really worth it). Here's what happened - I figured I would simply place my order online, and then go to the store and pickup the box - no such luck. After I placed the order, I got a phone-call a few days later that the items are ready to pick-up. So I went to the store, got my credit card ready - and found the pick-up desk. I tell the lady at the desk I'm here to pick up the order, and she politely searches through a number of bags, and finds mine. Then to my horror, she proceeds to take out item by item from the bag, making sure everything is as it was ordered - I thought I was gonna die - and needless to say, I stay away from that particular store now (I also treasure the nice pink business suit I got at that time, because of all the humiliation it cost me).
2) General e-Bay auctions:
I figured a solution, to the brand-name on the box would be ordering items on e-bay. That is also how I acquired my first wedding-dress. Unfortunatelly it arrived in a box, with a huge label Athena's Bridals on the top - and again, I was facing a potential possibility of one of my neighbors seeing the box in the main hallway, before I got back home from work. And it's a real pitty too, because there are countless items, in my size, that are just perfect, and yet I can't order them.
3) CD-geared Ebay auctions:
There is a bunch of auctions geared towards CD's on e-bay - and I was really happy to find them, because most of them assure you, the items are shipped discretely. I did order a number of things from them, but where you gain in discrete shipping, you lose in selection. Most of the items they offer, are either too big, or too old, or just plain ugly. For example, you can hardly ever find a nice wedding gown, or a prom/bridesmaid's gown from them.
4) Post Office Box:
I haven't tried this idea, yet, but will in the near future. I intend to purchase a medium size box in my post-office, and then have items shipped there. There are two problems I see already, though. First of all - most places won't allow you to ship to a P.O. address (looks suspicious, especially if you are paying with a credit card). Bigger items won't fit in the box (a petticoat for example). It would still be awqward retrieving the items - and I'm sure the workers over there would know what you're up to.
5) UPS center pickup:
I got an idea about doing this, when I ordered some speakers, and in order for UPS to deliver them, somebody had to sign the reception. In any case, I missed UPS delivery 3 times in a row (and I guess none of my neighbors were home at the time either), and got a note from them, that the item can be picked up in their local office. I never went to the office (I called them and asked to ship it to my work address), but I think this would be a perfect way of doing it. I yet have to try it, but here's my plan. I'm going to order something on e-bay, and make sure that it is shipped via UPS, and request tracking number. Once the item gets shipped, I will call UPS, and tell them I won't be able to receive the item at home, and if I can pick them up at their center. The main problem is that I don't know if such in-transit change of shipping is possible.
6) Repackaging Service:
I found a company once, on internet that would receive your package, repackage it and then forward it to a customer. The problem was it was meant only for big businesses, not retail items.
That's all I have for now. Again - if you know of a way, I can safely order something without being embarrased later on, please share it, and thanks in advance.
1) Shopping in person:
My first few items I obtained going into a department store far away from my neighborhood, like JCPenney's or Sears, late in the evening during weekdays, when there were few customers around, and grabbing a few items, quickly paying for them. It's been always taking a lot of courage though, and on more than one occasion I would make up my mind to go and buy something, only to chicken out the last moment, and simply leave.
2) Shopping on-line:
I thought, that would all change once I discovered internet, but unfortunatelly there are still some major problems. For example, when I purchased a bunch of clothes from Newport; to my dismay they arrived in a plastic bag labeled newport, and I have been getting catalogs from them ever since - until I moved to a different address. Here's my dilemma. I currently live in a building that has one entrance and four apartments. Everybody knows one another - and mail/packages, get dropped off in the main hallway, for everyone else to see (I hate this arrangement, because it can lead to very embarrasing situations)
This whole situation really pisses me off, because I see so many items I would love to order, but I am afraid I am going to be embarrassed by either the label from the sender (i.e. the name of the store I bought it from), or by the description of the item contained inside. Either way, I tried to come up with a few solutions, so here's what I got:
1) Ordering on-line, to pickup in store
I reasoned, that the worst part of buying in person (other than paying for the item), is browsing through it, and getting the right size. Ordering online with in-store pickup seemed like a perfect solution, to get the browsing done at home, and only pay on the spot. I know JCPenney offers this, and I actually tried it once - and I don't think I'll do it again (unless I find something really worth it). Here's what happened - I figured I would simply place my order online, and then go to the store and pickup the box - no such luck. After I placed the order, I got a phone-call a few days later that the items are ready to pick-up. So I went to the store, got my credit card ready - and found the pick-up desk. I tell the lady at the desk I'm here to pick up the order, and she politely searches through a number of bags, and finds mine. Then to my horror, she proceeds to take out item by item from the bag, making sure everything is as it was ordered - I thought I was gonna die - and needless to say, I stay away from that particular store now (I also treasure the nice pink business suit I got at that time, because of all the humiliation it cost me).
2) General e-Bay auctions:
I figured a solution, to the brand-name on the box would be ordering items on e-bay. That is also how I acquired my first wedding-dress. Unfortunatelly it arrived in a box, with a huge label Athena's Bridals on the top - and again, I was facing a potential possibility of one of my neighbors seeing the box in the main hallway, before I got back home from work. And it's a real pitty too, because there are countless items, in my size, that are just perfect, and yet I can't order them.
3) CD-geared Ebay auctions:
There is a bunch of auctions geared towards CD's on e-bay - and I was really happy to find them, because most of them assure you, the items are shipped discretely. I did order a number of things from them, but where you gain in discrete shipping, you lose in selection. Most of the items they offer, are either too big, or too old, or just plain ugly. For example, you can hardly ever find a nice wedding gown, or a prom/bridesmaid's gown from them.
4) Post Office Box:
I haven't tried this idea, yet, but will in the near future. I intend to purchase a medium size box in my post-office, and then have items shipped there. There are two problems I see already, though. First of all - most places won't allow you to ship to a P.O. address (looks suspicious, especially if you are paying with a credit card). Bigger items won't fit in the box (a petticoat for example). It would still be awqward retrieving the items - and I'm sure the workers over there would know what you're up to.
5) UPS center pickup:
I got an idea about doing this, when I ordered some speakers, and in order for UPS to deliver them, somebody had to sign the reception. In any case, I missed UPS delivery 3 times in a row (and I guess none of my neighbors were home at the time either), and got a note from them, that the item can be picked up in their local office. I never went to the office (I called them and asked to ship it to my work address), but I think this would be a perfect way of doing it. I yet have to try it, but here's my plan. I'm going to order something on e-bay, and make sure that it is shipped via UPS, and request tracking number. Once the item gets shipped, I will call UPS, and tell them I won't be able to receive the item at home, and if I can pick them up at their center. The main problem is that I don't know if such in-transit change of shipping is possible.
6) Repackaging Service:
I found a company once, on internet that would receive your package, repackage it and then forward it to a customer. The problem was it was meant only for big businesses, not retail items.
That's all I have for now. Again - if you know of a way, I can safely order something without being embarrased later on, please share it, and thanks in advance.