Opportunity
When you have a change of scene like a holiday, it can be a brilliant way to add to your wardrobe. You may have more time to browse, and these things you encounter may not normally be available to you. They can also be a reminder of a lovely holiday, or time with friends and family.
Downsides
However, the drawbacks are many:
- Shop opening and closing times and time zone differences.
- Language.
- You may not be able to visit the shop again, depending on your holiday plans and their opening times. Therefore, you may have to make a decision to buy or leave. Either way could be a regret!
- Sizing.
- Exchange rates and taxes – have you got a currency converter, or a budget in mind?
- What guarantees are there about the quality of the garment, ethical production or genuineness of any claims (like the material)?
- Are you persuaded by someone you are with, or the convincing shop assistant, to make a buying decision?
If you have never thought of these aspects before, let’s examine how you can reduce the pitfalls, and therefore the regret factor.
Research and planning
It is possible to research before you go on holiday, what times the shops may be open, where they will be, and if there are any purchase taxes or customs duty to pay on the goods you buy on returning home.
I recently went on holiday and fully expected to find my perfume at Heathrow airport. Imagine my disappointment when told that they weren’t stocking it any more (at the airport). If I had done some simple research, I may have decided to buy my top up before the holiday.
Similarly, I happen to have a favourite store in my destination country (which I don’t get to see much these days) and could have researched where the nearest stores were to my destinations, what clothes they are likely to have in store, or I could have requested in advance that they ensure my size was available to try. If I left it to chance I might have been disappointed.
Shopping list
You could draw up a shopping list of “needs” if you were to spot them, rather than not have any list. This is always a good idea when you go food shopping, or you end up forgetting something important for the recipe. It can help you to have a wardrobe review before you go, so that if you were to want a belt for example and were faced with lots of choice, you might have an idea of your priority colour.
Budget and safety of handling money
If you can get carried away, perhaps it might be better to have a budget in mind, and to work out what that is in the currency you will be using. Would it be beneficial to pay with cash, or a credit card? Credit cards can give extra protections, but also could be cloned. Perhaps it’s better to take that chance, than carry around amounts of cash, and be seen to use it?
Baggage
It is lovely to get a store bag with your new goodies in, but these days we are used to using our own. Maybe you don’t want to advertise that you bought a Gucci watch, or an Apple iPad when wandering round a place where you may not be familiar.
Then, you may be restricted about the amount of luggage you can take home, or that you might need to pay duty on. I have been shopping in New York and had to buy an extra case to bring my goodies home! That incurred extra cost at the airport (apart from buying the suitcase) to put the extra case on the plane. It was worth it though 🤣🛍
Finally
I hope you love and use your purchases, get compliments and can smile to say: I got this in x (and it will remind you of a great holiday).
If you want any personal shopping support, please get in touch.
Your Colour & Style Consultant, Fiona
Tel: Fiona on 07469 246722
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