Is the Retail World “Off” While Covid-19 Carries On?
Many of us have been at the pandemic over a month now. Some longer, and I hope there isn’t many shorter. For any newbies, seriously, #stayhome. Also, mind the two metre gap by leashing your dogs and containing your small kids on community walks, okay?
For some the shock of the unprecedented situation is still numbing, for others clarity of what’s important and the values you hold are becoming clear. Crystal clear. People are a whole thing – let’s not even go there. Right now, I’m more interested in how fashion organizations, businesses, and super brands are behaving amid this crisis.
Are you growing tired of retailer’s email offering discounts and pushing the latest trends? It’s relentless. For the first week, I was put off by the tone-deaf emails from brands plastering me with “buy this or be left out and made a fool” messaging while Canada was scrambling to get as many people safely home as possible. Like, read the room Banana Republic.
A week or two after that, I started to notice brands that weren’t acknowledging that Covid-19 was changing things and maybe you shouldn’t promote your event a month from now. Travel, vacations, concerts, heck the Met Gala is cancelled. Your thing in May or June is likely cancelled too. It’s not a personal attack on your business, everything is taking a wee time out, buddy.
I get that not doing business as usual will hurt the economy and businesses all over will not rebound or recover. That’s a bummer, it is. I feel that directly as a solo business owner. But we’re talking about people – all ages, races, gender, sexes, backgrounds, classes - dying. Specifically, the more vulnerable are the most at risk. What we are asking our neighbours is to do is to make sure more don’t die because of thoughtless actions.
Acknowledging that Covid-19 is ultra-scary, I would like to try and stay optimistic. Let’s take things to a lighter place, shall we? For those of us non-essentials workers, we stay home. Some of us try to work from home, too. Do whatever it takes to occupy you and your immediate roommates within the confides of your walls. In a world where it seemed like time moved too fast, as we are now stuck wanting idly for the future. Now, time may not be moving fast enough. Thus, we doddle, we tinkle, we binge. Anything to have a little safe escape that also eats up some time.
I’m no stranger to escapism. I like to think I thrive at it. Part of my home seclusion efforts have been chores and productive tasks, but I’m binging TV and fucking the dog online too. One of my new favourite hobbies is heading to an online store, spending hours scrolling through the items, adding my favourites to an online cart, and then walking away. I don’t buy a thing I’ve painstakingly selected. I do this a few times a week just to do something. I, straight up, spend countless hours online window shopping. I’m not hurting anyone by tra-la-la-ing my imagination, am I? Also, I’d like to share that I’m not the only one.
Of course, many are following through on those carts and clicking “Pay.” This shift to online likely will only go up as the weeks or months we are secluded tick on. I know shopping can be an addiction like many other things and it doesn’t have to make “sense”, but I do ask myself, what are people buying? Why? And are they buying from brands that align with their personal values, especially as people and brands have shown their true colours in this crisis?
If it isn’t a necessity or replacing a consumable that you’ve used up or worn out, what really do you need to buy? For example, in our household it’s been items for new working conditions – an exercise ball for my partner as he now works in the home for the first time ever and he wanted a personalized, comfortable set up – or new hobbies – proper running shoes as I endeavour, like many other people, that this is actually my year to run. We’ve also bought birthday gifts for loved ones that can be safely procured and delivered – just Italian bottled wine, really.
That’s what we’ve purchased. Relatively sensible items. What I window shop for is completely different. I look up vintage designer caftans on The RealReal that I’ll wear on a summer night out on the town or a hot vacation. That’s odd as neither of those scenarios are happening anytime soon. But a gal can daydream, no? I’m looking at dresses in spring colours and lush dark leathers that probably won’t get worn as much as they deserve. Boxy handbags on Vespucci Consignment from elite designers have never looked so tempting. But I’m not going anywhere. My tush is planted at home for... forever, maybe? That’s overly dramatic I know but we really don’t know how long this will all last. I plug on. I’m looking up estate jewelry – rings, earrings, bangles - on Etsy because I guess I’m a magpie and can’t stop lusting for shiny things? Look, I know it’s ridiculous and aside from a pair of earrings and a new doormat, I’ve restrained myself.
On the other hand, because we’re staying home, other variable expenses are way down. Fuel, going out for meals and drinks; cancelled travel and trips; takeout coffee; going out to movies; and piecemeal grocery shopping are way cut back. Sure, we should take those variable savings and put in the emergency account, but I can also try to legitimize spending that on something beautiful that I can have now. A little cheer up and carry on gift from me to me?
Send help?
How about you? Any window online or actual online shoppers out there that can commiserate with me? What sites are you on? What is catching your eye?
