Online Shopping
So aggravating; or is it just me?
I decided it might be a good idea to replace my broken digital thermometer in case I needed to take my temperature during this virus. There was not one to be found locally at any store and I had no choice but to purchase one online. When I can’t find what I need in the vicinity Amazon is my next step. I sincerely attempt to support local businesses but that is not the typical reality it used to be.
Shopping online for the thermometer was not that simple either with very few left to buy. But I finally found one similar to what I had for many years and I purchased it the first part of April. When ordering items through Amazon Prime delivery times are swift and I am always amazed. This thermometer took three weeks to get to me and I’m really lucky I didn’t need it in the month of April.
I opened the package and it looked exactly like my previous thermometer. Except not only did it come from China but there were a couple of issues that aggravated the heck out of me! It could be that my patience level through this virus was not where it usually rides. But the readout on the thermometer was in Celsius vs. Fahrenheit. Okay….I can do conversions as good as the next guy and it was okay knowing that I’ll probably use it once every eight years like the previous one.
The main issue I had was that the instructions were in Chinese. Yep, Chinese only. I have the intelligence to know how to operate my new thermometer but what if I needed more details? What if I wanted to know EXACTLY the best way to care for or wash or sanitize it? Can I replace the battery in it? Does it need to be stored in a cool, dry place? Is there a guarantee on the product? Are there instructions on how to return it? Oh, I can come up with more questions but it would border on being even more obnoxious.
Usually new products come with directions in English, Spanish and French which is understandable. When China sends a product our way in America with Chinese only for instructions, what the heck are they thinking? Do they think that we Americans are now a minority and they are the majority so English is no longer necessary and Chinese is? Why do I have more questions about this absurd little transaction than I do answers? Being in isolation for some time might have my panties in a wad over this but it just hits me the wrong way.
My cousin told me that when she orders from Amazon that she changed her setting to search for products only made in the USA. Don’t think that I didn’t race into my account and do the same thing because I did, yes I was still that aggravated. And when I went back into Amazon last night to quickly order a new yoga roller, the one made in America was $100 vs. China’s $49. I was disgusted, mad yet again and I hated the fact that I had ordered the one from China.
I cannot continue to be frustrated over these China products and my anger about our dependence on the communist country. Awareness is the first step in taking action. Going forward my shopping habits will change. If I must pay more for American made goods then I will shop early to check prices, not be in a huge hurry to receive the goods and save for the extra cost. Maybe I’ll need to wait another month for my next check but I’ll do most anything not to support a country that hates America. There is no better satisfaction for me than to take a little control over something I have absolutely no control over. I feel better already, thanks for listening.
