Online or bust
By: Carrisa Wiens
Malls during the holiday season are frustrating: people are crushed against each other, shoe shops never have enough employees, and it’s always too warm. Surviving a shopping trip for Christmas gifts in this uninhabitable environment is next to impossible. Save yourself the trip, open your laptop, and start adding items to your online cart.
Of course Amazon is the easiest solution for online shopping, but besides their sketchy practices, they actually don’t have a great selection of quality items when we look at their entire stock list. They sell so many items it can get a little too overwhelming at times as well. Ditch Amazon and find your Christmas gifts online by going to quality sources.
Before we actually purchase a gift for whoever is on our list, we often search terms like “gifts for him,” or “gifts under $50” to get some inspiration. After already going through the trouble of looking for a gift idea online, might as well purchase it there too. Many companies like Sephora, Hudson’s Bay, and Indigo provide delightful curated lists for whoever is needing a gift. For example, Sephora even has a quiz for customers to take where they ask whom you’re shopping for, price range, and if you’re looking for skincare, makeup, or fragrance for the recipient. Within these lists are many different brands and options that provide a wide selection of quality products.
With websites like Bed Bath and Beyond, that have such a massive stock list, using all of their provided filters to search for a gift makes it incredibly easy to find something for the hard-to-shop-for person on your list. Plug in the price range, the colour, and even the brand you’d like, then the website will quickly shop for you, providing you with a short list of items that fit your guidelines.
And of course, shopping online, regardless of the source, is a much more calming experience than journeying through the malls, especially on Black Friday. Plenty of companies offer their Black Friday deals online plus more deals on Cyber Monday. It’s a no-brainer to shop online.
Shopping in store can be better for you and the planet
By: Chandy Dancey
When it comes to Christmas shopping, it’s easy to forget about brick-and-mortar stores when you have the power of the internet. But for the conscientious student, shopping in-store gives you options that could lower your environmental footprint, support local businesses, and avoid contributing toward non-sustainable and questionable business practices.
When consumers think of online shopping, the conglomerate that immediately comes to mind is Amazon. Shopping on Amazon might feel inevitable with its convenience and choice of product, but your dollar has worth that companies sink millions into advertising to sway. ***The New York Times published an exposé on Amazon’s appalling work conditions in 2015, and the company has been further critiqued on their inaction against climate change with protests in 2019 urging them to consider their contribution. Amazon might be convenient, but at what cost? Students can make a difference with where they spend their money, and when shopping in-store, they can avoid directly sponsoring the inhumane conditions of an Amazon warehouse.
Speaking of climate change, it’s debatable which option of purchasing results in a lower carbon footprint. What is known, however, is that choosing rush shipping increases the footprint of online delivery; suppliers aren’t able to bundle orders into single deliveries and end up sending out more delivery trucks with less product. Failed deliveries also end up stretching the amount of carbon emissions produced by transportation. However, if you opt for going to a store yourself, you can reduce your carbon footprint by carpooling, using public transportation, walking, or biking.
Another important aspect is that, by making your purchases in person, you can buy locally and have a direct impact on your community’s economy. It gives you the added bonuses of knowing the people behind your product, being able to contribute toward the culture of your area, and having better customer service. Small, independent businesses let you connect with owners who are personally invested in their customers’ satisfaction rather than impersonally directing issues to a customer service hotline. Depending on where you shop, this all can come with the benefit of getting a unique gift that isn’t mass produced.
Illustrator: Kayt Hine
