I ran out of eyeliners. I did not want to make a trip all the way to the shopping center for a mere...

1. Online shopping made easy: from eyeliners to pets - Los
Angeles animal rescue
I ran out of eyeliners. I did not want to make a trip all the way to the shopping center for a mere
eyeliner. So, I went online and saw a variety of colors and shades of the type of eyeliner I wanted. As
shipping was free and even return shipping would be free if I did not like any of them, I picked out
five of them, thinking, "Even if I have to go to Nordstrom to return three or four of them, it's worth
trying them in a real life situation, rather than in the department store."
If I were at the store, I would have never purchased five of them. That is simply crazy and too much
spending. But for some reason, it was easier to justify to myself as I could even return all of them if I
wanted to. Well, I could return them even if I bought them in the store, but I would have never
bought the color variations. What made the difference?
I started analyzing my thinking process, and it was because there was no personal pressure to buy
them, and more importantly, returning them would be stress-free. Why? First off, I did not waste any
salesperson's time. I did not have to please those who were waiting for me to make up my mind and
let them make their commission. Secondly, I did not have to dread the feeling of returning the items
especially if the same salesperson was there. It would make me somewhat uncomfortable and also
feel pressured to come up with a reason.
The sterile online shopping experience got me to buy four extra eyeliners, and while the reason for
committing this purchase was the ease of returning them, I ended up keeping them all. I'm still
analyzing my psychology, but it seems I was more comfortable assuming my own responsibility
because nobody else was involved in the decision process. Even with the nicest salesperson, there is
some level of pressure that makes you choose and buy products.
The insentient interface works for eyeliners, but to me, it does not apply to online dating because I
want it to be personable. When I was encouraged by friends to give it a try, I felt overwhelmed by
looking at the variety of choices, and I shut down the computer.
I had a friend who had 50 dates within one month, which meant she sometimes met two men on one
day. How can you make any personable connection? They are not eyeliners, and you can't use
different ones for different occasions; or maybe that's what you're supposed to do, but then it's no
longer "dating." It's now more like escort services.
Also, the reason I chose to buy my eyeliner online was due to lack of time. I thought: I could drive
out to the store once, but I did not have the time to make two trips in case of a need to return them.
In order to successfully choose your dates online, you have to study each subject carefully, then you
have to communicate with each candidate before setting up a date. I don't have the time for it. Too
much work for something so insentient. I'm turned off even before I say hello to any of my subjects
online.
Then I realized that one of the methods of finding forever homes for the orphaned dogs my rescue
organization relies on is the Internet. We post our dogs on dozens of adoption websites like Adopt--

2. -Pet or Petfinder, Facebook, Craigslist and so forth. Thanks to these online venues, many dogs have
been adopted to loving homes, and without them, these dogs did not even exist to the vast part of
the world.
And what fascinates me is that I don't find these dogs' postings insentient at all, but instead, a
gateway to a warm, fuzzy cuteness. Maybe because the dogs did not post their own photos and rave
about themselves, like online-daters do for themselves? Or, maybe because it's that the dogs you find
online will not judge you and say that you look 10 years older than they expected?
But then the process is similar, you send email to organizations these dogs belong to, ask them
questions and seek out the one you hope to click with. And in a way, it is a bigger commitment. You
can go out on a few dates with someone and if you don't like him, you won't have to see him ever
again, but when you adopt a dog or cat, that is a commitment throughout the lifetime of your
companion animal.
All in all, it's amazing that you can get your eyeliners, find a dog or cat you will adopt, and meet your
future spouse all on the Internet in the comfort of your home -- especially if you get your pooch or
kitty first, then it's more fun to shop around for other stuff having your four-legged companion next
to you because they will adore you even if you don't find an eyeliner or a date.
So, get online and find your companion animal today.
__________________________
Marie Atake is Founder President of Forte Animal Rescue and a former Commissioner on the Board
of L.A. Animal Services. Click on "subscribe" to receive notice when her new articles are published.
http://www.examiner.com/article/online-shopping-made-easy-from-eyeliners-to-pets