Since having kids, I have discovered the joy of shopping online. In fact, according to my husband, I’ve discovered a bit too much of it. But come on, 4- and 2-year-old boys don’t enjoy browsing sale racks and trying on pants and shoes, and they make it known that they do not enjoy it…usually by crying or whining or running away into an entirely different store by sneaking out under the dressing room door while Mommy is half-naked.

This makes sitting at my desk late at night, browsing in peace and making purchases by simply entering my credit card number, a dream come true.

Enter cookies, not the yummy chocolate chip or soft sugar kind that I can eat in droves, but the little goblins inside the computer that record a user’s each and every move and then tailor content to fit that user’s apparent preferences…or something like that. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I swear, every time I buy something from a clothing store online, it appears on sale the next day. EVERY. TIME. No less than *three* times last year when I bought conference clothes did I have to write customer service and politely request a refund for the difference in the price I paid vs the price that suddenly dropped twenty dollars after I completed my purchase. Three times at three different stores! Hello??

It happened again today–at yet another store. I bought a shirt. Said shirt was too expensive to start with but very pretty and hey, I finaled and I deserve to wear a pretty shirt. Naturally, expensive item drops to more reasonably-priced item before my order has even shipped. Not cool! So I sent another email. The other three places were kind enough to immediately issue a refund for the price difference. I hope this one does too because I love to shop there, but knowing how often this situation occurs, I can’t go back to a business that refuses to work with me on that. It’s not like I ask them to pay me back for something I bought last month…we’re talking yesterday. Hasn’t even arrived at my house yet. It’s a bit ridiculous.

Anyone have this problem? What’s the best/worst thing about shopping online?

Okay, so Grant is the hero of my WIP, and this is actually some guy named Jensen who I’m not familiar with since I don’t watch TV. But since I don’t have time to post deep thoughts because I’m sooo close to finishing this manuscript, I thought I’d share this bit of inspiration. I don’t particularly like the other pictures I’ve seen of him, but this one leaves me sweating…