It was one of those “too good to be true” moments when I first experienced Amazon. I’ll admit, I was a bit late to the party when it came to online shopping. Late to the party soon became my daily celebrations as little packages started to arrive at my doorstep. My frantic shopping trips turned into a shopping vacation to my couch, “one-click to buy”
Click. Click. Click.
My 7 year old son took notice.
CURIOUS CALEB: “Mom. Is it your birthday all of the time or something?”
TIRED ME: “No, does this look like a birthday present I would want?” I said holding up yet another pack of iPhone chargers. These always seem to get lost.
CURIOUS CALEB: “Hmm. So…. where is it all coming from”
(Insert Amazon app tutorial mom version)
TIRED ME: “It’s like a catalog to the world. Anything you want can be delivered right here to us. Super easy. Watch”
(Insert Mommy gleefully ordering another package of socks) These always get lost too.
We spend and entire Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes-worth of exploring the possibilities. Oh, the possibilities. Finally pleased, I set the phone down. Days go by. Fast forward many more happy purchases.. Until- suddenly SEVERAL unfamiliar packages start to arrive.
The first one, I thought must be a mistake. Neighbors? I looked around. Bewildered, I look back at the package. My name was on it. How could I have ordered a 100 Piece Dinosaur and Cave Man Prehistoric Playset with Play Mat ???
Oh. Caleb.
Almost choreographed, Caleb came waltzing down the stairs to the front porch.
PROUD OF HIMSELF, CALEB: “Oh, my package arrived. Thanks Mom.”
Nonchalantly, Caleb reached for the package and started back upstairs. Mind racing- I whipped around.
NOT PREPARED, ME: “You ordered that?”
MATTER OF FACT, CALEB: “Well, yes. You showed me how easy it was”
ME: “Yes.. No… Ok, yes.”
Realizing the toy aisle had moved to unlimited access and this was now a reality. I pulled it together. We had a productive conversation until he added, “So.. does that mean I can’t have the rest of the deliveries?”
The rest of the deliveries.
Clearly “one-click to buy” was taken to a WHOLE new level. My Amazon app showed 16 other deliveries pending totaling up to $411.96 (which I quickly canceled) though 4 other prehistoric deliveries were arriving within less than 24 hours (too late to cancel) and …one from Japan. Rest assured 1-800 Amazon said I could return upon delivery.
Looking back, it’s kind of a funny story to share- though this was definitely NOT funny at the time. I learned my lesson on this one and lucked out since I could cancel MOST of these in time before they hit my credit card. Yikes. Also, it is simply the reason why I have taken a hiatus from any online purchases for while.
Please tell me your child has done something similar!
Oh my goodness! What do you do? Pack them away for Christmas or birthday presents? Take the time to actually mail them back?
What the heck will you do when he learns how to use Alexa?!