What You See Is What You Get

When you go to your favorite retail store to purchase an item, it is always prudent to make sure that you purchase exactly what you are looking for. This is especially true when it comes to clothing purchases – if you want a certain shade of brown for your new shoes, it is not just your right, but also your responsibility to make sure that you find and purchase the right color.

However, this sometimes can be difficulty when you shop online. If you see a pink dress that looks perfect online, there’s a good chance that it will not be the exact same pink once you receive the product in person. If you are particularly picky about what colors you are willing to wear, this can be very problematic. Unfortunately computers and phones cannot render colors completely accurately compared to the real thing, meaning this will always be a potential concern when buying online.

But on the flip-side, this is precisely why retail stores are so much better in this regard. If you are looking for a specific color for your new clothing purchase, you will always get to see the exact color before making your purchase. If the exact color isn’t suited to your liking, you then have the choice of either not buying it at all, trying to find another color, or buying it anyway. But at least you have that choice, rather than receiving your package in the mail, only then to discover that the color isn’t right – in this case you end up having to go through all sorts of hoops just to return your purchase and get your money back (if the company even accepts returns).

This also applies to the exact fit of the clothing too. Even if you know you are a Size 8 shoe size, there is always that possibility that the shoe doesn’t fit exactly the way you expect when you actually try it on. It’s better to find that out before making your purchase rather than hoping and praying that it does fit after you’ve already purchased it. Plus, clothing stores have the added benefit of actually providing fitting rooms and mirrors to help you fully confirm that you like what you see, and how it looks on you specifically, before you purchase it.

But overall, this concept doesn’t apply to just the clothing world. Any product you purchase can lead to buyer’s remorse if you aren’t 100% sure of what you are buying before you make the purchase. And the reality is that unless you have the product in your hand and can inspect it in-person, there will always be that inherent risk. As convenient as online stores may be, there is no way for you to get that very high level of certainty that your purchase will be a good one until after you’ve already paid for it. Ultimately, the fact that “what you see is what you get” when shopping at retail stores is a huge positive for shoppers who want high confidence in their selections before actually forking over the money to pay for it.