How Girls Turn a Simple Purchase into a Full-Scale Investigation
By Yashmitha Sritheran
There are many mysteries in life. Why do socks disappear in the washing machine? Why does my phone always die at the exact moment I need it most? And perhaps the greatest mystery of all: how does a simple purchase turn into a full-scale investigation in my life every single time?
To most people, shopping is straightforward. You see something you like, you buy it, and you move on. But for me, and I suspect many girls like me, buying even the smallest item is never just a transaction. It is a process. A long, emotional, highly detailed investigation involving research, opinions, comparisons, and at least three changes of mind before anything is even added to the cart.
It usually begins in the most innocent way. I see something I like online or in a store. It could be a bag, a dress, a pair of shoes, a phone cover, a notebook, or even something as small as a water bottle. For a brief moment, everything feels simple. I think, “Oh, that’s nice.” But the problem is that my brain never leaves it at that. That small thought immediately turns into a full project titled: Should I buy this or not?
The first stage is what I call emotional attachment without commitment. I save the item. I screenshot it. I zoom in. I imagine owning it. I convince myself I might come back to it later. But even then, I already know I will not be able to forget it. It has officially entered my mental inventory.
Then comes the investigation stage, and this is where things get serious. I don’t just look at the product, I study it. Reviews are not read casually; they are analysed like legal evidence. I scroll through every comment, looking for patterns. One person says “perfect,” and I feel relief. But then I find one review that says, “broke after two months,” and suddenly I question every life decision I’ve ever made. That one negative comment becomes louder than fifty positive ones.
After that, I enter comparison mode. This is where the simple item stops being simple. It now has competitors. I open multiple tabs, compare similar products, check prices on different websites, and somehow convince myself that a difference of a few hundred rupees is a major financial decision. I compare colours, sizes, materials, durability, ratings, and even aesthetic value as if I am preparing a research report. At this point, I usually know more about the product category than I should.
But I still cannot decide. So, I move to the most dangerous stage: opinion collection. I send screenshots to my friends with messages like, “Which one is better?” or “Be honest, should I get this?” This is where things become even more complicated. One friend says yes immediately. Another says no for no clear reason. Someone else suggests a completely different product I was not even considering. Suddenly, I am not only confused about what to buy but also confused about my entire identity as a decision-maker.
Even family members get involved. I show my mom pictures and ask for advice. She usually says something simple like, “Both are fine, just pick one,” which somehow does not help at all. My sister either agrees with everything or changes her opinion every five minutes. My dad says, “It looks okay,” which I interpret as emotional detachment from my crisis.
Then comes cart behaviour, which should probably be studied scientifically. I add the item to the cart like I have made a final decision. Then I remove it because I suddenly feel guilty. Then I add it again because I convince myself I deserve it. Then I leave it there for days as if the cart itself is part of the decision-making process. It feels less like shopping and more like an emotional relationship between me and a product.
What makes this even more intense is the imagination stage. I don’t just buy things for what they are, I buy them for the life I imagine with them. A dress is not just a dress. It is for birthdays, dinners, outings, pictures, and events that do not even exist yet. A bottle is not just a bottle. It is a symbol of becoming more organised, more responsible, more “that girl” I plan to be but rarely manage to become consistently.
Sometimes I also enter deal-hunting mode, which extends the investigation even further. I check every possible website to see if the item is cheaper elsewhere. I search for discount codes I may never find. I wait for sales that might start tomorrow. I calculate shipping fees and convince myself I am saving money by not buying immediately, even though I have already spent hours thinking about it.
After all of this, you would think I would finally make a clear decision. But no. I often reach a point where I simply abandon the mission. I close the tabs. I tell myself I will think about it later. And then I forget about it, until I see it again two weeks later and the entire investigation starts from scratch.
The funniest part is that this entire process can last longer than the actual use of the item. I have spent more time deciding whether to buy something than I would spend actually using it in real life. And yet, I still repeat it every time, convinced that this time I will be more efficient.
But the truth is, this overthinking is not really about confusion. It is about caution. I don’t want to regret my purchase. I want value for money, quality, usefulness, and something that fits into my life properly. I want the “right” choice, not just a choice. Unfortunately, that desire turns even a simple water bottle into a life decision.
And yet, sometimes I do buy it. After days of thinking, comparing, discussing, and emotionally negotiating with myself, I finally make the purchase. For a brief moment, I feel proud. I track the delivery. I wait for it like an important event. When it arrives, I open it carefully, admire it, and feel satisfied, at least for a while. Because sometimes, even after buying it, a small thought still appears in the back of my mind. What if the other one was better? And just like that, the investigation quietly continues.
