 |
| Kutaytanir, iStock Photo |
How about a sale opportunity that lasts a week? That would give me time to visit your site or store during my non-working hours, think about what I want to buy and whether or not the sale price is beneficial for me. That sounds soooo 1970s (or 60s or 50s), doesn't it? So, unsuccessfully slow. It also sounds human.
It would be humane, even enjoyable, to have time to think about a purchase. The more of my time these marketers rob with their deadline deal emails, post cards and other notices, the less time I'm likely to spend shopping with them, online or otherwise.
There's another bit of "fall-out" that occurs from these marketing tactics when I am notified of a sale opportunity I really want to follow up on, but can't. A great "deal" came my way recently with a two-day deadline. Ah, if it had only been three. I had some time today to take advantage of this 50-percent-off opportunity, but not yesterday or the day before. Not only did I miss out on the deal, I feel a sense of disappointment that I now associate with that vendor.
Last weekend, I was visiting with a friend who spent part of her childhood in Mexico and still returns there for Christmas holidays. Her family is large enough that buying presents for everyone is just not practical economically, so they don't! They--are you ready for this?--they SPEND TIME TOGETHER. That is their gift to each other. What a way to "do" Christmas!
My mother, father, and sister are no longer here to spend Christmas with those of our family who remain. I would gladly give up any and all gifts to have some Time with them now. There could be no gift I would value more. So, I don't want to be scroogy, but I do think we need to think about what a "gift" truly is. When a gift becomes a burden or a pressure to the giver, then something has gone wrong. Then it really is no longer "blessed to give." This bombardment of sale messages, for me, really eats at that blessed feeling, taking me instead to the deadline fever ward of the hospital in my mind.
If, in these last days before the 25th, you are losing some of the joy of giving and are not feeling like you are in a blessed space (which is where Advent can and should take us), then give yourself some T-I-M-E. You can't shop for it. You can't get it at a discount. You can only either waste it, use it productively, or create a small miracle and G-I-V-E yourself and others some of this precious, precious "medium." Here's wishing all of us a joyful Christmas Time.
 |
| BasittArt, iStock Photo |
Comments