It is amazing how the internet has revolved the act of buying and selling. I cannot forget how I purchase my own stuff backed from an online platform OLX.COM. I could not remember well whether I placed an order to sell my TV set few months ago until I received a call from the company to shift it to the provided address. I remember it was on Sunday, as usually I get busy on my computer to play games as we buy time for boring Sundays to end quickly. I saw a notification reading buy at a discounted price and win OXL platinum. It was amazing price and well packaged TV set almost similar to what I wanted to buy after selling my original TV set. I got excited and placed an order to purchase the TV set as indicate “buy now when the offer is still, valid and win the card” It was amazing advertisement appearing over and over again. I therefore, made a decision to purchase the TV set and win a platinum card and also to get a discounted TV set.
I made a choice an placed an order, keying my personal details, physical address for delivery and payment details from my debit card. The key details went successfully without noticing anything unique. I was so excited for having order a TV set at a discounted rate and winning platinum card as well. Platinum card comes with a lot of advantages if you are the kind of person with the love for online shopping. A few minutes after completing payment process, I receive a text message of congratulations from OLX, for winning a prestigious platinum card with 100 USD dollars inside. You can guess the kind of questions which was lingering in my head I wait for a delivery guy after 24 hours to knock my door. However, Instead of a knock to deliver the item, I received a phone call instructing me to send the TV set or item to the buyer. Still I could not recognize that I have purchased my own TV set which in my living room.
It was double win when I received a call to send the package to the buyer and send tracking number so the company can transfer the payment to account. I go so happy and started counting myself to be the luckiest online user. First, I could not imagine winning platinum card and purchasing a TV set at a discounted price and third celebrating the final sale of TV set played a selling notice months back,. I was in a celebratory mood which everyone could notice something if favoring my living methods. However, 30 minutes after sending the package I received a message with tracking number of the item I have sent to the buyer. First, I thought why a company would send me a TV set and tracking code. It was shocking news when I got the first briefing from the delivery company where the IT reached.
Strangely, I started to receive double messages one from the company notifying me where the product has reached and it will be on my door steps shortly. And another congratulation message for using OLX to sell a product online, I was receiving constant update until I received two messages indicating that the Item was at my doo and another one showing the items has reached the buyer. I picked the ITEM and I released that I my purchased my own TV set online without knowing. As usual, you can return the product with 24 hours and received your full payment back. The fact that I purchased my item from online platform because of being influence or entice by offers and the way a product was package could not make any sense to me. So the question I asked myself you I send the item to the seller or just keep the item and consider myself to be lucky to win card for buying his own item. It was quiet embarrassing and being naïve. I took the item and packed it and send it back to the seller.
I sent it back so that I can be able to receive my funds back as well and keep my platinum card as well. However, immediately I signed that return package and left the post office where I went ship it back. I received notification that my item has been successfully and the money has sent to my account. It was funny and amazing receiv8ing payment for the item you have sent back to the seller. It is obvious when items are returned to the seller the seller had to refund the money to the buyer. Remember I had just received payment notification on my phone before receiving another notifying me that the item has been rejected by the possible buyer due different item deliver.
In the same message I was told to transfer fund t9o the company OLX immediately to avoid changes. I immediately transferred the fund back with a lot of anger. I completed the transaction and waited to receive my money back and my item as well. It was a complete let down and it shows the manner which consumerism influenced people’s choice on the kind of items we purchased. It was more painful that I had to wait for few days to receive the funds back and also to receive my TV set back from the buyer. However, during the period I came to two facts, I stay home for 24 hours without my TV set and also I had to wait for 48 hours to receive my payment back.
It was a clear indication on the way decision to purchase items are being influenced by consumerism to an extent that buyers do not have control over what they buy online or from a physical store. This is a fact shared by many people. However, from this experience my friends gave me a nickname “Mrbuyitall”. Though I did not lose the platinum card since when a client return a product safety without any damage and the mistake was for the seller the buyer keeps the card and it was the reason I went through a torturing event to sent my TV set back to me so that I can earn points and keep the platinum card as well. It was a lesson I learnt through hardship and taught me to be careful online and especially with items being advertised online on any platform. It is possible someone can buy himself without noticing. It is more like a story of man who attended an online burial of his father without knowing, after his friends announced the death of his father online and invited their friends online for the burial. He attended the burial but never knew that it was the burial of his father after prayers and everyone was now leaving.
The confusion shows the manner which consumerism make people purchase things they do not need and some people even purchase even things they have never been interested to buy but because of an offer decisions are made fast and an order is placed. Since nobody could believe my story, I decided to keep the tale of life for myself for my future audience and it is fact what consumerism did to me. It is obvious that nowadays we are influence by advertisement and promotions more than taste or experience to make a choice to purchase an item and this happens every day. It defines an extent which consumerism after the market and most people who purchase things from an online platform usually fall a victim. It is also obvious that it has increased the rate at which people does impulse buying. First, I had no plan to purchase similar TV set but I made that decision based on the advertisement I saw and the fact that I was going to get platinum card made me to put an order not knowing that I was purchasing similar TV I placed on advertisement few weeks ago.
In conclusion, consumerism is here with us to stay and it affects the way purchase sell and also determine the prices of things we purchase and how we sell our items both online platform and even through physical stores. It is because most of the items we purchased are advised online and through TV, Radio and other outlets and therefore, it is good to be careful for you not to fall a victim of purchasing your own kidney thinking you are selling to someone else while you also need one. However, since the day I sold and purchased my own TV set I have been very careful with every advertisement and very suspicious as well. I would never want to be with a TV set for 72 hours and let my money stuck for 48 hours due to my ignorance and failure to read advertisement well because if I would have read the advertisement well I would have seen my physical address as the address for the owner for the TV set who is selling the TV set and I would have not bought my own TV set from Myself.
