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オンラインショッピングが止まらない
日本にいるとき、オンラインで物を買うのは自分を元気付けるときくらいだった筆者が、ロンドンに居を移してみたら、オンラインショッピングが非常に魅力的なサービスを展開していることに気が付く。
そしてクリスマス用の買い物をするこの時期、イギリスではオンライン上で大量の注文が発生するのだが…。
There's no stopping online shopping
In the lead up to Christmas, much was made in the news about December's Mondays. Typically on Mondays around this time of year, the U.K.'s online retailers expect a surge of orders from Christmas shoppers. It was calculated that one Monday had an average of pond 22 million being spent by consumers every hour.
pond 22 million every hour. I think I just heard my wallet cry out in pain. I too, feel its pain whenever I make any sort of Internet transaction. The physical act of reaching into my bag, pulling out my bank card and typing in my details inevitably causes a pang of regret. Having made so many Internet transactions this year, you'd think that I'd now be numb to that feeling of loss - instead, I've just ended up memorizing all the necessary numbers on my bank card. Can I be turning into a shopaholic?
I've never considered myself addicted to shopping. In Japan, I allowed myself the occasional "perk me up" online purchase - for those times when a bit of retail therapy was needed. One time, I procured myself a very old, very beautiful typewriter. Another time landed me with the most modern and expensive designer toaster I will ever buy. Both purchases brought me much joy and perfectly browned toast.
This year's online purchases have consisted mainly of clothes. In Japan, where I was often a men's size S, I never would have thought to buy clothing online. But the online retailers here really know how to turn innocent window shoppers like myself into eager buyers. Some offer free delivery, some free return, and the best ones pay for postage both ways - often with additional discounts thrown in. "Oh I'm just looking, thanks" does not quite have the same effect online as it would in-store.
Some people might say nothing beats the personal touch you get from shopping in the real world, with real humans. Clearly, people who say this haven't experienced shopping in my world, where it's rare to find service with the personal touch. Drop the "t" and you'll experience what's more common - service with the "personal ouch." It's "ouch" when you get stepped on and jostled by hordes of weekend shoppers. It's "ouch" when you get ignored by shop assistants. And it's definitely "ouch" when you get rude service.
When I was visiting Wellington and Sydney, rudeness was definitely not on the cards. I had forgotten how genuinely friendly the shop assistants are. When they ask you how your day's going, they really are interested. I've lost track of the number of times I've walked into a store in Wellington and walked out having made both a purchase and a new friend.
But when it comes to shopping anywhere else during the "silly season," as this time of year is often known, I think I'll stick to shopping with the friend who's never left my side all year - the one sitting snug in my wallet.
- There's no 〜
- 〜できない
- In the lead up to 〜
- 〜に至るまでの間に
- this time of year
- この時期
- retailers
- 小売業者
- a surge of 〜
- 山のような〜
- pond 22 million
- 2200万ポンド(約29億円)
- heard 〜 cry out in pain
- 〜が痛みで悲鳴を上げるのを聞いた
- any sort of 〜
- どんな〜でも
- transaction
- 取引
- physical act
- 物理的な行為
- pulling out 〜
- 〜を取り出す
- inevitably
- 必ず
- pang of regret
- 後悔による胸の痛み
- numb to 〜
- 〜にまひした
- (have)ended up 〜
- 結局〜した
- shopaholic
- 買い物依存症
- addicted to 〜
- 〜中毒の
- perk me up
- 景気付けの
- retail therapy
- 買い物療法
- procured myself 〜
- 〜を購入した
- landed me with 〜
- 〜を手に入れた
- browned
- きつね色に焼けた
- innocent
- 純朴な
- pay for postage both ways
- 配達と返送両方の送料を払ってくれる
- with additional discounts thrown in
- さらに値引きをした上で
- nothing beats 〜
- 〜に勝るものはない
- personal touch
- 個人的で親身な対応
- Drop the "t"
- "touch"のtを取りなさい
- ouch
- 痛み
- get stepped on
- 足を踏まれる
- (get)jostled
- 押しのけられる
- hordes of 〜
- 大勢の〜
- not on the cards
- あり得ない
- (have)lost track of 〜
- 〜を覚えていない
- silly season
- 重大ニュースがなく、くだらない記事が新聞紙面に載る季節
- stick to 〜
- 〜し続ける
- (has)never left my side
- 決して自分のそばを離れない
- snug
- 気持ちよく