In class we talked about shopping online. Everyone in the class had bought things online. I think this is a generational thing. I've bought all sorts of things online, but my dad grumbles every time he or my mom need to use a credit card online. He's always worried someone will steal his identity, even from sites he's used in the past. My mom can barely check her email, so I don't even think that online shopping or security even enter her mind. I'm excited at the range of things I can order, most of which I couldn't get by shopping nearby. I feel like hanging out with my boyfriend, David, has given me even more of an appreciation/love for technology than I had before.

I, unlike my dad, have bought all kinds of crap online. I've bought tech gadgets/accessories, books, food, toys, shoes, etc. I LOVE Zappos and their free overnight shoe shipping. I think it is amazing to see a pair of shoes I like at noon on Monday, and have them in the office when I get there he next morning... Almost like magic. I also love that they offer free returns and re-shipping (overnight) if the shoes don't fit. I've used many online merchants to purchase all sorts of things and never had a problem. I was apprehensive (like my dad) at first, but I got over it real quick when I realized it was better than going out to shop. I can see 100 different types of the item I want, and read what people who have used them say. There are no lines and crowds of people, and the variety and prices are usually better. I did probably 1/2-2/3 of my Christmas shopping online last year, and I plan to do the same this year.

I don't do Ebay (I have bought and sold on craigslist though!) because I don't trust other people and their descriptions of items, etc. I also don't like PayPal- I've heard of lots of people having problems with them, losing money, and not being able to contact customer service. I am aware of the small, shady internet merchants, and I usually read reviews of a merchant before I buy from them. Also, I normally stick to merchants I have had good luck with in the past. I've never bought anything I'd want to try first (like a car) online, and I won't buy clothes or shoes unless they have free returns. I don't order groceries online (Safeway does free deliveries) because I don't really do grocery lists- I just shop.

Maybe people my age just use the internet differently? Anytime David and I have a question, we look it up real quick. We google the names of restaurants to get reviews before we go. We read blogs instead of magazines. We research the pros, cons, and prices of products we plan to buy (even if we're not going to order them online). We read reviews of books, movies, recipes, and tv shows online. My boss (who is 26 I think) and her dad (the owner of the business I work for) don't even consider using the internet in these ways. They're always surprised that I use the internet to pick out things for the office, and shocked when I "fix" the computers in the office by looking for people with the same problems online. Since I use technology so much differently than people who are ten or fifteen years older than me, it makes me wonder how my (future) children will use it, and whether or not I will be able to keep up.