Sometimes 'Shop' Means More Than Just 'Buy'

When I was younger (not that I'm old now!), I would take the time to comparison shop. That, as opposed to seeing something I like, and buying it without further financial thought. However, let me tell you why I don't do this hardly at all anymore: I know a deal when I see it.


That's a bold statement and a bit boisterous. But, because of my job, I'm in stores almost every day. I have a fairly good idea, in a ballpark sort of way, what the prices are of many items. So, I don't have to waste time and gas (both, which are really expensive) hunting for the best deal. Plus, there is the Internet and smartphone apps to give me all these comparisons, right at my fingertips.


But, I want to share with you something I found. And, I should have taken a photo of my smug mug too. 


There was no way in HELL I was walking out of the store without this...

 

I fancied this right away at Forever 21. At $7.89, I didn't even ask myself if it was something I REALLY needed. No point in asking myself stupid questions.


If you think I treat my makeup like works of art, you win! Yes, I do. I can sit with a new palette of shadows or a brand, new tube of lipstick and just gaze at it. Sigh...the simple pleasures.


It wasn't too many days later, I was at a different mall. I had finished up my work for that day and I loafed shopped looked browsed around. Totally unexpected, I found this at Urban Outfitters...

 

Same thing!!! However, the Urban Outfitter (UO) palette is 34%, or 1/3, more than the one I got at Forever 21. 


There are some surprising ways to think about this. The first one that comes to mind is that Urban Outfitters makes more money on their palette. However, that assumes that UO got theirs for the same price as Forever 21. Depending on either companies' purchasing power, UO may have had to pay more for theirs to begin with. 


Another assumption is that Urban Outfitters needs more per sale because they have more overhead. While this may be true, I don't know for sure. It could be that Forever 21 doesn't want to make as much profit on their merchandise. Nah. That isn't going to happen.


However, there is a twist to this pricing game: Regardless of which business made more money, did I save any money? I actually didn't. Not only am I out $7.89 plus tax, these shadows are just not working for me.


Unless I find a shadow primer that works so these shadows do not crease as wickedly as they have been, I wasted my money.


But then, I could always frame it and mount it on the wall...by the vanity.