When Shopping Becomes the New LinkedIn

Hi Everyone,

Today’s post is simply a fun story about what actually happened to me during my last trip to New Zealand. I often joke with my friends about shopping being one of the best health therapies but in actual fact it is also a great networking opportunity. Not to forget it being a great form of exercise.

There you go three fabulous reasons to actually go into a shop rather than only shopping online:

1. Exercise – walking from store to store for a full day has to be one of the best forms of exercise I can think of – smile!
2. Therapy – shopping and buying yourself a treat is a great way of boosting happiness and lifting spirits. Warning of course this should only be done within reason (and budget). Just walking through the shops can be therapeutic for me – not always necessary to buy. Seeing all the new items on display distract the mind.
3. Networking – shopping is truly a great place to meet people. When I was in my 20’s it was my Saturday shopping routine that would then determine where I would be going out in the evening – today this has been replaced by WhatsApp.

Enough of an prelude keep on reading for the full story about “When Shopping Becomes the New LinkedIn”.

When Shopping Becomes the New LinkedIn

The story is all about this dress…

It’s from a favourite Australian designer Aje. We saw it at the beginning of our day in town. I fell in love with it but wasn’t sure whether to get it or not as I really do have enough dresses – am sure you are all going to agree with me there.

Yet it is a little special and unusual. As the day went on my thoughts were telling me this dress is something very different from what I already have. Going on to thinking that I certainly have enough places I could wear it. Finally deciding that as the dress was from my favourite Australian designer who I could not buy in a store in Switzerland, I should really get it.

The storekeeper had asked if she should put it aside and I had said no. I was going to let karma decide whether it would still be there later or not. Also secretly thinking as it was Winter in New Zealand no one will want to be buying a Summer dress anyway…

Having decided I would get the dress we went back to the store at the end of our shopping day. As we walked through the door the dress was staring at me but I did notice it was in a different spot from before.

I went to take it and pay. There was a different storekeeper who then said I couldn’t have it as another customer was trying it on. I could wait and see if the other woman wanted it.

Not what I was going to do so we walked out and visited a friend in another store. Our friend suggested we ask if there was another such dress out the back. Seems logical enough – in all honesty though I did think the storekeeper would have said but she was possibly new.

Going back to the store half an hour later we bumped into the customer in person. I asked if she was going to buy the dress and she said yes. My heart skipped a beat but I did tell myself to get a grip as I certainly have enough clothes!!!

Upon asking if there was another dress the storekeeper then checked other stores in the Auckland region. Voila! Another dress was found in a location about a 20 minute drive away. It was late in the day so this wasn’t an option for me. Also I said I would be flying back to Switzerland the next day.

At that point the other customer said she worked for a Swiss company. It turned out to be the same company my husband works for. She even knew who  my husband is…

As she was staying in Auckland longer she said I could have that dress and she would collect the other one the next day!

All this got me to thinking that shopping was going to be my new LinkedIn – smile!

It certainly would not have been the end of the world if I didn’t get the dress. However now I have a cute story to think about each time I wear it.

Dress – Aje, currently on Sale and available online here.(international shipping)

Favourite Bags: Natural Nuance bags are crafted to the highest standards using consciously sourced materials. Circular design principles are applied to ensure longevity and re-use.

Find out more here.

FunkyForty

Hi! I’m Yvonne, a 40 something (wink) Kiwi, living in Zurich. I love fashion, travel, shopping and food – believing chocolate will cure almost anything!