I Want It Now!

One of the things I find so engaging about etsy is that it is such a microcosm. Everything that happens there seems to be an intensified version of something experienced in the real world. So many things that are taken for granted on a larger scale seem like life or death situations in the world according to etsy. My brief vacation allowed me to return to the forums with a fresh set of eyes and I saw a few new correlations to comment on.

My favorite thread was a rant about custom listings or listing that would only be made when ordered. The poster was upset that something she wanted to purchase was made to order and not actually available at the moment of order. Many people chimed in saying that they either did that themselves or that they had seen that practice a lot. This really spoke to the instant gratification of our society to me. I mean, this person was really upset about this. She could not understand why sellers would list something for sale that could not be shipped immediately. I of course have several made to order item listed in my store and I can tell you why I do it. Often it's because I have sold an item and I want to relist it right away and sometimes it's because I don't want to make a difficult piece unless someone buys it first.

I know that most sellers who do this do list all pertinent information in their listings ensuring that their customers know they will be waiting a short time for the item. I've actually not seen one who doesn't. I've also seen sellers that ship once a week or ones who make everything to order and all that is clearly explained in their stores. Etsy, as a handmade environment lends itself to crafts that require extra time to create and we have to adjust our instant Internet expectations accordingly, but what I don't get is why most people accept a long ship time for large companies, but are annoyed waiting a few extra days for a handmade item. It is definitely more important to be good than fast in my opinion and I think that a majority would agree if they really thought about it.

The modern world seems to be eating away at our ability to be patient. I know that I've said this before, but I keep being reminded of it. You don't need to know everything instantly. You probably don't need to get that necklace right now or that amazing scarf or piece of art this minute. Anything that is really worth having is worth waiting for. If you think you can't wait, you probably didn't really want it anyway.

I Demand Instant Gratification

My children are a product of the Internet age. They will grow up never needing to wait 6-8 weeks for delivery. They will not need to take a trip to the library to find a book to read. They will never have to take me at my word when they ask a question, they will just Google the right answer. It is a brave new world in which they live.

While I'm a good old Gen-X'er, I'm what is referred to by marketing folks as an Early Adopter. When I see something new and interesting the single factor keeping me from owning it is money. I will buy most anything I can afford, I will try every new technology offered to me. I may not have been born in the Internet age, but I sure feel at home here.

The byproduct of all this wonderful technology and all these convenient gadgets I own, is a complete lack of patience. I just don't need to be patient very much anymore. All the information I need is a click away and when I order something, I can have it in a couple of days. Thanks to my computer guy husband I have the fastest access we can afford and more computers in my home than any family should really be allowed to have. Like Veruca Salt, I want it now!

So now that I'm sitting comfortably in a womb of instant gratification, I can't help but wonder why it is that everyone else hasn't joined me here. When I send a message to someone online, I really do expect to hear back right away. I keep forgetting that there are really people out there without constant Internet access. There are people who are actually not plugged in every waking moment of their lives.

I mention all of this as a reminder to everyone who needs one. My husband had to remind me yesterday as I agonized over the lack of response to a convo I had just sent. This is not Ghost In The Shell, we are not all connected all the time, even though it may truly feel that way sometimes. Give people a moment to respond, give yourself a moment to relax. You don't really need to know everything right this instant. Try to think back to a simpler time, when you did have patience, when no one expected you to ship something out the second they ordered it. Dwell in that moment, get off the computer, live your life, if just for a couple of hours. All the people in your life that love you will thank you for it!