Flipkart vouchers

What does one do with unexpected vouchers? That was the question put in front of me when I received a mail from Indiblogger. I had won a voucher worth Rs. 1,000 as a runner-up in Smelly to Smiley contest.

Of course the entry for this contest was written long before I decided to not write for any more contests. Prompts are welcome still, but contests are out of my blog space. We will get more on this sometime later.

Anyway, I received this voucher in my inbox and as happy that I was, I was also left in a state of confusion.

Let me put it forthright. I am not an online shopping person. It may sound ancient but that’s how it is. I need to see, feel, try the product before I buy. I need a hundred percent guarantee. I had once bought a pair of shoes over internet, and the number of times I had to go back and forth trying to get a right fit, put my excitement to rest.

Another reason I never shop online is because the unfinished purchases then haunt me wherever I go. I book travel tickets online and I am currently super irritated by seeing Cleartrip in every ad space on every website.

The only exception I have made in past is when it comes to buying a book. When I really need some book which I don’t get at Full Circle (some of you know what full circle is, for others I plan to review it soon), I order it online. But I haven’t come to terms with the idea so far. The whole experiences of being able to pick the book, read the synopsis, flip pages and read paragraph or two, smell the binding glue and scent of the store that has settled within the pages is missed out when I order online.

Hence, after a bit of turmoil, it was decided that books it will be. Here is what I ordered.

-         Sita – Devdutt Pattanaik

-         Dream new Dreams – Jay Paush

-         Countdown – Amitav Ghosh

-         In an antique land – Amitav Ghosh

I received three of them yesterday.

Although, I missed out on the experience, but my wish list was delivered right here on my desk and that elated me no less.

I have another voucher, waiting to be spent and I could use some suggestions. What are your favorite picks for online shopping?

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