As COVID-19 keeps me locked in my house, I have been spending more and more time on the Internet, always on the lookout for new forms of entertainment. That is how I became a victim of  impulse shopping. 

Normally, I go on different clothing websites such as the sneaker resale website StockX and the clothing store Zumiez to browse through whatever they are selling. Most of the time, their clothes don’t interest me because they’re either too expensive or not my style. 

However, before quarantine started, I had already had my eyes on a pair of white and red Jordan 12s on StockX for a couple months. Since I would not be able to go out and spend any more money on food or gas, I figured that quarantine was the perfect opportunity to purchase them. 

Looking back, I wish I had done more research prior to buying these shoes. The shoes initially retailed back in August for $190. As is typical of the high-end shoe market, however, resale prices for my size ranged anywhere from $190 all the way up to $250. In addition to the cost of the shoe, I would also have to pay a $13.95 shipping fee, which included an authentic verification process and a sales tax. 

When I decided that quarantine was the right time to buy these shoes, I initially placed a bid of $200, hoping that someone would take it. The lowest offer at that time was $246 set by the seller, which was way overpriced for a pair of shoes. Even though my bid was much lower, I figured that the lowest offer would have to come down since about a month earlier, I had seen prices around $220 on the same website. 

As a week passed by, the lowest offer dropped to $235. Although this was better than the previous week, I still didn’t think the shoes were worth it. 

One day, after about a week of waiting for the price to come down, I saw the price drop to $215. Without thinking too much, I pulled the trigger. 

Now, I wish I had thought about this purchase more thoroughly. A couple days after I bought these shoes, I scrolled down, looked at the purchasing history and realized that I had only gotten a mediocre deal. 

While $215 was the average of what people paid for these shoes, I saw that some got their shoes at retail for $190 (not including all the extra fees). I immediately tried to cancel my purchase, but it was too late. I wanted to throw something for hemorrhaging so much extra money.

A week after I bought these expensive shoes, my package arrived. I tried to hide it from my parents, but my mom, with the attentiveness of an FBI agent, searched my package and chastised me for my expensive purchase and bad spending habits. Even though she is right, she needs to learn to respect the drip.

Although I spent a lot of money, I am still satisfied with my purchase. The leather is high-quality, and I noticed a lot more details in person that I couldn’t see in the picture, such as the pattern of flags on the side of the shoe. 

In the end, not only did I get a sick pair of shoes, but I also learned my lesson about having patience and researching more into the cost of different items. Though I promised myself I wouldn’t buy any more shoes this year, the next time I do, I will make sure not to get ripped off again.