Of Web Shops And Clicking

The Internet is a great place to find some new clothes from a web shop. With the click of a button, you are transported into an online store where you can scroll through pages and pages of clothing, all without leaving your couch. Online shopping can be extremely convenient for people who either don’t have access to shopping malls or just want the ease of browsing without having to interact with another living soul in person. The downside is that while you may get pictures and descriptions of the items available on the site, there’s still something missing—the feel and touch of fabric and weightiness of jewelry when they're in your hand.

I was recently in an elevator with a woman who tells me she really wanted to get a new handbag. She went online and through her search she ended up at a website that specializes in fashion. She picked out an item that she liked, took a picture of it, and then proceeded to try on the item. She got excited about the way it looked because of all the pictures on the web page… however, when she tried it on in person, what she felt wasn't what she expected. It felt different and much lighter than she had pictured it looking in her mind, especially since the price tag was on it. She was disappointed. She read the description again, and once more she came to the conclusion that she would probably never buy it. In fact, she was kind of mad at herself for even considering it.

The weightiness of objects is a big thing; in this case, there was the shock and disappointment of something that wasn't what you thought or expected. That disappointment comes from your mind jumping to conclusions because you've seen so many pictures where people are holding these items and they seem bigger… or maybe they seem heavier…. Or maybe they even look better than they actually are in real life?

As humans we think too much about the things around us; our job is to simply react to their presence. The first instinct is to reach out, now, and touch it. We don't stop to think that the item may be lighter than it looks or heavier than it looks. Why should we?

When I was a kid, I LOVED toy cars. They were usually made of a light weight plastic material that you never really thought about how heavy they were (maybe). Some cars looked like they had a lot of heft to them; for example, those big boxy delivery trucks with real metal in them. The thing with those trucks, though, is that they weren’t really heavy; it's just that there was a lot of metal for the plastic around it to mold into a more realistic looking shape.

Most people don't take notice to the weight of objects because it's something that we decide isn't important. No one ever thinks about which fork is lighter or which fork is heavier because there are so many other things in our mind (like “What should I make for dinner?”). But you know what? There IS a difference between forks!

To test this out, pick up three different forks and hold them in one hand. Now, switch hands and repeat the process in your other hand.

Conclusion? If you were to guess which fork is lighter or heavier than the other two, which one would you choose?

The fork in your right hand will always be the heaviest. The reason for this is that we tend to hold objects with our dominant hand. So, when you are using your dominant hand to pick up a fork and bring it to your mouth, chances are that you’re not thinking about how heavy or light the utensil is. You are focused on whatever it is that’s going into your mouth!

There was an experiment done where researchers had participants come into a lab and sit down at a table.