When I am looking to purchase something one of the first questions I ask myself is, “Could I take this with me on a trip”? I have found it’s a great way to help edit what I buy. If I can’t use it when traveling it’s a quick sign that I probably don’t need or will use the product. Mr. Wong seems to be in agreement, however I think we may be coming from different ends of the thought.

traveling teaches one to be more concise in what they wear & to minimise the fluff that we see in media

I’ve had the idea of opening an online shop for some of my various thrift store finds. I’ve thought it could a be a way to supplement the shopping I do there for myself. It seems to be working out well for one guy, but I’m not sure of it as a sustainable model for an actual retail store.

I don’t think it will work for two reasons: (i) supply is limited and varying, and (ii) acting as a “middle man” just doesn’t isn’t the best way to make margins.

I agree with The Trad that I prefer my possessions to have a story.

Imagine you’re walking in London. And it starts to pour. You run into a shop just to escape the rain and as you brush off your coat you see a Swaine Adeney Brigg umbrella. It’s 200 pounds and the exchange is nearly 2 to 1 but you gotta have it. Hell, it’s raining.

So you buy it and crank it open as you step onto King Street and head for the Red Lion Pub to meet an auctioneer about a Monet panel that you buy for 20,000 pounds and sell for $200,000 in the states.

For 20 years you manage not to lose that umbrella. You loan it to no one. You run back to several restaurants knowing you left it by your table and you know it’s gone for sure. But it’s always there. One night a waiter chases you down the street and taps you on the shoulder, “Sir, you forgot this…”

It’s a story. And you tell it over drinks where your friends shake their heads in disbelief — but it’s all true. Every word of it. Almost. Or, you can tell people you bought your umbrella at J Crew.

Shop around and at different places. Makes life more interesting and adds to your personal style.

This list about Shopping Effectively is a great list to browse through. Lessons include: knowing what you need, accepting you might not get it now and that used is your friend. All great advice and a post which I need to keep close by as I’m obsessing about my pants or finding the perfect backpack.

Tyler Brule ended this week’s FT column with this line (Quickly. Am I the only one who checks their RSS reader on Friday night’s for his column? Actually, don’t answer that.).

I’ve yet to find an online experience that’s superior to ye olde shoppe in terms of consumer serendipity. You may not be able to judge a book, CD or DVD by its cover but it’s certainly an excellent starting point. For me, it’s much easier to part with cash at Daunt Books in London, Tsutaya at Roppongi Hills in Tokyo and La Hune in Paris than it is at Amazon and its competitors.

This is a great point when it comes to online versus offline shopping (although I think there is a distinction that needs to be added between ‘buying’ and ‘shopping’.). I agree that it’s easier to spend money (buying) offline at physical stores. Seeing the quality, the fit, the style and details makes buying something much easier. However, when it comes to scanning a store or finding a product you’re interested in (shopping) I think the web is far superior. I can scan a number of stores for the best price, similar product, different brands, and other options.

I think this all ties to a theme I have around these parts where I believe that, while completely awesome, the internet should be used in conjunction and along side a “physical component”.

The internet is another channel for companies to use. In some cases it is the only channel, in others it’s one of many.