Let’s just test out a scenario real quick and tell me if it makes sense to you.  Here goes:

You wake up in the morning yawning, stretching, and scratching your hiney.  You plop yourself down at the computer, check your Facebook, and decide to do some online shopping.  You brush your toofers, throw on some clothes, and head out the door to pick up the very thing you just ordered online.

What?!  If you’re wondering if you heard right or if I wrote that out correctly, I did.

Walmart has launched “Pick Up Today” which is different from their “Site to Store” program, where you can order an item and not pay any shipping by having it shipped to your nearest Walmart and then just picking it up from that location.  The new service offers same day pick up of online purchases for free – in an attempt, no doubt, to compete with those like Amazon and Zappos. 

Okay, maybe I’m a little slow, but could someone please point out the benefit here.  I mean, I’m coming to the store anyway, right?  And ‘free pick up’ might sound like a perk, but were there discrepancies on whether they should charge me to pick up my own stuff?  I seriously hope not. 

I am sure that there is someone who appreciates this service.  But honestly, I find it a bit disturbing.  Let me explain:

A recent study shows 63.1% of Americans are overweight.  So the best solution we’ve come up with is letting them do the shopping at home so they don’t have to actually walk around the store.  And let’s face it, this is probably the most exercise some people get.  Sure, there are some limitations as to what you can and can’t purchase online.  Some companies are even offering curbside pick up.  Just pull up, send ’em a text, and you don’t have to even get out of the car.  Seriously?

Does anyone else fear that there may come a day where we don’t shop at all?  (Ladies, come on!) We’ll just pull up to the drive thru window at Wallyworld, order an iPod, a couple of DVD’s, and a ham sandwich. 

I get the idea of simplicity.  But does everything have to be so easy?!  I’m sure your parents, like mine, have said to you ‘I hope things are easier for you than they were when I was your age.’ (This is usually accompanied by a story where they had to walk to school in the snow, uphill both ways.)  But I seriously doubt that they meant that we should have to put forth as little effort as possible.

Brought to you by Mills Properties.

Photos courtesy of Google images.