CORRECT FARE FOR THE INTENDED DESTINATION.

Buying stuff online can be a pain the arse at the best of times, but chuck in the added element that what you want to buy is in limited supply, it then turns into panic with only one of two outcomes… “Huzzah” or just “Aaaaah!” The most common occurrence of “Huzzahs” and “Aaaahs” is the gig ticket. There’s always going to be fans that don’t get their tickets for a show, and there’s no cast-iron, guaranteed way of getting them when they go on sale at exactly 9am on Friday morning. However, there are a few ways of upping your chances. Finger exercises...nah, just kidding!

• As Baden-Powell famously said, “Be prepared.” Get the web page loaded like 10 to 15 minutes beforehand.
  

• You don’t use auto-fill because you wouldn’t want Mr Google to have all your personal details? Then you’re already behind in the race. Auto-filled data can change slightly depending on the website you are using, but even if it gets it a bit wrong it’s still quicker than typing everything from scratch.
  

• Google Pay is quicker than Paypal. If you have no option other than to use PayPal, make sure you already have it open on another webpage/tab and that you are logged in.
  

• When accessing your card details, open a word doc/notepad beforehand and type out your card details so you can just copy and paste them when you get to the payment stage.
  

• Want a different delivery address? Don’t bother, just tick ‘same as billing address’. Contact the seller afterwards and they can change the delivery address for you.
  

• Want to go the extra mile to up your online purchasing game? Take a test run by going through a purchase of something else on the site, so you know what info is going to be required, you don’t have to end up buying it. You can take screenshots or make some old-fashioned notes in your jotter pad.
  

• Get your mates and family members to try and purchase too. If you do end up with more than one of whatever it is you desire, why not be nice and sell it on for face value? Unfortunately, as I already said, none of these tips will guarantee the “Huzzah!” Your internet connection may just be slower than the person behind you and that means they can quickly get in front of you, by simply having a better phone or laptop.
  

I stick by my “Buying stuff online is a pain the arse at the best of times” mantra. I’m not a big fan of online shopping but it’s just the way the world of commerce has gone in the last few years. I’d much rather chuck a handful of grubby pound notes into the shopkeeper’s sweaty palm, but then I’d probably have to camp out overnight outside a shop if it’s a strictly ‘Limited Edition’ item I’m wanting... and I’m not doing that!

Poolie, 8:11:21