I don't know, maybe because I'm just scared to order something online or I just prefer to go to a physical store and get my stuff without having to complain about it or just to save me the stress from lodging complaint and waiting for a rectification.

But do you know it's possible you get something at a physical store and still get scammed? Or end up being sold a fake product? No place is actually safe if you'd think of playing it safe. One way or the other, we've all fallen victim to scammers and getting what we ordered versus what actually came. I have had hilarious laughs in the past with numerous "what I ordered vs what I got" scenarios, and perhaps this added to my anxiety and made me decide never to order something online just to avoid stories that touch.

There was a time a student when I was in school complained to my friend how she had to change it for them online when she ordered something on Jumia and when the item arrived, she felt sad because it wasn't something she thought she saw. It was a bag! She'd been deceived to think it was a big bag just from a picture, and it looked very beautiful. But when she got it, it was very small.

I actually had the same experience last year, but it wasn't something I ordered through any of these platforms. I got it from a colleague I met during my service year, and she was into selling online. She'd posted this beautiful bag, the picture made it look big, and I thought it was cool because I don't actually like small bags. Like, how do I buy a small bag at an expensive price and it wouldn't even contain my phone, charger, or even Bible when going to church? And all that would go in is my key? I don't get it.

So, I ordered the bag and paid my money. It was my first time patronising her. But when I got my bag, I couldn't stop feeling sad, but I didn't want her to know because she saw it as an honour for me to buy from her for the first time. Well, I'm still using the bag but not to my satisfaction, because how would I pay 8k for that small bag? Eww.

Alright, fast forward to the present.

I actually faced my fear, and I think it was kind of cool. I ordered some items from Jumia last month. They were a blood pressure monitor, blood sugar level monitor, and a rechargeable BT intelligent weight scale. These were items I needed for my body checkup since going to the hospital every time wouldn't be possible and also to save cost.

When I ordered them and saw the amount, I became scared again. Like, how do I do this for the first time? What if they carry my money away? My over one hundred thousand naira. But with a strong mind, I pushed forward. My mind was made up, and if my money was gone, all well and good. There's nothing I would do. But within me, as I was filling in the details, my heart was beating. I made sure every detail was filled in correctly to avoid any mistakes. I even had to call a friend to confirm how to go about it.

And so, my first order on Jumia happened, and I was told the items would be delivered and ready for pick up within the 9th and 14th of April. Last weekend, I got different messages saying my three items were ready for pick up at the University of Ibadan Bookshop. Guess what? There were two options for payment: pay online or pay on delivery, but I chose to pay on delivery, which means it's until I get to see my items that I would pay. Actually, I was just trying to be safe. But wait, why the heart racing when my money was still with me? Lol.

But this post is all about my first order online. I could have ticked the option to be delivered at my doorstep, but no, I needed to go out more. I wanted to know new places, and so, I got to know the location where my goods were.

And the fear of ordering for any item has disappeared. I realized it isn't so hard, but I took the step. I made my first order, and I felt good about it. Right now, I have added some items I found nice to my cart, and when I'm ready, I will order for them.

_{All images are mine}