I Didn't Click "Purchase Now" because.....

Years ago I admit to being timid about purchasing "stuff" on the internet. I was leery of the security of giving out credit card information. For instance, if ordering clothes from LL Bean, one of my favorite stores, I'd look at the items on the internet, make my selection and then mail a check with the order form. It would take a few days more, because they would wait to ship until my check had cleared, but I didn't care. Nowadays, I seldom think twice about internet purchases. We buy lots of things from various internet sites and have almost never encountered any problem. We just continue to be careful about it. But the other day I was in the process of making an internet purchase from a well known online motorcycle clothing and accessory site. I won't name the site but I have a couple of sites that I have used in the past for buying scooter "stuff". It has been cold enough recently that I have experienced a bit of a cold neck while riding. The rest of me has stayed relatively warm, but I was considering buying a new balaclava. I found one that looked nice. It was priced at $18, maybe a little more than I wanted to spend, but then again, it wouldn't break the bank and I don't mind spending the money if the quality is good. There was no doubt that the quality would be good from this site. I really didn't need a new balaclava. I have a perfectly good nylon one from my prior bicycling days. It's not new, but not very used either. It works fine and I don't really need it that often. I use it when it is maybe 25-30 degrees and below. But part of the reason I was looking for a new one is that the old one is kind of ugly. It is a sort of blue/purple color and really not very attractive. The new one has a nice additional feature. The material for the neck area is thicker and almost like fur, while the top portion is thin, much like my old balaclava, so that it can fit nicely while wearing a tight fitting helmet. The new one is made specifically with motorcyclists in mind. The old one can be used by anybody. The new one is not a sickly sort of faded blue/purple color, just basic black. Now part of me says that if it keeps me warm, then what's it matter what the old one looks like. The vain person in me says this is not tolerable. It doesn't match anything else I wear color-wise. And it would be "cool" to say I got a new one from one of my favorite motorcycle web sites. (I am so bad, I keep a copy of that particular catalog in the bathroom so I can peruse and dream over all the "stuff" as I take care of some of my daily duties.) I also found a particular belt I wanted at the same site. I didn't really need it either, I just wanted it. Do you ever fight with yourself about stuff you "want" as opposed to stuff you really "need"? Anyway, I entered the two items, totaling less than $40, into the shopping cart on the web site and clicked the button to see what the shipping cost would be. $9.00 Nine friggin' Dollars !!!! I am sure that the two items could be shipped in a relatively small box. It can't weigh very much. And I wasn't interested in overnight or even two day fares. Just your basic normal shipping. $9.00? Are you really kidding me? The "shipping" was about 25% of the total purchase. I suppose I might have felt better if it had said "Shipping and Handling" rather than just "Shipping". Maybe I subconsciously don't mind paying for a little "handling". But I know for a fact that the shipping would not be more than a few bucks. Hell, you could parcel post it for almost next to nothing and I don't really care how it gets here, just so it does. So I never finished the transaction. Maybe I should have, but at that time, economy won out over vanity, and it sure seemed that the balaclava and belt just got a little more expensive than I felt comfortable with. Damn! Now I have to ride "ugly".