I have to admit that I am obsessed with online shopping, I might in fact appear to have a gigantic slight problem if one were to go and nitpick at my bank statements.

There is a certain excitement that only online shopping can provide – let me lead you through the process, backwards…

There you are, you gorgeous thing you, sitting at your desk, bored and agitated and continuously glancing at the big office clock with its roman numerals. The office doorbell buzzes and you are first off your seat, the sound of your heels running down the passage way to greet whoever or whatever waits at the door.

It’s FedEx, and you are smiling and swooning (your colleagues think you are one sandwich short of a picnic and the delivery guy thinks it’s his lucky day) you sign the delivery note, your signature barely resembling its true self and you greedily grab the box and make a bee line towards the kitchen to find something sharp.

With the agility of a surgeon and the speed of Kimi Raikonen, you deftly cut away all the tape that is securing the contents of the box and just before you open the box you draw a big breath and hold it while you undo the folds.

There it is, you have been waiting for two whole days, which felt like weeks and finally your gorgeous dress/shoes/bag/beautybox/iPad/book is here, sigh.

What happened before this moment may seem insignificant in light of the actually delivery, but as we all know (from Rocky Horror Picture show) it’s all about the an..tici…..Pation!

From the moment you start scouring your website of choice, you are searching for that one item, that one gift from you – to you! And even though you are the one choosing it, there is still a strange element of surprise: will it fit properly, will the size be right, and will the colour suit me? It’s all a bit of a gamble, but that is what makes it so much fun!

South African’s have been twice shy about shopping online, and who can blame us with all the banking fraud and other online money scams doing their rounds – But it’s time to put your fears aside, because there are excellent measures and payment options in place that will make online shopping safer than going to a store, and most shops have a free return policy, so there is nothing to fear but fear itself.

So I promised you 10 reasons to shop on line – here they are:

1. 36 boutiques

For rings and bags and gorgeous fashion, 36 is amazing, they deliver on average within 48 hours and the package that arrives is just a treat in itself, its smells beautiful and comes with a stunning carry bag.

2. Pretty Please

Pretty Please has gorgeous skirts, tops and dresses. Their packages arrive in a beautiful black box along with a very special hanger for the item you bought.

3. Shop Label

Shop Label is delish, however a bit on the expensive side. Great for jackets and scarves and gorgeous jeans.

4. GlossyBox

GlossyBox is the premier South African beauty box, you subscribe and presto – every month you receive a gorgeous box of beauty treats to try out at home.

5. I candy

I Candy is a candy bowl of fun costume jewellery, the pieces make perfect gifts.

6. Zando

Zando is like an online fashion department store, they have everything from heels to jeans.

7. Woolworths

The comfort food of online shopping, you know it, you trust it, you buy it. You can even get your hands on some County Road online – and they currently have a sale on benefit items (Since Benefit is closing in South Africa)