The postie came today.  It’s a rare thing as we don’t get mail delivered to our house out here in the sticks.  Even though the postman delivers 1km down the road and he’ll venture to see us when there is a parcel to deliver.  Strange, but true!

This parcel was particularly amazing it had winged it’s way all the way from the UK after an order was processed here on Monday evening.  That means some efficient company processed the order and managed to get it to us 12,000 miles away in only 5 days.  Now that takes some organisation.

I know, we can’t help ourselves.  There are just some things about living in New Zealand that you never get used to.  We’ve tried but haven’t managed to overcome the frustration in doing so.  We do I’m afraid resort to global e-commerce to fill out wardrobe sometimes. Oh and our bookcases, DVD library and other miscellaneous items that you either can’t get here or are so over priced compared to the rest of the world.

It’s not that you can’t get clothes here, of course you can, but the quality and price just don’t add up quite right.  They don’t represent good value for money.  Now if you were looking for quality and value where would the Brit’s go for their staple wardrobe items?

Yup, you guessed it.  Marks and Spencer.  Can you believe they are finally shipping to New Zealand.  The postage is a little eye watering but in overall terms it still better value and quality to buy on-line and ship over than it is to buy and equivalent kiwi version that just won’t wear and wash as well.  And now I know where the postage is invested – to deliver goods in only 5 days.

When you make a purchase like this you do have to think through the implications.  After all the goods themselves would have been sourced and manufactured somewhere other than Britain.  Transported there only to be re-transported across the globe.  I’m sure that the retail miles are high and that will have a resulting impact on our planet.  Perhaps we should just be accepting the local alternatives but even then it will have come from outside of New Zealand.

Deep in the kiwi psyche is the ‘make do and mend’ mentality which means that the quality/value equation is not that relevant.  For a kiwi it’s all about low cost with little emphasise on quality.  After all you can just chuck it away and get some more.  I haven’t squared the circle on this yet but I do know that for the moment the items in the M&S parcel will last a heck of a lot longer than a locally bought equivalent and on that basis it tips the balance for sustainability.

There is the added advantage of buying M&S to New Zealand too is that the chances of you spotting someone else wearing the same thing is less than if you were in the UK.  Bingo!