Due to our life in a hyper-connected world, it is very easy to get lost in the flow of shopping opportunities that the Internet offers. We can spend hours looking at thousands of items and deals if we are not careful and lose valuable time and opportunities to get things done, especially at work or school.
You may start by scrolling through an online store to look for a product, but end up wasting most of the day idly browsing through items. It is easy to fall into the trap of impulsively buying products that may not have been part of your original plan. A result of such online activities is that not only work efficiency is impacted but so is financial stability. Nowadays when access to these portals is only a click away, it is imperative to have efficient measures to curb this behavior. Such a practice will surely help lead a balanced lifestyle as well as a stable workflow.
List of shopping & ecommerce websites to block
People are often drawn to shopping by the frequent advertisements and “limited-time offers”. It’s very hard to resist visiting the sites, but sticking to a budget is always important. However, we can save money and improve our concentration by blocking certain websites, including:
Amazon (amazon.com)
Amazon owns a huge chunk of the online shopping market, and its net sales have climbed 12% to $574.8 billion in 2023. Through its vast selection of items, from books to electronics, you can easily be sucked into a time-wasting vortex.
eBay (ebay.com)
Renowned for its auctions and fixed-price sales, it’s a bazaar of second-hand goods and knick-knacks. Collectors delight in competing in a bidding war, while the procrastinator in you steals hours away from your book.
Walmart (walmart.com)
This giant store tempts shopaholics with its almost unlimited product range. Flash sales are commonplace and there are frequent discounts. You can easily end up spending both time and money
Etsy (etsy.com)
It’s easy to lose hours browsing on Etsy, which, as a marketplace of one-of-a-kind items and vintage wares, tends to draw the impulse-buy. That’s the point, after all.
Target (target.com)
Everything from same-day delivery to drive-up makes it hard to resist the lure of shopping online at Target – which offers so many different goods, ranging from groceries to electronics to home goods, that you can browse for hours.
Best Buy (bestbuy.com)
Customers can wile away the hours at Best Buy, looking at an expansive inventory of electronics and tech gadgets. The range of items can be mesmerizing, from the newest gadgets to limited-time deals.
Home Depot (homedepot.com)
DIY fans might find this site especially addictive. When faced with such a huge range of tools and materials, it’s easy to spend more time planning than doing.
Costco (costco.com)
Marketing at bulk-goods retailer Costco is designed to prey on our habit of going down the rabbit hole of lost time and money. How else to explain the lure of bulk purchases or the added incentive of the ‘exclusive member discount’?
Kroger (kroger.com)
Despite being a grocery store chain, Kroger’s website includes a variety of household products that one can order and forget. The convenience of ordering online can turn a short shopping trip into an extended one.
Carvana (carvana.com)
The site focuses on cars for sale. You can spend a lot of time looking at all the available makes and models and taking virtual tours of those that interest you.
Benefits of blocking shopping sites
Blocking online shopping sites comes with several advantages for individuals who wish to avoid digital distractions and impulsive spending:
Improved focus
Block distracting sites and you will sharpen your focus. Not being tempted to look at online shops will make it easier to keep your attention on your work, as you won’t be easily distracted by the lure of the shop window. You will be able to switch your attention back to your actual work tasks at hand, and it will improve as a result of better focus.
Time management
When you have a list of shopping websites to block on work, school, or even at home, you can better plan your time. It allows you to effectively throw away useless minutes and seconds which can now be redirected towards more productive activities, or perhaps to your beloved hobbies. Your day will be more efficient, organized and above all, less stressful.
Financial control
Once online, the sense of immediacy can lead to excessive shopping, which drains your bank account. If you have a problem with excessive shopping and have trouble resisting impulses, blocking those online stores can help you save money, and as a result, the whole process of purchasing something you really need becomes more deliberate. It allows you to avoid the stress related to mismanagement of your financial spending, as a reduced urge to buy anything means healthier financial habits.
Reduced clutter
When you do less shopping online, less clutter finds its way into your home. This would definitely simplify your living conditions, not only physically, but also mentally, as you will have less space to occupy, less time to spend on maintaining your home, and hence, feel calmer as well. You’ll find it much easier to look after your home and maintain a clean, tidy living space.
How to use the list to block shopping websites
Once you realize the advantages of blocking shopping sites, this is how you can do it using BlockSite:
1. Download BlockSite
The first step is to download the BlockSite app or browser extension, which then gives you a simple way to manage your block lists. It’s important to do this initial setup when you start your distraction-blocking journey.
2. Create your block list
Now, open the BlockSite app or browser extension. Go to the settings, and from there, add all the shopping sites below to a block list of your own (note that you can create several block lists). Now you have the foundational blocks for your (still empty) shopping block website lists. Make sure to add all sites that are most distracting to you.
3. Set up a schedule
You can schedule times when you want them blocked and this can be an effective way of ensuring that you adhere to your working hours or study periods. Modify the schedule to suit your daily routine and get the most from it. Schedule times during your most productive hours if you want to feel the impact.
4. Your block list is activated
After you set up your list and schedule, the shopping website block list will be activated. BlockSite will prevent access to those sites using the rules you’ve set, making sure you have your distractions under control. This last step guards against unwanted addictive behaviors all day long.
Control your online shopping habits
BlockSite blocks shopping sites so you won’t waste time and spend money while browsing the web. Control your digital behavior and achieve more. Try the BlockSite productivity tool now to start saving more time and money as you work your way toward a more effective and distract-free life.
FAQs
How can I block shopping websites on my smartphone?
If you have a smartphone, you can download the BlockSite app from the App Store or Google Play Store, and follow the instructions to create and activate your lists of shopping websites to block so there are no retreats from productivity. Stay focused on the go with a block on shopping websites.
Can I temporarily unblock a website?
Yes, you can give yourself access to a blocked site when you want. That’s the nature of the system: you can set it up so that during working hours your access list is the lowest access priority. Of course, you can also set scheduled reopening times, or you can manually put the site in proper working order before trying to access it. It would be a real pain to put a stop to some necessary purchases, so you don’t want to restrict yourself unnecessarily.
What other types of websites should I consider blocking?
In addition to shopping sites, you might even want to block social networking sites, news sites, or anything else that you find distracting. The content of your block list is entirely up to you. Ideally, you can adjust it to fit your needs perfectly. Customization allows for the most effective management of your information habit.
Can I unblock websites if I need to make a purchase?
Yes, almost all website blocking tools offer ways to unblock, modify, or pause blocks. You can temporarily override a block by shopping on a website that you’ve blocked. As long as the tool requires you to specifically unblock a site while you shop, you’re all right. You can disable the block only for a particular site while keeping everything else blocked. The best tools allow you to white list particular sites or to schedule a time-limited access period.
Can I block shopping websites on multiple devices?
Yes, many of these tools are multi-device, so your blocked shopping sites won’t be accessible if you try to access them with your phone, your tablet or your computer. BlockSite gives you the option to sync all your blocked sites across all your devices, helping you stay focused and avoid falling down the rabbit hole.
