Hold Up with Dulcé Sloan & Josh Johnson from The Daily Show · Comedy Central

Online vs. In-Store Shopping

January 26, 2023·45 min·4 clips

Dulcé Sloan ordered 11 bathing suits online and now has to return them all before the deadline.

This episode of Hold Up features Daily Show writer Josh Johnson and correspondent Dulcé Sloan debating the merits of online versus in-store shopping. The hosts, known for their comedic chemistry, explore this everyday topic with personal anecdotes and cultural observations. They credit the episode topic to an Instagram user with the handle AbChesser92. Dulcé Sloan firmly advocates for in-store shopping, expressing discomfort with websites storing her credit card information. Josh Johnson leans toward online shopping for its convenience and features like restock notifications. Sloan recounts ordering 11 bathing suits online for a vacation, all of which now need to be returned. Johnson argues that brick-and-mortar stores rarely call customers when desired items are back in stock, unlike automated online systems. Sloan highlights the problem of stores not having specific items, even after employees falsely confirm availability over the phone. A surprising claim is that early internet dial-up sounds were intentionally designed to make computers seem like they were working hard. Sloan shares a memorable frustration about having to return an Amazon tea kettle that arrived broken, with a short return window. Johnson notes a unique pro for online shopping: no one follows you around the store. The hosts discuss the massive Target data breach, comparing it to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Sloan reveals she never wants another person selecting her produce or meat for grocery delivery again. The conversation shifts to the lack of customer service for giant online retailers, with Johnson pointing out the impossibility of calling Amazon. They humorously envision a future with mobile stores, like bookmobiles, selling essentials in neighborhoods. The tone is highly conversational, humorous, and digressive, weaving personal stories into the broader debate. The style is informal and anecdotal, with the hosts frequently building on each other's experiences. Listeners who enjoy lighthearted, meandering conversations about modern life and consumer habits will love this episode. Fans of The Daily Show's comedic style and personal storytelling will find it particularly engaging. Those seeking a structured, data-driven debate on retail economics might want to skip it.

As heard by us

A shopping debate that turns everyday convenience into a ridiculous trust fall.

The episode turns online shopping and payment habits into a comic argument about trust, convenience, and modern paranoia. Josh Johnson and Dulce Sloan keep the pace brisk with teasing, sidetrack-heavy banter, then widen the joke to credit cards, PayPal, and the Target hack as…

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Why you'd press play

Pick a side before the credit card panic starts.

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