These days, the lab is pretty quiet. Most of his coworkers prefer to work remotely, which means that Ryan has the run of the place, which is how he likes it. This also means that he’s getting a chance to get a head start on holiday shopping for his family and friends when he’s on his lunch break.
Here’s how Amazon Pay — a speedy payment method that requires no sign-up and no new passwords — can make it easier for Ryan to find the perfect gifts online, and to take care of his household, even when he’s away from home.
About Ryan, the fictional research scientist
Age: 39
Priorities: Getting the best product and the best deal
Influences: Household and family; security and support; trust
Drivers: Reviews and recommendations, rewards programs
Barriers: An experience that doesn’t match his expectations, poor customer service, lack of information
Habits: A researcher and planner:
- He likes to be in control of the household finances
- He researches extensively before purchasing
- He shares deals and finds with friends and family
A day in the life
5:30am: Up at the crack of dawn
Ever since Sally was born, I’ve found myself getting more comfortable waking up really early. It’s nice to have a little time to myself in the morning—and as the weather gets crisper, it’s the perfect temperature outside for a run. It’s only once I’m outside that I realize how much colder it’s gotten. The temperature has dropped overnight. It makes me realize that for the winter months, we’re going to need to find an at-home workout solution. Recently, my brother was telling me to check out TB12 Sports’ exercise equipment. After picking up their Pliability Starter Kit, he’s been getting really excellent results from resistance band workouts. That might be a good way to get the workout I want without taking up any space in our already cramped house.
6:30am: Sally wakes up
I’m back from my run, and Sally and Lisa are already up, puttering around the kitchen getting breakfast together. I warn Lisa that it’s pretty cold out today, so she asks, “Alexa, what’s the weather?” We want to make sure that we dress Sally in warm enough clothes while she’s at school. Sally’s in preschool, and their schedule this fall has her going into the classroom three times a week. That means we follow the new protocol, which is to take her temperature before we drop her off. I recently bought BabyDoppler’s DuoSmart Thermometer, which works on both babies and adults, and can measure your temperature from both your ear and your forehead. I’m able to keep an up-to-date log of her daily temperature on their app—a feature which, as a scientist, has really won me over. The best part for me was that I got it on sale, and conveniently paid for it in just a few clicks with Amazon Pay.
8am: Heading to work
I drop Sally off on my way to the office. The lab is pretty empty these days, with so many of us opting to work remotely. But if anything, that works better for me. I tend to find that I can get a lot done if I come in while Sally’s at school. Plus, I’ve outfitted my office with a few items that make me particularly productive. For example, after many months of research, I finally found the perfect pair of over-ear noise cancelling headphones from Sony, which lets me tune out the hum of the machines in the lab and just focus on one thing.
11am: Coffee break
I head to the kitchen to refill my cup of coffee. After a few months of looking at possible products, I finally discovered the ideal mug to help me power through the day: The Ember is a smart mug that keeps my coffee at the exact temperature that I want to drink it at. I used to find having to reheat my coffee in the microwave a total nuisance, but this has solved that problem. I’ve enjoyed my Ember so much that I sent one to my brother, and I’m thinking about getting it for Lisa for this holiday.
Speaking of coffee, I just remembered that we’re running low at home. We can never seem to keep enough of it in the house, since Lisa and I are such addicts. I go online to get another bag of our favorite brand, Blk&Bold, and I realize that the company also offers a subscription service. We can get a 12oz bag of their medium roast Rise & GRND delivered to us every two weeks. That seems like an efficient way to solve our problem of running out of beans in between grocery orders.
1:30pm: Lunch break
Usually, when I have some downtime over lunch I spend that time catching up on my emails. But now that it’s November, it’s time to start looking ahead, and make a plan for holiday shopping. Lisa and I have already put together a few items that we know we want to get for Sally—including an Aroma Plush Pet, a new stuffed animal from Plant Therapy, which emits a calming, soothing scent. But while I’m out of the house, I take the time to do a little research to see if there are some things for that can make life a little easier at home. I notice that the Dyson has updated their classic V11 cordless vacuum—the Outsize V11 comes with a full-size cleaner head and bigger bin to make cleaning a family-sized home effortless. That sounds perfect. I’m going to keep my eyes open for one on sale.
It’s rare that I find a gift for my younger brother, but after more research online, I found a cool tool best designed for golfers from Nexbelt. Inside it has a hidden ball marker and divot tool that also doubles as a bottle opener. I’m not sure that I’m ready to commit to the purchase, but I do check the reviews online as I’m thinking this possible gift over. When I get home, I’ll see what Lisa thinks.
6pm: Home for dinner and bedtime
By the time I get home, Lisa has picked Sally up from school, and put an early pasta dinner on the table for us. My favorite days of the week are always the ones where Lisa and I get to tuck Sally in together. After dinner, we all pile into Sally’s room to read a book. Sally recently got an Owl Lumipet for her birthday, which has helped her to become less afraid of the dark. When we turn off the lights, she easily falls asleep to the comforting blue glow of her new toy.
8:30pm: Hanging out by the TV
Now that Sally is asleep, Lisa and I have free reign of the living room. We decide to see what we can find on Hulu that we can both agree on. There’s a new documentary series that we really like. As we’re watching, I find myself getting so comfortable under our weighted gravity blanket, that my eyes close and I drift slowly off to sleep.
As you make your plan for the holidays, check out our Possible with Pay holiday gift guide, for over 160 unique gift ideas for everyone on your list.