NO, I DON'T WANT TO RATE MY PURCHASE!

When Christmas shopping, Becky Dickinson despairs of the constant demand for online feedback

- WORDS: BECKY DICKINSON. PHOTO (MAIN POSED BY MODEL): GETTY

I've just bought a pair of gorgeous sheepskin slippers. Sadly, not for myself but as a Christmas present for my sister (shush, don't tell her). I hadn't even wrapped them up when the emails began.

'Thank you for shopping with us! We hope you'll write about your purchase while it's still fresh in your mind.' And delete. Yet still it continued. 'Please rate your item.' The longer I declined to comment, the longer it went on. Like a clingy ex who wouldn't stop messaging. 'Click the stars to get started.'

Delete, delete, delete. Finally, the algorithms got the message. But by then, I'd made several other purchases. Cue another raft of uncurbed attention-grabbing, approval-seeking emails.

CEASELESS REQUESTS

'How would you rate this chat?' 'How was your visit?' 'Rate your purchase.' 'We would like to ask you a few short questions.'