Shopping

Shopping is a day to day activity for a modern man, we shop for must things and essentials, certain other times we shop for things we would like to have though avoidable and certain other times we shop only for our fancy. Our shopping habits are groomed according to our lifestyles, we select the goods and the shopping malls based on the standards we set for ourselves. Shopping is not just a habit but it is a hobby too. A consumer today, has a wide range of shopping centre to choose from - village markets to shopping malls to super markets and department stores. Here the spectrum and ranges of products vary. The satisfaction of a consumer depends on the situations. While we get satisfaction when we shop at a boutique for a designer attire, we get satisfaction and delight while we shop for home made toffees of fancy jewellery from a village market.

Over the years the shoppers’ habits, preferences and priorities have changed considerably. The consumers’ choices and preferences improve as their income level goes up. There is one more reason for the sudden burst in shopping. It is nothing but the exposure we get either through the media or by a chance visit abroad and human tendencies tend to catch up with better standards.

Shopping through the internet has become very popular in recent times. One can sit at home; pick and choose your product using plastic money. It is like having a super-market in your household. Shopping via the net is useful in many ways. You get a wide range of products, ample time to study and compare the products, their prices and take appropriate decisions. This facility is indeed useful for elderly people since they do not have to visit showrooms. And also for couples who are too busy with their job schedules.

One is exposed to new products, services and technologies through the internet and the fineness of presentation through the cyber world ‘tempts’ one and all to go for and ‘buy’ these products and services. Shopping, per se, that was once a part of the lifestyle of the ‘haves’ have now become a pastime for even the ‘havenots’ who got money to spare. Shopping for fun is a new trend for the upper class of society. For them, shopping for the sake of it gives a lot of pleasure. They are in the habit of collecting jewellery, designer clothing and other expensive lifestyle accessories. The new generation boutiques and shopping malls that have come up in metros recently are actually intended for such groups. These malls offer a variety of entertainment facilities apart from shopping. Realizing the changes in the tastes of the customers, the marketers bring in innovations in retailing by way of sales promotion, displays and credit facilities among others.

At a time of globalization and rising standards of life retailing is one area poised to prosper in the years to come. This would offer ample opportunities to fulfill the dreams of potential shoppers.