Beech Tree News Network

Are you a shopper? I’m a reluctant shopper. I shop when I need something and I shop for Christmas. I don’t normally shop as a pastime or for entertainment, but for the next few weeks – like many of you, I will carry a shopping list inside my calendar as I check items off.
According to Wikipedia, shopping has changed over time. Initially, goods were exchanged at markets in nearby towns. Then permanent shops were established, often as specialties such as bakeries, and later supermarkets appeared. In the last 100 years, major phases in the shopping world included the following:
1.    Customers were served by shopkeepers, who retrieved the goods on the shopping list, and often delivered the goods to the customer’s homes.
2.    Customers selected goods, retrieved them from the shelves, packed up their goods, and carried them home.
3.    Customers select goods via the Internet, and the goods are delivered to the home.
Ironically, phases one and three have some concepts in common.
Some say that men and women shop differently. In a study titled, "Men Buy, Women Shop," researchers at Wharton's Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative and the Verde Group, a Toronto consulting firm, reported that men and women have different shopping attitudes. Women browse around, enjoying the experience, while men tend to buy, going in for the kill. The report found that women react more strongly than men to personal interaction with sales associates. Men are more likely to respond to aspects of the experience, such as availability of parking, whether an item is in stock, and checkout wait time. Neither shopping style is better; they’re simply different (http://www.mint.com/blog/uncategorized/boys-gone-shopping-wild/).
Perhaps the busiest shopping day in the U.S. is Black Friday, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Most recently, the term “Black Friday” refers to retailers making a profit, or going "into the black." On this day, many retailers extend their store hours and offer sales. This is the first year in my memory that a large number of retailers have pushed back their opening hours from Black Friday into Thanksgiving Day. The Black Friday shopper averaged spending about $375 in 2008, $345 in 2009, and $365 in 2010 (Ryan C. Fuhrmann, CFA; http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/16007967/predictions-for-black-friday-2011). The following Monday is known as Cyber Monday and was created by companies to persuade people to shop online. Even though shopping conditions are not the best, many of us shop on these two dates to take advantage of the sale prices.

A few years ago early on a Black Friday morning, my youngest daughter and I went to a nearby Wal-Mart. The aisles were nearly impassable and movement was difficult. My daughter and I had just arrived and were slowly moving down an aisle, both pushing carts. My daughter asked me to watch her shopping cart while she walked away to check on an item. As I patiently stood between the two carts, a woman came by and took my daughter’s cart. About that time, my daughter returned, saying, “That’s my cart.” The woman replied, “It’s mine now!” (Courtesy must have slept in that morning.)

Many of us have a Christmas shopping list that we’ll be checking more than twice. I’m hoping to find those list items soon so that most of my pre-Christmas time is spent with family and friends. Happy shopping!