The Psychology of Shopping: Malls, Sales, and Retail Therapy

The Modern Shopping Experience: Malls, Sales, and Consumer Culture

The Rise of Shopping Centers

For the past few years, malls and shopping centers have become increasingly successful ways of purchasing in our lifestyle. They are huge buildings built on the outskirts or in commercial areas of our cities.

The Appeal of Retail Environments

First of all, the stores have very attractive window displays. Everything is designed to make customers spend their money, indulge in a shopping spree, and return for their subsequent purchases. Key features include:

• Pleasant background music
• A wide range of products
• Prices clearly marked

Malls as Leisure Centers

Besides, malls offer many facilities to make shopping easier. The mall is a leisure center where you can find cinemas and restaurants, allowing you to spend and enjoy the entire day there—having lunch, watching a movie, or taking a coffee. It is very common to see entire families spending the day there.

The Culture of Sales and Bargains

Secondly, you can find a wide range of products, and you can often pick up bargains because there are usually a lot of sales.

Twice a year or more often, we have sales. It’s a way to encourage people to buy products for less money, at a discount. It’s good for the consumer because they pay less and believe they are getting a great deal, but the companies are still making a profit.

The Shopaholic Attitude

Probably because of this sales culture, we develop a shopaholic attitude towards consumption. People become obsessed during sales to acquire the last product being sold at a discount.

Consumerism and Ethical Concerns

Moreover, given this whole consumerist lifestyle, I think we should totally eliminate the use of plastic bags because they cause a huge environmental problem.

Gender Differences in Shopping Habits

Another important issue is that probably more women shop than men because women seem more concerned about their appearance. Men typically buy things only when their old items are totally destroyed. However, women often like to buy a new outfit, shoes, or whatever every time they go to a mall.

The Shift to Online Shopping

I really love shopping on the internet. I have bought a few things from catalogues, but I definitely prefer websites.

Shopping as Leisure and Availability

Nowadays, shopping is a leisure activity; it’s a way to relax. Shops are often open on Sundays and bank holidays. Especially in places like London, bank holidays and Sundays are treated like normal shopping days. People have little time during the week to shop because of work, but this extended availability is probably a disadvantage for the people who work in the shops.

The Influence of Advertising

I think the reason why we shop so much is due to advertising, especially for people who watch TV, but also on the internet where you can find anything you imagine.

Conclusion: Retail Therapy

To sum up, I am not a spendthrift or a shopaholic, but for me, shopping is a form of retail therapy. I find window shopping much more amusing than spending money on other things, and when I find a bargain in a mall and can buy it at a good price, I am in a good mood.