Up to 50 per cent off, read all store doors and windows! While some were up to, several others offered flat 50 per cent or below. In fact, few lucky shoppers even bagged 70 per cent or above. Anybody and everybody with a little, moderate or obnoxious amount of spending power made the most of the sale season. And we presume, the ones who refrained this madness had attained some sort of a (shopping) nirvana. But as for the rest, who were spotted dragging themselves or huge shopping bags, while were united by one goal— ‘shop till you drop’, they were also divided by the shopper type. So, we thought of getting into the skin of these shopper types. Read through to see, which ones do you identify with the most! If not yourself, maybe you would associate these varieties with people around you within the magic and mayhem of shopping at the end of season sale.
Some people have an inherent passion to raid shopping malls and stores. But what’s peculiar about a certain kind, is that they leave behind their wallets and buying urges back home. So, why do they come and crowd the already jam-packed shopping spaces? I am told, some psychologists are doing serious research on this. Some suggest, that these are paid plugs for R&D; else why would someone waste his or her time surfing stuff they don’t intend to buy, never ever. In short, they are ‘vellas’!
This one is a distant cousin of the type mentioned above. This one should have pursued sociology or philosophy in life. This one just looks, looks and looks at merchandise, as if he or she were to do a thesis on it. So, what does this person keep gawking at and then ponder? So he (somewhat rare) or she also feels the texture, the buttons and embroidery threads and even checks the tags separately. Moron, somebody advise this type to go to a factory instead; more choices, more gazing and perhaps even more 'space' for thinking!
This one is really really a social evil! She is like a mental bomb that explodes to annoy several people in one go. Her weapon for mass irritation is loading her bag for fittings with whatever she can and storm the trial room area forever. I so wish if she could carry a mobile trial room with her and do the tryouts till cows came home. This specimen perhaps has either no idea about her fashion choices or is super picky. In either case, she is a nightmare for others waiting in the queue. Consequently, this one tries the same style and same size in different colours and the same colour and same style in different sizes, till she is convinced ‘nothing can outdo that’. And when she is told trying underpants is not ALLOWED, well, she takes that frustration out by trying multiple styles, sizes and cups of brassieres.
Okay, it appears that this one has made headway to the mall straight from a hick town. When clearly the sizes are written, you still take the piece to a staff and ask, ‘yeh kya size hain, bhaaiiyaa?’ Also, ask, ‘mereko yeh fit hoga na?’ Well in a sale season, the person manning the counters is as it is going bonkers. Therefore, if the salesperson is not a 'she' and checks you out to answer that question, please don’t feel embarrassed. If you yourself don’t know your size, how the hell would he know? Anyway, if that stupidity is over and you have ‘figured out’ your size, then your next folly is when you look for your size in the wrong shelf. And that’s when it’s written in point size 22!
This is Hitler’s new avatar. Usually, it is the Mother Scary or the difficult-to-please husband. Occasionally it’s the girlfriend and in some cases, it is the elder sister. A classic situation: “mom can I buy these?”. Pat comes a “no”. Or "Honey, how about this top, I really like it.” It’s a NO again and there ten such rounds of such asking and it is NO until the end. However, this type is not here for a stroll or is stingy, this one picks up lots of stuff to buy for others. However, the bottom line is, it’s his or her choice only that signs the approval.
Now, these are not the dictators but a breed of their own. They have hidden agendas in the selection process. Let us begin with the 'mother'… She is the finance comptroller on a shopping spree. Her loyalty continues to be towards her overall family budgets. Also, while choosing, she will suggest picking up stuff that's durable and would last several seasons. Then comes the sister; she will steer the choices in her favour, that means, something she likes, she will make you buy that to borrow later. Even your best friend can double up to play this part. And not to forget the bitchy friend; she will make you buy all the crap saying, 'it’s looking fab on you'. You got be beware of such shopping pals. These types are not just put your money but even your looks at stake.
At the cost of generalising, let’s accept; barring some anomalies (like we mention here), it’s usually the woman who takes a lot of time to shop. Thus, imagine this husband or fiancée or boyfriend or just male friend who you have tagged along. He usually carries all the bags, is bored as hell, tired of making choices for you, and gets flack for not being in tandem. And worse, if he says perfect, who have doubts that he is doing so to end the shopping round ASAP.
Talking about salespersons, I have been noticing this over the last three-four sale seasons. There are few brands, especially some international ones, who perhaps send their staff on leave during the sale time. I agree we can be troublesome shoppers, but some ‘help-needed’ is genuine. Somehow, they seem to be nowhere on the horizon, except at the billing counters and the trail room area. And these shoppers looking for them are lost as hell!
So, this was again another international brand where people were going mad picking up stuff as if they were for free. The serpentine queues were making people tired including the ones at the billing counters. But this woman had some cheek to get a single shoe and ask someone at the cash counter, in a strange 'bhaaiiyaaa' accent, 'iska doosra la do'. The expression on the gentleman’s face was,’ are you kidding me?’. Well, she surely was! She was politely refused!
This one has been forced to come for shopping. Whatever the reasons, he is just not ready to buy or being gifted anything, and rejects everything offered by his or her shopping buddy. This one refuses super sexy clothes or deals and tries to walk out the door all the time. He is either angry with himself or the world. We, however, appreciate his grit to say nooooo...., relenstlessly!
So this one has been selecting stuff for a while now and has amply filled up the shopping bags given by the store. But then comes the time to stand in the queue. She hates the sight so much, she drops everything that she has selected and walks out, totally dissapointed!
Poor you. You either are alone by choice or have been turned down by people. But you are still confident, quick and fast. Zip you come, zap you choose and zoom you go….you are the best indeed!
First, she can’t let go of her shopping wish. Okay in some cases, she needs a few things, understood. But then this super loving and caring mom can’t let go of her children either. Maybe there is no one to take care of them. So here she is with herself, kids and in some cases, really a small toddler, and the maid or baby babysitter in tow. Forget that, she also secretly allows the maid to feed the baby within the store, forget turning the place into a playground. Now, this is India. ‘bacche ko kaun kuch kahega’!
Nuisance makers mostly. They stop whenever, wherever just for clicks! They don't understand that some places are not supposed to be blocked, discomforting hundreds of others.
Well, women, shoppers are typified all the time. They want to keep looking, keep shopping etc, etc. Also, sometimes they face the music for overdoing it by their respective partners. But this man was an exception. Serendipitously, I happened to bump into this couple at three stores. At the first store, I overheard. He pleaded, “can I please see a pair of shoes for myself. They have gone bad.” Her reply was, look am not interested in what you need and walked out of the store. In the other store, this man was surfing at rocket speed while she stood outside with a sullen face. At the third store, she made him turn back from the cash counter queue on some pretext. And we say men don’t have a heart.
We appreciate your patience and belief in the adage that customer is GOD. So, going by that line of thought every customer must have a smooth sail, isn’t it? So why punish others for pampering an unreasonable and ill-mannered one. Here are some pointers, especially for the sale season.
When you add a note near the trial room saying: only three or five allowed at a time. It means you let this person carry only those many to the trial room. What’s the point handing over the rest from the gap above the door? Same thing, isn’t it? She wants to try more, she joins the queue again.
When a person asks for another size, apply the same rule, either she carries two sizes together or joins the queue again. And at no point can you make others wait to get another size. Sure, help her with getting another size but not while others are waiting.
Then what’s with this woman walking the ramp after trying each outfit to show somebody waiting. Do not allow this during peak shopping days or hours. If this person needs an approval so badly then she better tries at home and comes for an exchange later.
Last but not the least, don’t let one person take place for the whole family. One at a time, please!
The sale season is still on...btw. Happy shopping, whatever type you are!
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