Shopping (spam on topic)

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 12:25 pm

Shopping

My wife and I are going to spend three weeks in the Netherlands, in September, divided between Amsterdam and Maastricht. This had an unexpected side effect: I need to go clothes shopping. As a freelance magazine writer, I've tended to require very little in the way of clothes; and since my public radio days, have purchased next to nothing. Now, suddenly, I need to get shirts, a pair of shoes, maybe a new raincoat, etc.

This brings up the whole question of shopping. Traditionally in the US--I can't say how it is, anywhere else--men view shopping as a terrifying evil, while women are supposed to love it. I suspect that image is an age-old stereotype and invalid. After all, there's far more involved in shopping than simply leaving one's home and getting something. Many questions arise, such as whether you're just generally shopping or specifically looking for something; whether you're visiting a quiet mall at opening time, or a loud, crowded horror on a Saturday night; etc.

So I wanted to ask the opinions on my confreres, here, male, female, undecided and asexual, what you think of shopping.

My own opinion is that shopping can be pleasant without any goal, if you're not part of a huge mob moving through drearily identical displays. I like shopping very early or very late, when there's unlikely to be somebody right behind me who sees a friend fifty feet away, and feels it necessary to shout and gain their attention at once lest they vanish forever for one another's lives.

And you...?

RandomThug · Post by **RandomThug** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 1:30 pm

I do my shopping in bulk. Hit up Kmart get the 10 plain white shirts, four pairs of new ****ies, some ****ie shorts, some socks and maybe a sweatshirt.

I hate shopping, I hate the mall and i hate any crowd of people that isn't either Celebrating or participating in something of a debauchary nature.

I was raised to believe style isn't something you can put on in the morning so I have never taken name brands/clothing in general as anything other than the stuff I have to put on because my state wont let me go to work naked.

Worst time I ever had was at the mall near christmas in southern California. Personally I would have had no remorse on killing half the people there...l

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 1:38 pm

Only things I "shop for, for pleasure" are DVD movies and technical books regarding programming and such.
The latter I could purchase myself poor in (if I weren't poor already)
Other then this I only shop when I need to and I usually always know what I go for, so shopping is done in a few minutes.

Vicsun · Post by **Vicsun** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 2:15 pm

My shopping habbits are almost identical to Xandax'. I do enjoy shopping for some particular items, but generally speaking I just go in, buy what I want/need and go out. It's all over in a matter of minutes

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 4:27 pm

I enjoy shopping for clothes... but usually if I'm just browsing, and find something I like. Actually going out in search of something specific is tedious, because I end up spending hours trawling up and down the high street and going home at the end of the day without it. Trying on loads of clothes gets tiresome pretty quickly, if you can't find something that's right. On the other hand, if I've got money to spend and a shop full of stuff I like that fits, well, I can spend ages.

I can spend hours in bookshops... and spend a lot of money on books that then sit on my shelf unread for ages,

although I do get around to reading them eventually. Music shops also... I usually browse the discount racks, and if I don't exhaust my budget on that, I usually select a few CDs off my neverending list of stuff I want to buy... I'm always happy with my purchases when I get home.

If there's one thing I hate, it's shopping near Christmas - or in the sales, when it's so packed you can't just browse along at your own speed, or get anything that you want because it's all sold out.

Another thing that bugs me is shop assistants. If I needed some help, I would ask for it - I'm just browsing, for goodness sake!! I think that's why I found shopping in Bangkok so stressful - look twice at something and the sales pitch starts... and if you don't want that bag, maybe you'd be interested in some shoes, or a skirt, or... well, it tends to fade out after that, as I run away from the stall as fast as possible. Maybe their agressive sales pitch works on some people, but it just makes me want to leave - if I was considering whether to buy something, they can put me off by trying to persuade me too much.

My favourite thing about shopping is getting home, loaded down with bags, and then unwrapping everything and trying out all my new stuff.

The worst thing... realising how much money I've spent.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 4:43 pm

Shopping for me is similar to having a bad cold or a terrible headache and still have to work efficiently. Since I hate it, I want to get over with it as soon as possible, I'd hate wasting time on something so tedious. However, since my job often requires me to look nice simply because it would be very impolite to show up in some old worn out stretch jeans, I actually *sigh* have to try clothes on and make sure they fit me before I buy them.

The thing I hate absolutely most, is having to buy shoes. It bores me to a coma. Next after that is clothes, except maybe if I am out to buy something really fancy that is at the same time easy to find (happens about once every 5ht year), then it's not so bad. Books and music is slightly better, but still a pain.

The only shopping I enjoy, is at the Gold Souks in the Arab world. Dubai has the best gold souk in the world, but I've been to others I like a lot as well.
Shopping is a social event, you can spend the whole evening discussing with the shop owner about anything from religion and politics to family life. When you buy something, it's something personal, you buy it from an inividual, who very often has made the thing you buy.

Idioteque · Post by **Idioteque** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 4:49 pm

Unfortunately, I have to go buy shoes today since I ruined the shoes I normally wear to work by taking them camping this weekend and then standing in the fire pit for 2 minutes. I've been putting it off all day and spending my day playing BG2 and watching Spongebob Squarepants.

I do like shopping for games, electronics and other toys. I prefer shopping online, especially since most places offer free shipping, unless I need it that day.

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 6:05 pm

As much as I run errands for my folks, I don't care too much to be around, except if I meet people I know. Otherwise, it's the old "find things and GET IT OVER WITH!" routine for me too.

For me, my favorite things to browse for are:
- Snacks (mainly certain candy bars and toaster pastries)
- Games
- DVDs (for my favorite TV show though; Taco Magus will know what I'm talking about)

Noise bugs me above all. I can take it in a mall, but in a place like Wal-Mart, I usually want to be out of there A.S.A.P.

Overall, shopping is not a hobby for me. It's a chore.

Zelgadis · Post by **Zelgadis** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 7:36 pm

I enjoy shopping when I pretend I'm rich.

I like to go into posh stores, wander around looking like a shoplifter or something, then spend a hundred dollars or so on some pointless luxury item for me or my friends.

I also like to shop for electronic things and stuff, probably just like most people here

Latro · Post by **Latro** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 8:36 pm

The only things i enjoy shopping is books, preferybly in small shops. Otherwise the less the better.

____________________________________________________

"We're going to need bigger guns, John. Really BIG ****ing guns!"
-- from the movie 'Split Second'
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Mr Flibble · Post by **Mr Flibble** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 9:28 pm

I do most of my shopping onlineif possible, so it doesn't really bother me much. I do, however, avoid shopping malls to a near-paranoid extent.

Tamerlane · Post by **Tamerlane** » Tue Aug 19, 2003 12:22 am

Ugh... I hate shopping in all its forms. If I want something, I tend to call up the store to secure the item for me in advance. Then I make a bee-line to the intended destination avoiding the tempting allure of sales etc.

But now I'm stuck in a house full of girls, so the pain I experience... Its almost unbearable at times

nael · Post by **nael** » Tue Aug 19, 2003 8:00 pm

I love to shop, which surprises most people. but one look at my closet (or my credit card bill) will show that love.
I can drop an easy thousand in a day of shopping, and that is not including when i buy things for my truck.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Aug 19, 2003 10:46 pm

Originally posted by nael
I can drop an easy thousand in a day of shopping...

A thousand what?

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 2:11 am

Re: Shopping

Originally posted by fable
My wife and I are going to spend three weeks in the Netherlands, in September, divided between Amsterdam and Maastricht. This had an unexpected side effect: I need to go clothes shopping.

Why not go shopping when you arrive in the Netherlands?

Okay, Amsterdam is not Paris or Milan, still you can have European flavour fashion.

Unless, of course, you are too busy working (!) or you are monster size....err, I mean, American size. They are not available outside of the US.

Maharlika · Post by **Maharlika** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 2:53 am

I try to veer away from items on sale...

...which I think I could really use for everyday work. I tend to spend on stuff that I can use but still do without --- much to the missus' chagrin...

What happens is that I would go to the mall to buy something that is urgent and then I see those signs with big letters that say "Sale"... another

I rarely go out and compare prices between shops. Normally, if I like something I just go and buy it.

My wife on the other hand is different.

When she was very heavy with child we went shopping around Bangkok the whole day and half-way through the day I was already dead-tired!

Meanwhile, she would still be as energetic as she was in the morning... but after all that and getting back home, she'd tell me she never realized that she was tired.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 5:31 am

I don't do much shopping, and when I do it's 'cos I need to (i.e clothes) or see something I want (i.e games)

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 7:13 am

Re: Re: Shopping

Originally posted by Minerva
Why not go shopping when you arrive in the Netherlands? Okay, Amsterdam is not Paris or Milan, still you can have European flavour fashion.

Unless, of course, you are too busy working (!) or you are monster size....err, I mean, American size. They are not available outside of the US.

No, I'm a reasonable weight (155 lbs) for my height (5' 9"). But my impression is that prices are actually higher in Amsterdam than in the US; and in any case, I'd rather not do utilitarian things over in Amsterdam. When we shop over there, we should be looking for things we can't easily find around us now. This also lets us concentrate on watching people, seeing how stores are arranged, noting differences in marketing, relationships, etc, that are always fascinating to view in a different culture.

nael · Post by **nael** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 5:43 pm

Originally posted by fable
A thousand what?

dollars$$$$$

you don't end up swimming in debt just out of pure luck...you really have to work at it. But actually I've been good for the past couple months. I finally faced the reality of how bad my debt was and I have myself a little budget and a plan to pay off everything. so, I'm not going to end up a leech declarign bankruptcy.
have to say though...I am gettign REALLY tired of ramen noodles and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on this new budget.

RandomThug · Post by **RandomThug** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 5:56 pm

debt. Debt.

Just paid off 4,500 dollar collection debt to car accident (all US currency)

Got 700 Credit card debt (Damn ex girlfriend and tiffany bracelet/necklace)

Owe pops 10,000 for college loans etc for super pricey school I dropped out of two month's past the date you can be refunded.

Well thats about it now... I think . Paid off my tickets (500 bucks worth)...

I know i got some more debt somewhere...

SHopping is for people with money.

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Shopping (spam on topic)

How do you feel about shopping as a fun passtime?

Shopping (spam on topic)