Nowadays shopping is almost ubiquitous due to our developed urban civilization. It is not only satisfying basic needs of consumers, but is becoming a world-wide obsession.
There are numerous types of retail establishments which cater for a wide range of customers with different backgrounds and ages. Among them there are department stores, convenience stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets and so on. There are a number of advantages of shopping in these big stores. It stands to reason that it is much more convenient to buy all you need at once than to look for different kinds of shops, which can be rather tiresome. Besides, the prices are usually reasonable and intended for the general public. So it is obvious that shopping in big modern stores is sensible.
However, it could be argued that this way of shopping is ideal and suitable for all the situations, as there are certain disadvantages. One can admit the lack of variety of some specific types of goods. Therefore it is more likely to purchase them in specialized stores. For example, in antique shops, boutiques, and gift shops the public can find unique goods. Some stores sell secondhand goods. Fortunately, traditional small shops such as bakery, grocery, florist’s, book stores still have their customers.
As for the process of shopping itself, I would like to stress that there is a tendency of exaggerating its importance. Where it was once for the necessities of life, on our daily basis, shopping is now a hobby or even addiction which devours much time and money. It especially concerns large retail chains which serve as the means of the economic expansion. Today’s attitude towards shopping proves the ecstasy of consumption.
