My favorite bookstore is opening up to in person shopping by appointment. At major stores you have to wait outside to be let in so they aren’t too full. Shopping often requires a mask.
All of which means before going out shopping I think: do I really need to go?
Many times, just asking the question is enough to decide I don’t really need to go to the other store, or I can get what I need at one place, or this is something I can hold off on. Maybe I would have spent money that day, maybe not. But I am pretty sure I am not the only one changing my shopping behavior.
I am not talking about shopping while on vacation, where you explore stores you have never been to and try to find unique things you won’t find at home. Or craft sales and events, where part of the fun is to see what all the different vendors have. But when you have fun buying things, and bring it home and ask yourself what are you going to do with this?
For Americans, the trend has been for shopping to turn from an errand to a leisure activity. Malls are about an experience, with theme parks and restaurants and movie theaters. Stores are often close enough to say after here lets check out that store there, then browse a third store. Sometimes you find something cute on clearance. Or you just enjoy browsing.
After stores being closed for weeks, I checked my credit card statement and saw how much impulse buys add up. Grabbing a bite to eat. The clearance section. That small cute knickknack. To be honest, I like my bank account better this way. Which is one of the many reason I think the nation is going to face a long term economic downturn.
Simple truth—capitalism profits from people buying stuff. It doesn’t matter if its stuff you use, or need, or want. Its about getting people to buy. A lot of people don’t know if they are getting their job back, or already lost theirs. More people are hanging on to cash because of all the uncertainty. Still more people had their routines upended, but are enjoying some changes. This is all going to cause people to hesitate before opening their wallets.
While on lockdown, shopping once again became an errand. You went to a store because you needed something, not to hang out or have a meal at the mall. Once you shift that perspective it can be hard to shift back. Now, shopping for leisure, depending on one’s health, can be risky.
None of which is necessarily a bad change. Reduce reuse and recycle is best for the environment. The irony is that because we have so much stuff it stopped having value. Good quality items should cost more money, and thinking before you buy helps make sure you buy something you will actually enjoy. But the economy depends on people spending money, and a curtail of leisure shopping is going to have ripple effect in the days ahead.