Shopping

Shopping is an activity which is undertaken by people as part of their day to day lives, although in some of these cases, it is seen more as a ‘pleasurable hobby’. Shopping can be defined as the purchase of goods or products from retailers in order to satisfy a need or desire. Money is exchanged in order to complete this transaction and this can either be cash, cheque (though less frequent), debit card and credit card.

Shopping has traditionally taken place in specially designed high streets though with the advent of the Internet, an increasing number of us are choosing to shop online. For those that choose to shop online, they cite such reasons for doing so as less time consuming, more convenient and cheaper than heading for the high street. People lead busier lives these days, often combining work with raising a family, looking after parents, visiting friends and pursuing leisure activities. This also includes household chores such as shopping. If an essential activity, such as food shopping then again, this is increasingly being done online via such retailers as Tesco and Ocado. They promise ease of use and delivery to your door which can reduce the time spent trawling around the supermarket. If done as a ‘hobby’ then the high street is still seen as attractive and the place to perform this activity.

This hobby or ‘retail therapy’ as it is commonly called, is a popular activity for women, rather more than for men who are often bored by the whole process. This may seem like a harmless activity but indulging in this on a regular basis can be likened to an addiction which can have serious repercussions.