Shopping right now..... shopping back then !

             Filling bags till they overflow, holding as many as the hands allow,spending money till the pocket agrees, wandering around till the energy sustains - a stress buster for many, a stress creator for a few; a recreation for some while a bare necessity for most - shopping has been with us right since the paper named 'money' commenced to spread its value. With an aim of providing goods besides happiness and satisfaction, in exchange of our hard earned wealth, shopping entered our life as a necessity for survival.
          Though a self-confessed 'non-shopaholic', much to the joy and big,broad smiles on my husband's face, the changing trends of 'shopping' in recent times and the various manners back in the past indeed draw one's attention to the different developments in this section of life.
          Shopping in our childhood meant staring at different attractive items displayed in the shop and silently creating novel plans in the head to convince parents for the same. Be it an ordinary grocery store or a stationary shop, be it cloth market or a colorful,gift shop, no shopping session could be declared successful without leaving the place with something in hand;  it was treated as an achievement to be shown around to others. With a hope that the shopkeeper too joins in the plot of convincing parents, shopping back then meant designated stores for each kind of requirements.
         Enthusiastic sales people assigned with a compulsory job of sending the buyers back with numerous bags and no money, stern owner seated behind the cash counter with eyes glued to the income flow, number of selves with well organized goods and neat and tidy place with a humble name plate characterized the experience of shopping. Labeling a shop as 'the best' for the variety of goods displayed and enormous patience portrayed by the shopkeeper while rejecting a shop as 'bad' for not offering any options were the means to rate their overall performance.
         Salesmen and women knocking at our door meant one of the ways to sell back then, but with increasing risks of disturbing privacy and safety, this style certainly declined for the good.
         Though local grocery stores next door extend the convenience of being closer while providing the service of free home delivery, shopping in a supermarket by filling up the cart has become a favorite hobby for the entire family! With so many things all around, the efforts of framing a list go in vain as lot of items gain an entry into the bill.
         While many bags walk into the house, stocking the cupboard with unnecessary things and going out of budget are the most common complaints of today! Kids of this generation definitely have an advantage, while we could only point our figures to demand for a thing, they quietly fill the trolley with what they need! Though parents do discard the demand during final check at the counter, at least some things from the many luckily gain an acceptance.
                As shopping malls and supermarkets offer a complete end-to-end shopping experience, it is necessary to define our requirements before losing away to the color, glamour and lights.Training children to value money and respect needs is essential as easy accessibility undoubtedly spoils the game.
        The trend of Tele-shopping had gained momentum some years back, though this shopping style over television and telephone is prevalent even today, the latest form of online shopping over the internet has restricted tele-shopping to only those few not wanting to be 'live' on the net! Dramatic advertisements and users' experiences decorate every product sold over the television.
           Feature of credit and debit cards along with online money transaction have introduced a novel style of online shopping. With shopping as convenient as clicking of a button and receiving the products right at the doorstep, it certainly offers a lot of advantages.
         Though this online style of shopping is gaining popularity worldwide, the real experience of shopping cannot be enjoyed; unless one walks for miles in the sun or shade; unless one leaves the house in the daylight and returns back late at night; unless a woman spends hours in deciding while a man complains with bags in hand; or unless kids get bored and demand for things to keep themselves occupied.
         Be it shops of olden time or multi-taste shops of today, be it shopping over telephone or shopping over the internet, every style has something exciting,unique and interesting to offer. Though they differ in experience and conduct, they all ultimately unite to lower our bank-balance while increasing their own :)