the thrill of shopping...

...or not...for some...it is an adventure...for others...anything but...majority of my clients who i shop for...hate to shop....or don't have time to shop...both of which are beneficial reasons for them hiring me...and the fact that i can get it done in a lot less time then they would have...

so let's say...you need some new clothes...which means you need to shop...but where to go? do you want to brave macy's or limit yourself to ann taylor? pay the prices at saks or try to ferret out some treasures at loehmann's? that little boutique next to the post office is convenient...and even easier is the catalog that is right at your elbow...heck...now-a-days...almost anything can be found with a few clicks at the computer...

not only do you have an overwhelming number of choices...but each has its advantages and disadvantages...different draws and different demands...the question has become not simply where to shop...but how to cope with the place once you get there...

shopping for clothes has become a sophisticated venture...the prime reason...the nature of retailing has changed dramatically...consider that in the 1960's certain things we now take for grantd were in their infancy...malls...for example...and boutiques...the kind with personality...consider the fact that outlet malls were pretty much nonexistent...and designer for the middle-class working woman...such as calvin klein and liz claiborne...as opposed to couturiers or "better manufacturers" were nonexistent...

now there are a lot more places to shop than the big department store downtown...more stores means more competition between stores and more competition means more sophisticated selling techniques...the rise of boutiques and of outlets has forced department stores to liven up their acts and become more aggressive with markdowns and service...specialty stores and designer shops sell not only clothes but a complete image...

so what does this have to do with you? everything...if you're going to shop with the most savvy and the least stress in minimal time making the most of your money...if stores have become ultrasophisticated in how they sell...it behooves you to become just as sophisticated in how and where and why you buy...

so...what is your first choice for shopping? do you prefer the big department stores...smaller boutiques...outlets all the way...or online shopping?

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