8.13.2008

Cheap thrills

Do you feel obligated to buy something if you shop at a local shop?

We discovered a local nursery (Green Thumb West, for the locals) that has beautiful greenhouses, a few fish ponds, pottery, fountains, and wonderful plant displays. Mollie loves it. For her, it's almost as good as going to the botanical gardens (she loves gardens of all sorts).

We went the other day an she was pretending we were in the Hundred Acre Wood. I had no intention of purchasing anything, but I do like to look. So we just browsed around for an hour or so. And I left feeling kind of bad that I didn't make a purchase.

I like shopping browsing. I am pretty good at resisting the temptation to buy. However, usually I'm at larger stores that provide more anonymity.

3 comments:

LSULiv said...

Nah, I wouldn't say it's a feeling of obligation. It's like when you're at a flea market with those little tents and you start looking around one in particular, or pick up a piece you *might* like. The sellers try to engage you in conversation and/or tell you all about their goodies, and you do get that guilty feeling. Sure, I sometimes get it, but I usually tell them "thank you" as I leave, or something friendly of the sort so that they didn't feel as though they just wasted their time... I'm sure they know that if you're regularly browsing, you'll come back when it's time to make a purchase, or share the info with a friend. That's good for business, too!

RGW said...

I'm getting better at walking away............but I totally get the guilty feeling, especially in small craft stores like potteries where the hands that made all the beautiful items before you are there watching you and smiling hopeful that you might buy something.......gets me bad.

i'm not much of a shopper, I like to go in when I need something, get it and go in part because I feel guilty looking without buying in the small stores i like..........internet shopping is a godsend (or devilsend depending on how you look at it!) for me!

BookyG said...

I totally feel obligated, especially since I work at one of those local shops and I know how it works. My mom calls it charity but whenever I travel I go into independent book stores and buy a book, even if I can't find one I totally want, I'll end up getting the History of Islam or something.

Also I'll spend 30% more on a salt shaker at a local store than I would if I bought it at K-mart (though usually the local salt shaker is better quality).

I don't feel mad at people who don't buy things in our bookshop though; unless they make me do a lot of research, and then say they'll get it on Amazon, then I want to kill them.