Shopping 2

Shopping is the process of examining goods with the intent to purchase them. It is also considered a leisure activity and a hobby. It is a process when we go through we need something and we buy it from a seller. Shopping can be done almost everywhere - in a shop, in a street, at home, via the internet, and under various circumstances, and on different conditions. It can be fun, a necessary evil, and even an addiction.

There are several ways one can shop. Firstly, we can visit a small shop or a stand and the assistant can give us the goods we want. Secondly, we can go to self-service shops or supermarkets, where we put things into a trolley or a basket and we pay for them at the cash desk. In my opinion, the second one is better, because we have more time to select the goods and we do not have to rush. Finally, we can shop via the internet. This method has a lot of advantages - we do not have to go anywhere, we can select the goods at home, it is often cheaper, and there is a wide selection. The goods sre delivered to our homes or to a post-office. Some disadvantages are that we cannot inspect the goods properly or try clothes on. We can also do window shopping, which means only looking at things with no intent to purchase. There are also several ways of paying for the goods. We can pay in cash or use a credit card.

There are many kinds of shops. The most frequented are the food stores, where we go almost every day for smaller purchases and for a larger purchase on weekends. We can buy pastry at the baker’s (bread, rolls, buns, baguettes, Christmas cake, doughnuts, or gingerbread), meat at the butcher’s (salami, sausage, pork, beef, or lamb), fruit and vegetable at the greengrocer’s and sweets at the confectioner’s (candies, ice cream, whipped cream, or chocolate).

Besides food, we also need other goods. We select hygienic tools and beauty aids at the drugstore (for example, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, comb, deodorant, lipstick, nail polish, or eye-shadow). When we need medicine, we go to the pharmacy. We can buy newspapers and magazines at the news stand. The stationery shop sells accessories for school and theoffice (paper, notebooks, pencils, pens, envelopes, stamps, postcards, photo albums and calendars). Other kinds of shops, for example, are bookstores, furniture stores, the goldsmith’s (with a large selection of jewelry), or the florist’s (flowers). There are a lot of clothes shops, where we can buy our outfits. We look at things, try them on in the changing rooms and pay for them at the cashier’s. We often go to the supermarkets and big department stores, because we can purchase almost everything there.

People have very various relations to shopping. Some people hate it. They avoid big stores and no one is able to force them to spend time there. There is also a big group of people, who tolerate shopping. They buy only necessary things like food and they look for other goods only on special occasions. Another group of people likes this activity. They consider it as a hobby and they really enjoy it. Nowadays, there are people who are addicted to shopping - this disease is called oniomania. Generally women spend more time shopping, because men like to shop quickly and effectively.

My relation to shopping is very good, but I would like it even more if I had more money. I love bookstores. I spend lots of time and money there. I am fond of linguistic books, dictionaries, English books and classical literature. My favourite shop is Luxor - it is the biggest bookstore in the Czech Republic. It is situated in the Wenceslas square in Prague and you can find many kinds of books there. There is also an opportunity to sit down and read the book before buying it. I also enjoy buying clothes or just looking at things and trying them on. I usually pay in cash, but I use a credit card sometimes, especially when I have no money on me or in bigger shops.

Shopping is an indiscerptible part of our lives. It is good for people, when they like it and consider it as a hobby. In my opinion, this activity is not only necessary, but it is also fun.