Spontaneous Shopping
February 18, 2011
By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter
(This is a stock photo, for good reason. Do not expect to see this in real life, just as you don't see ecstatically happy young white people staring into computer monitors at your office.)
Scene: A group of men - finishing up lunch after 18 holes, before heading back to their various law, accounting and executive offices. One says, "Hey, let's go to Wild Banana!" Big smiles. "Yeah, Let's go!" Uh, no. Not happening - at least not in most parts of the known universe.
Spontaneous shopping! We women love it, even those of us who don't think of shopping as a recreational (or competitive) sport. Men, not so much. They tend to go to a store, not "shop" - to buy something specific or that advertised deal. Me - I find the best stuff and deals when I'm not looking. I can happily while away hours, flirting with potential tetanus and hanta virus amongst rusty, dusty, pointy flea market piles...but I also enjoy the occasional frou-frou boutique - which is where I ended up this week when a couple of friends - after lunch at the museum - said "Hey, let's go to Wild Rose!"
However, I'd not have even gone to the shop - much less bought the two items if my friends hadn't made it fun. The way cool and super comfy pants came highly recommended for "everything from black tie to flip-flops" by uber-stylista Cowgrrrl Queen Jane (She actually was a rodeo champ.)
In addition to the fun ("You look fabulous!"), I also trust 'em to tell me if I look ridiculous in something (and there's a fine line between fun and creepy/freaky, once you hit a certain weight and age...)
Hmmm...Unusual products. Fun. Trust. Friends. Could I possibly be onto some magical combo for marketing to women? Like, way....;-)
P.S. Yes. Orange. Glittery beads. Cowboy. I was completely sober the entire time.
P.P.S. I once had a friend who stayed with a cranky jerk for years longer than she should have partly because - as she wistfully explained- "He loved to shop!"
Y'all have a whoopin' good time this weekend.
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