I like to shop the same way every time I go to the store. I always visit the electronics part of the store first. I think everyone has a favorite part of the store they like to visit. I go to Best Buy a lot and I check out the newest laptops and HDTV's. What's the first place you go to in your favorite store?
I always start at the beginning of the store, and make a big circle through the areas I need to go. This way when I am done and ready to just pay and leave, I can do so easily. Typically though, when I go to the store I have an actual reason to be there, so I am going to a specific section of the store.
When we go to the store such as Wal-Mart, we usually head to the electronics first. That is my husband's favorite place so we always end up there. The other areas just depend on what we went to the store to purchase. If I go to the grocery store, I usually start at the produce and make a circle around the store.
I do the same thing. However, for me it always ends up being me wondering back and forth in the store until I am able to find what I was looking for.
I always go the same way - start off at fresh produce, move to dairy, then the meat/deli/seafood (they are right next to each other), and once I've gotten the essentials I travel aisle by aisle to see what else I need - leaving the ice cream and frozen novelty section for last so I don't have Ice cream soup by the time I get home.
Whenever I go to the grocery store I start on the far right aisle where the household cleaning products are, then I go down each aisle till I get to the other end of the store where the meat products and bakery section are situated. My husband finds this very puzzling but I can't bring myself to start from the left hand side. It just feels strange, like crossing your arms the other way.
I try my best to maximize efficiency when shopping ANYWHERE. I know what I'm looking for before I get there, and once I walk in the door - I head straight to that department, then I get the heck out of there! If it's the grocery store where I've got many items to pick up, I'll usually follow the same path. For me that means making a big counter-clockwise loop around the perimeter of the store - veggies first, then bakery, meats, cheese/dairy, paper products/cleaners, then check-out.
I pretty much only go to the store when I'm looking for something specific, so I'll just go right to that section. If I'm in the grocery store, or otherwise have a list of things to buy, I'll usually pick them up in the order that I've written them down on the list. This turns out to be awfully inefficient sometimes, though, haha!
Well not sure I really have a preferred corner in the shops I visit. For groceries and when I can afford, I visit Whole Foods and the one I have locally starts with fruits and veggies, just not a choice ! For Best Buy, agree, there are few corners I like but usually because I buy there: computer parts, TV's, networking ... !
Hmm...I guess my routine would consist of me going into the store and heading directly for whatever it is I need first. Then I'd spend some time browsing around other areas. That's probably why I usually end up picking up more then what I came for.
Until reading this post I didn't think I had a shopping ritual but I do! I always visit the clothing section of a store first, where I usually blow a huge part of my budget! It is then on to electrical, books, toys etc! By the time I get round to the food shopping I am usually far too tired and poor to actually buy anything! lol
I actually don't have any sort of shopping ritual, like I only go to the store that I need to buy something from. That also applies when I go window shopping, I only enter the stores that I intend to buy something from.
I don't really like shopping at department stores so I will answer based on my grocery shopping. I tend to go to the produce first, then meats and cheeses and the dry goods after that. Now that I have answered the question it would seem that I should be doing the boxed and dry goods before the refrigerated items. Just goes to show the original poster was right, it is a ritual and now that I think about it, it doesn't make a lot of sense.
When I go to Walmart, I get the boring stuff out of the way ,like groceries and office/school supplies. Then once I've put all the mundane necessities in my cart, I'm free to wander around and look at electronics and home goods. I like to "window show" and imagine where I'll put certain kitchen gadgets when I move to a new apartment. I also like to look at the new video game consoles and loiter in the garden center ,looking at herbs and tropical plants.
When I go to Wal-Mart, it's usually with a written list in hand, so I head straight to what I need. Then, I'll usually head to the craft/hobby section to see what I can find. After that I will browse through electronics and toys.
That is interesting. I have never really thought to shop at a store the same way each time! I really have no pattern to how I shopped in any store. I do tend to make lists so that I do not forget anything though.
I personally, don't have any shopping rituals but I know few people who do. There are some people who have rituals but I do not see why. I am more of a impulse shopper, as I usually purchase things off of impulse anyway.
I always make a list before going into a store - this helps to cut down on impulse purchases. In the grocery store, I know exactly where I am going and do not deviate from this plan. I like to get it done as quickly as possible. A couple years ago they re-organized my favorite store and that really messed me up!
