Thursday, April 02, 2009

On Shopping

I don't shop because I need something, I just shop for shopping's sake. - Cat Deeley

Going to the mall or supermarket is something we do on a weekly basis. I call it marketing but my wife insists on “shopping”. There’s a lot of difference regarding this between men and women. I’m generalizing because shopping traits seems common to all women. In my college days, I used to accompany my Mom shopping when she comes to Manila and I noticed the same approach from my wife. It’s not hereditary because their not related except through me. So I conclude it lies more on gender.

Take for example when we need clothes, I go directly to the shop selling it, choose the one I like, pay for it and I’m out of there. With my wife it’s completely different. When were unfortunate to park at one end of the mall and the shop is at the other end, then things gets tiresome. She’ll enter every shop at each side, do a pirouette, and comes out without buying anything until we reached our intended target. “Just checking” is her usual reason.

Supermarket is the same. It’s much faster if I do it alone. I know which aisle contains what goods. So even if I got a foot-long of grocery list, I can accomplished it in 45 minutes to 1 hour tops, depending on how long the queue at the check-out counter.

My wife does it the long way. She’ll start at Aisle 1, zigzagging up to Aisle 12. Always scrutinizing each merchandise for flaws, or bent or anything she may considers imperfect. If she sees a new product, she’ll inspect it like a quality assurance agent. She’ll turn it up, down and sideway for manufacturing defect. Then the labels, reading each tiny letters of the product’s ingredients, check the expiry date and then the price. If she’s satisfied, she’ll return it back on the shelf. But that’s not the end of it. After we’re finished and hauled everything in the car, she’ll instruct me to go to another supermarket a couple of blocks away. If I ask why, she’ll say a few of the items we need are much cheaper there by 10 halalas (1SR = 100 halalas). My wife is a good teacher. She taught me the wisdom of patience.

People with PhD’s wrote that these characteristics are remnants of the hunter-gatherer era. But for crying out loud, we are now in the modern age. We no longer rummage through bushes and check if certain vegetations are edible or not. We have factories that do that for us (unless it comes from China or some peanut butter brand in the Philippines). We have BFAD and DOH to tell us if it contains E.coli or salmonella.

This kind of shopping doesn't only wear you down, it's a waste of time. I guess some habits are just too hard to die.

45 comments:

  1. Huhmn, I have the hypothesis that male 'hunter-gatherers' are quicker than females, too. Gender differences on shopping or marketing are very remarkable on this entry.

    ...and I agree. o",)

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  2. RJ, the reason why hunters are "quicker" is because they know what they want, plans ahead, pin-pointed their target before executing the task.

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  3. its in the gender? count me in. hehehe. likas na talaga sa mga babae ang ganyan. unlike sating mga lalake, very objective tayo. alam agad natin kung ano ang kailangan. minsan mas mahalaga satin ang time kaysa sa price. parang hindi worth ang makuha ang pinakamura pero nagkandaubos naman ang oras sa kakahanap.

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  4. "My wife is a good teacher. She taught me the wisdom of patience.">> do you think she can teach me how to be patient when falling in line in some of the government services here in the philippines? hehehe...

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  5. swak na swak hahaha nadale mo totoo yan, totoong totoo at bukod pa dun talagang karamihan sa mga babaeng shoppers ay napaka impulsive.
    ako hangang mapuno ko yung cart saka kolang marerealize pag nasa bahay nako wala pala yung importante at yung talagang dapat kong bilhin at karamihan sa mga binili ko diko alam kung san ko gagamitin sa madaling salita hindi importante.

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  6. natawa ako, kasi everytime we went to Geant or Carrefour, sa supermarket lang we will spend mga 2 hours. Tama po kayo, si Mrs. Thoughtskoto din po, babaliktarin ang canned goods kung may dents, at kinilatis ang presyo, minsan, ginagamitan pa ng calculator sa cellpone para malaman ang difference. Kaya ako ang tagahawak kay baby or tagatulak ng cart. masaya talaga ang mga babae pag namimili. Nice post!

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  7. pareho pala tayo. it will only take me a few minute to decide what to buy. my girlfriend would take forever buying just a pair of shoes.

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  8. You know what, guys are just bara-barabay LOL.

    My Mom is like that when it comes to shopping for Groceries. She takes about 5 minutes for every aisle looking at some products here and there and whatever she wants to do. Naiinis nga ako pati kapatid ko, ang bagal kasi, andami ginagawa! Di naman lahat kailangan i-check!

    Kakagaling lang namin sa Supermarket kanina. Ayun, the usual. Mabagal.

    Every aisle dinadaanan para walang makalimutan. For snacks, baka may iba pang gusto, may iba pang makita.

    I don't like shopping for clothes. If I do shop for clothes, mabilis lang. Di katulad ng nanay ko lahat nalang sinukat na.

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  9. he he. spoken like a veteran shopping alalay. ako pag nasasama sa ganyan, uupo na lang wa waiting lounge, magbasa o mag sound trip hanggang matapos sila sa pamimili. mababadtrip lang kasi ako sa kasasabay.

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  10. Dear Blogusvox,

    This is one of the good reasons why me and my daughter used to shop without my husband.

    "Men are soooo boring when it comes to shopping."

    We only need his wallet and that's it...

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  11. It's a girl's thing. I also inspect the ingredients and compare other labels. If I'm trying the chocolates the first time, I even sniff. Haha. As for clothes and shoes, I already have a preference. I go there directly. But it still takes me forever to decide. My dilemma? "Anong color kaya? Eto or eto?" =) Minsan nga hindi talaga ko makadecide. Kumuha ko ng two colors. =)

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  12. Very well said hehehe, ganun yata talaga ang mga girls pero mabilis din akong magshopping compared sa ibang babae pero mas mabilis pa rin ang husband ko sa kin hehehe. Di na ako nagchecheck ng price at labels at tamad din akong magsukat ng clothes kaya "medyo-medyo" lang siguro ako.

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  13. I am a compulsive list-maker, so when I go to supermarkets I don't take long because I already know what to buy. Shopping for clothes can take a little longer, but when I go shopping, I already have an idea of what I want. If I need white shoes to go with a certain outfit, I'd go to many stores but only look for white shoes and if they don't have any, then I'm out of there. And when I find the perfect pair, that's when I do a pirouette, haha! I actually don't like shopping with anybody, as I can get impatient too.

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  14. You know what? When we were just married, I used to go with my wife shopping and going to the supermarket. You're right. It took her forever doing those things that I didn't want to go with her anymore. Of course, she would have protested. What I did was since I was the one driving the cart, everytime she was not looking, I'd sneak in very expensive products inside. Come pay time and she'd be on the long queue, I'd say I'll wait for her at the door to have a smoke. Actually, I wanted to see her reaction as she unloaded these expensive items. Syempre, iwan mga yun! LOL!!!

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  15. ayayay life in the desert mag shopping ng shopping ng mag shopping palipas oras lol kaya dami mall dito bawat kanto ata meron lol.

    men-whats the point

    women-whats the story

    parang ang pinagkaiba ng babae at lalaki sa pagshoshopping ay paraang nagtanong ka daw ng direksyon kung saan ang isang lugar sa lalaki bigay agad ang direksyon kung sa babae madami pasikut sikut bago matumbok ang lugar at bawat direksyon ay may kewnto o minsan may halo pang chismis lol

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  16. Women are always women. That is how we were in terms of having grocery/ shopping. Changeable minds as always. We just want to make sure what is best for our family.

    I hope you could visit my site and leave some comments too.

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  17. ayaaay... i could be very patient in other areas but not as a chaperone to lady shoppers especially with my wife....waaaaaahhh. i lose all my patience with that. i'd rather stay in the coffee shop waiting - by reading a mag or a book or chat with a friend. most of the time though, i'm called over to make some minor decisions on her find.

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  18. if shopping during ordinary days are already tiring, try shopping during weekend sale...mas nakakapagod!

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  19. ehem.. ehem... kami ba ang pinaguusapan dito? the way we shop????!

    however, hindi ako guilty. pero i agree that most of women are.

    ganito lang yan Kuya Vox...

    if women are not staying for more than a couple of hours in the supermarket or shopping mall.. she'll probabaly be at home... cleaning all the stuffs, nagging about the dirt, gossiping with neighbors, cooking and eating and sleeping that will totally change her shape...

    now you choose... a peaceful and quiet home with sexy wife OR a homebody wife?

    of course, im just kidding...

    oo na.. GUILTY na kung GUILTY! hehehehe!

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  20. arjey, time is essential ika nga. Lalo na rito na nagsasara sila during prayer time.

    donG, mag-asawa ka muna, then you'll learn a lot from her. : )

    TZ, compulsive buyer ka rin ba? Baka naman you're also like my wife, bili ng bili dahil sales. Pampasalubong daw kahit next year pa kami uuwi.

    Kenjie, yan nga ang hirap eh. Alalay ka na, yaya pa. Habang she's having a good time.

    Lawstude, hintayin mo'ng misis mo na ang gf mo at mararanasan mo rin ang nararanasan namin. : )

    HalfCrazy, ganyan din ang ermat ko, parang namamasyal pag nag-gogrocery. Pero sa tingin ko pag me asawa kana, ganyan ka na rin. : D

    r-yo. owww. Tingnan lang natin kung me asawa ka na. Baka pati handbag nya ipabibitbit sayo habang nag-uukay-ukay sya. : )

    Ms.Loida, that's the thing with husbands. Wither we like it or not, we always end up at the losing end.

    Ms.Jo, okay ka rin pala. To avoid confusion, you take two pairs na lang. LOL!

    Sardonyx, it's the engineer in you that makes you a little bit more practical than your "kabaro".

    Katz, kahit ano pang sabihin mo, it's in your genes. You'll still have the same habit like the other girls when it comes to shopping. : )

    Ka Rolly, okay yun ah. Kaso hindi ko magagawa yun. Kasi ako ang nagbabayad ng pinamili namin. : )

    mightydacz, true, men - direct to the point. women - pondering the point. : )

    burn, I understand, what ever my wife's idiocyncracies are, is done for the best of her family. Thanks for dropping by.

    NJ, pag sa pinas, yan din ang ginagawa ko. Pupunta sa isang kapihan at doon sila hintayin. : )

    theo, yan ang ayaw na ayaw ko pag merong sale. Mata-o na, aabutin kayo ng siyam-siyam sa mall.

    A-Z-E-L, hehehe, shopping is therapeutic pala. Better a docile, sexy partner than a nagging wife.

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  21. As usual, I totally agree with you! Sa larangan ng pamimili at pa-mimi-li, napakabagal ng mga babae. So detailed, so picky and always with an ever-changing mind.

    (Pabakasyon ka pala this month. Sarap naman. Have a safe and enjoyable vacation!)

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  22. I was smiling the whole time I was reading this. I am just like your wife in this sense. And my husband has learned to be patient too. What he does is bring a book with him for times like these. Yes, I guess, even if we're already in the 21st century, that basic makeup of women hasn't change.:D

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  23. Nebz, oo, I need to settle something sa pinas. So it's a vacation for my wife and daughter but not for me. Me pabilin ka? : )

    Dee, me too. I bring a book or hang around coffee shops while waiting for her to finish.

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  24. May kakaibang enerhiya ang mga kababaihan sa level ng pamimili, either sa palengke, supermarket or malls.

    Ang mga kababaihan, 1) nagiging physically active sila sa pamimili, kaya nilang tumagal sa paglalakad bitbit ang mabigat na bag o basket, makipagsiksikan sa karamihan ng tao, bagay na kinasusuklaman ko hehehe. 2) nagbibigay ng sigla sa kanilang utak ang pagpili ng wastong brand, texture, weight, scent, kapunapuna, hinihipo, inaamoy, sinusundot - bagay na nakaka-irita sa atin pero tila nagbibigay ligaya sa kanila. 3) Pananatili ng mahusay na pakikipagtalastasan sa mga tindera, nakikipagtawaran kahit fixed price, may tinatawag pang 'suki' kahit ngaun lang nakilala, atbpa.

    Palagay ko, markets, groceries and department stores ay nakadesenyo ayon sa kilos at panlasa ng mga kababaihan.

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  25. dehins ko kaya pards ang maglibot sa shopping area..tamad talaga ako sa ganyang lakaran...

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  26. Men do not like shopping.
    Girls do.
    But if your wife is a "i dont buy anything, just looking", she is a good one.

    Im not.

    Thats why I avoid going to shop, or else, my hard earned money goes to the cashier again....

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  27. oi kelan po bakasyon nyo kitakits sa pinas lol by next week pauwi na ako yeheyyyyyy

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  28. The Pope, may punto ka dyan. Para ngang ang mga malls are designed with women in mind.

    ever, papano naman kung magyaya ang "princess" mo? Tatamarin ka pa rin?

    Francesca, ay hindi rin. Kaya ang credit card palaging nasa akin dahil baka altapresyon ang abutin ko pag dating ng katapusan. : )

    dacz, malapit na, itong buwan, yeheyyyyy!

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  29. mabusisi kase talaga ang mga babae, we just wanna make sure na ok ung goods na nabili para we wont have any regrets whatsoever pagdating sa bahay....ahihihihihihi we spend tons of time in makign sure sa qulaity ng gusto namin bilihin hehehe.. nagpaliwanag pa... ok fine! sige na nga! guilty an rin ako jan... sometimes i spent 3-4 hours sa pagshop ng clothes.. ikutin ko muna buogn mall bago ko makabili ng gusto kong bilhin..:d

    uyyyyyyyyyyy vacationnnnnnnnn! kelan poh? pasalubong.... ahihihihihi..

    ingats and Godbless poh...

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  30. I love to shop, but when i do shop especially for my own needs, i shop alone, it is hard to decide which one to choose with the hubby. I prefer to do it alone because i shop fast, same with him, when he looks for his own stuffs, he'd rather do it without me. Sa grocery shopping naman, ako ang nasusunod, pera niya ang nauubos, wahahaha...

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  31. well said bro. Let me add to it. Here, we have a very generous return policy so after the shopping ordeal of going around every nook and cranny of the mall and wasting too much time, my wife decides to return the merchandise 2 days after because the stuff wasn't really that great, and/or its kinda pricey :) Buti naman, she never uses them otherwise I will not go with her to return them :)

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  32. oh, bakit parang iba yata ako sa mga babae. papsie and i are opposites. while he scrutinize every item, i just pick up what i need. i hate spending so much time in supermarkets! but if it's a dress or something to wear, i am not that impulsive. not the type na mahilig sa branded pero namimili ako ng design and cut na ayos talaga. medyo meticulous pagdating sa ganung aspeto.

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  33. "TZ, compulsive buyer ka rin ba? Baka naman you're also like my wife, bili ng bili dahil sales. Pampasalubong daw kahit next year pa kami uuwi."
    hahaha nadale mo ah hahaha

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  34. yAnaH, grabe ka palang magshopping, ang tagal. Ikaw bang nagsasara ng mall? : )

    sheng, pag sa pinas kami, kanya-kanya kaming lakad sa loob ng mall. We just decide on our meeting place. Pero talo pa rin ako, hindi kanya-kanya pag dating sa bayaran. : )

    bw, we have something similar to that, but only on dry goods and offered on big shops like Debenhams. My wife will also spend hours on a dress and when we get home, wants to return it. : (

    bingskee, at least one of you is meticulous. Yan daw ang secret ng married couple. Their traits should be opposite and need not be compatible in all aspect. Kasi opposites attracts each other. : )

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  35. TZ, magkakasundo kayo ni mrs pag dating dyan. : )

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  36. ahihihihihi minsan inaot ako ng closing sa small at isng blouse lang ang nabili ko hahaha...
    edited na poh ung recent entry photos added...
    hayyyyys kuya, u shud have your chatbox... ang hirap isingit sa comment section ang mga little mensahes ahihihihi
    kelan poh uwi nyo?

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  37. Asawa? Maybe in a few years time LOL. I'm only 17!

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  38. yAnaH, wala na akong panahon para mag-chat. Itong trabaho ko naaaburido ako. Pesteng Microsoft kasi yan, hindi mapatinotino ang produkto nila. As for my RR, 2nd week of april pa, susunduin mo kami?

    HalfCrazy, uy, sweet 17. Mga 8 taon pa siguro, katulad ka na rin ng mommy mo. : )

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  39. I knew a lot of man who is not objective when it comes to shopping ;)

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  40. When it comes to shopping, I go straight to the aisle or shelf that has that thing I need, I pick it up, pay at the cashier, and exit out of the store. The only place in a mall that I like hanging out in is the bookstore.

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  41. ALiNe, maybe they are the exception to the rule. : )

    Panaderos, pareho tayo pards. If we're in pinas and at the mall, either coffee shop or bookstore ang hang-out ko while my wife is shopping around.

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  42. that's why i prefer shopping alone. my kids hate me when i check out all the shops and buy nothing.

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  43. I hate shopping too.. a waste of time... but its a different ting for shoping at supermarket.. I jus love the labels

    you have a lovely blog here.. happened to surf into it

    Leon
    invite you to my blog too
    http://hanleong.blogspot.com

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  44. Kaibigang BlogusVox, hatid ko ang isang Neno's Award ngaung Easter Sunday para sa iyo, sana'y pagdamutan mo ito, makikita mo ito sa aking blog site kaibigan.

    Happy Easter to You and your Family.

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  45. Mari, see, you got two boys and like all males, they also have no patience when it comes to shopping.

    Leon Koh, hehe, don't tell me you also like to read those fine prints. BTW, welcome and thanks for dropping by. : )

    Pope, salamat sa parangal, sir. I'll try to do it the moment I come back from my R&R.

    Happy Easter to you and your family too.

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