My Book of the Week

‘When going shopping as opposed to doing the shopping, we are buying far more than just products. We are also purchasing power and control. During the time we are in the retail environment with cash or credit cards at hand, we feel, perhaps for the first time that day or that week, fully in charge of our lives. We believe, although often mistakenly, that in making our purchasing choices we are exercising free will: deciding objectively which items to buy, which parts of the store to visit, what displays to look at or pass by, how long to shop, and when to leave. These heady feelings of control and empowerment are ones that will lure us back to shopping time and again’