Dr Rekha Jad
Come monsoon, and like clockwork, the sale season descends – awaited with bated breath by shopaholics far and wide, more so by the fairer sex.
Just days ago, Westside declared its mega sale across the nation.
From her faraway corner in the southern tip of the country, my daughter nudged me lovingly to revive my weary closet.
And like a dutiful mother I begrudgingly gave in – but opted for the one inside Hotel Radisson, closer to home. The frantic jostling for parking space itself was a clear omen of the chaos that lay ahead.
As I stepped into the store, a wave of sheer human density hit me. It felt less like a high-end outlet and more like a frenzied flea market – think Sarojini Nagar or Lajpat Nagar on steroids. Clothes lay in chaotic heaps, footwear mismatched and scattered, as though a hurricane had swept through. Never before had I seen a so-called sophisticated brand in such utter disarray and chaos.
Of course, the discounts were tempting – the same pair of sandals I had bought last month for ?1600 was now humbly tagged at ?999. (That ?1 markdown continues to baffle me – is it psychological relief? A clever marketing illusion that we’re still under the three-digit barrier?)
Meanwhile, handbags sat rudderless on shelves, young girls generously spritzed perfumes into the air, creating a heady, nauseating cocktail of fragrances jostling for dominance.I began to feel suffocated. Still, I greedily grabbed a few dresses and a pair of jeans, hoping to try them on.
But the trial room queue was a different beast altogether – serpentine and endless. I watched in disbelief as each shopper, armed with armloads of clothes, stepped out to parade their picks before their companions, who then took another ten minutes to deliver a verdict – or click a picture for further analysis. And once she was done, the friend repeated the process. Exhausting! Buy , try , display and repeat!!
Freaked out, I dropped my overflowing mesh bag right there. I simply didn’t have it in me.
Instead, I made a beeline for a pair of light pink block-heeled sandals and a handbag – both trial-free – and braved the patience-testing billing counter. Finally gasping for air, I staggered to my car.
Sale or no sale – we just love to hoard. In the name of discounts, companies make a killing, we stuff our wardrobes, and both the cupboard and the economy keep moving. The ball keeps rolling, the market keeps spinning – never slowing down, never stopping, moving the wheel of economy …
And this is merely the start. As expected, other retail giants are set to follow, jumping on the sales bandwagon with tempting offers and aggressive discounts.
In a cycle where desire often outweighs need, consumers respond with enthusiasm – fueling an economic upswing through sheer shopping momentum.
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