Markets, Shops and Shopping Scenario of Urban Cities; An Analysis *

(The article is based on observations and personal experiences. It is confined to northern urban cities of India.

Due to Globalization and Industrialization, the characteristics and demography of urban cities is changing. People from different Regions and States migrate to citiesdue to various reasons, mainly for employment. As economic status is improving, affordability has increased. There are more social meetings/ functions and gatherings.People are becoming more mobile as communication, infrastructure and transport is improving. Dressing sense of men, women, teenagers and even senior citizens is also changing. People are more conscious of their looks.

People want to improve their standard of life , want to purchase better household equipment, upgrade their vehicles and other things of their homes. It has also been observed that many people are coming out of their comfort zone and traditional eating practices. Want to visit new places, want try new cuisine, from different parts of India as well as world. Increasing old peoples population is leading to age related specific requirements.Life styles of people is changing , bringing different types of challenges and problems. There are more health issues leading to increasing requirements related to health sectors like doctor’s consultation and treatment ,medicines and equipment, nursing care and hospitalization.

Shopping outlets and shopping pattern changes according to overall situation / times and demands of the people. There are different ways of shopping. The most common are off line; visiting personally to market places to retail /whole sale shops and online shopping. Online shopping is becoming very popular as it is more easy ,convenient and products are dropped at the door steps of homes. Vast range of items in varied price range are available through net at one point time. Aggressive marketing through different medium is done to attract specific categories and age groups like children, teenagers ,young mothers ,other women ,youth, middle aged and senior citizens.Scientific methods of marketing is used through mobiles,internet, television, radio and other medium .Print media, posters , hoardings , hand outs , pamphlets, booklets are also used . Reminders regarding sales , discounts, free offers and latest addition of new stocks are sent through phones , recorded messages, written messages and mails .Products are also sold through websites on net. Impressive , catchy and attractive advertisements are made after thorough market research and survey .Installments and free sample trend is increasing .Feel Good environment is created in many shops and showrooms . Lighting and layout / settings of items is done in a systematic ,planned and attractive way .Customers are influenced psychologically and they are tempted to purchase even when they cannot afford or don’t need those items. Impulsive and compulsive buying is becoming common. Many shopping outlets make special arrangements to entertain small children. For them they make specific areas and play corners to enable mothers to do shopping more freely.

Some retail shop keepers, for the convenience of customers provide help to drop shopped material up to customers vehicles or even at their homes. Sometimes over and unplanned haphazard shopping, abundance of items at home, use and throw tendency and wastage of things has been observed. Shopping increases during festival seasons and enhances problem of disposal of packing materials .

Some people are always on shopping mode and for many shopping acts as a catharses, for them it is a way to divert and avoid tensions and frustrations. But few also feel guilt after doing unnecessary purchases.

Shopping outlets and markets can be broadly divided into following, according to areas;

Posh markets and big malls in / near colonies of rich people. Big five star hotels and airports also have outlets of high class products and expensive items .
Shops, showrooms and malls ,nearby markets of the colonies of middle and higher middle income groups.
Ordinary markets near by colonies of middle income groups /lower income groups, small shops, weekly markets etc.

Categories of shops of utility items, service related outlets;

Clothing and related items.
Purses, hand bags etc.
Watches and clocks etc.
Household utility items.
Stationary items, books, news papers.
Children’s and adults sports, games and play materials.
Electric gadgets and equipment.
Transport and vehicle's show rooms.
Medicines , medical and health equipment.
Hair dressing, hair designers(salons), beauty parlors, Heena designers etc.
Cosmetics and beauty related items.
Footwears.
Touring, Tracking and Camping Materials.
Mobile phones ,laptops, mobile covers and related accessories.
Alcoholic beverages.
Dry fruits and spices.
Pets, their clothing and accessories.
Electronic items.
Florists, Nurseries and Fertilizers.
Paan and other related items like mouth fresheners.
Construction material; cement, bricks, tiles, stones, paints etc.
Aquarium and related items.
Music instruments shops.
Rerun material shops (selling all types of old items).
Carpets, durries, upholstery, curtains, linen items.
Show pieces and similar/ related items.
Ice cream shops / parlors.
Materials related to functions, festivals and religious and other ceremonies.
Other miscellaneous items.

(The list is not exhaustive.)

Types /Places of Shops;

Every area in the cities has varied types of markets and shops according to its populations economic status.

Shops, show rooms / outlets in Malls.

PVRs and Multiplexes areas.
Shops/ markets specifically allotted /designed within colonies or near colonies of residential areas.
Open small shops on the payments near roads or near markets.
Carts / RediWalla mainly for fruits / vegetables, ice creams, ready to eat food items. They go in the colonies of residential areas or stay at a fixed places to sell their products.
Weekly markets; groups of shopkeepers selling different products on a fixed day of the week at a designated place.

Permant structures built by govts for Fetes and Exhibitions.
Shopping outlets at or near petrol pumps and on the eating joints in cities and on high ways.
Temporary Shops of essential household daily items in residential areas.
States Emporia.

(The list is not exhaustive.)

As urbanization is increasing many areas in the cities which were known for their rural touch are becoming famous for high class shopping stores/ outlets and showrooms.

Some agencies do survey on quality, prices and popularity of shops and markets and accordingly grade them and create awareness in public.

Few or Decreasing shops; Cycle repair / accessories, bags stitching, hand embroidery, key making. Potters/ Kumars, Bakers who make bakery items on requests, woolen knitting, cotton RajaiWalla’s / quilts, clothes dying etc.

Markets and shops which are more or less same as were earlier with some modern looks; markets and shops of fish and vegetables and fruits, some spices and dry fruits, Milk, cheese and other milk product, wholesale books and stationary, stone work .Overall style of some of these type markets still remains the same as was few decades ago.

Few observations on present marketing and shopping trends;

Tendency of over consumption ,over spending , purchasing on loans , debts and compulsive buying is increasing to some extent.
Haphazard unnecessary purchasing many times leads to accumulation of surplus and substandard materials.It becomes difficult to store.
Many time, people end up buying similar or same type of products.
Open space is decreasing as number of shops are increasing.
Purchasing of unhealthy cooked and pre cooked food. Over consumption and wrong selection of food causes malnutrition. There are increasing health issues like obesity, blood pressure, eye sight problems, acidy, heart problems.
Sometimes departmental stores/ shops employ temporary untrained staff as sales persons who are not familiar or are not well trained about the products.
No excitement of purchasing new items as shopping with many has becomes a routine. Previously purchases were done occasionally, as and when required, particularly around festivals and special occasions.

Positive aspects of present multi shopping ways and outlets;

As economy is improving, Overall purchasing power of the people has increased.
Income generation and Job opportunities are provided to many people. Local Products from one corner of the country can be easily sold to customer in another corner. Similarly products from other countries are easily available.
Prices are reasonable and stabilizes due to competitions.
Material suitable and affordable by all categories of people is easily available in market.
On line Shopping can be done any time of the day. It is easy convenient and time saving for working people, needy and senior citizens.
Purchases can be done in installments as per affordability.

Senior citizens also enjoy present ways of shopping but also remember old types of shops, markets and shopping ways. They miss the personal touch, and respect given by the shopkeepers and sales persons of earlier times.

*Nirmal Tikku ,Ex Deputy Director ,NIPCCD, May 2024