5 Ways To Make Shopping Day Easier

Back in 2015, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates Inc., (a retail-consulting and investment-banking firm) said that “middle-level malls are disappearing.” It’s a statement that nobody can deny. One reason may be due to the reason that shopping at malls and outlet centers becomes increasingly difficult (and expensive). Here are several ways to make life easier for you when it’s time to shop at malls.

1. Grocery Hacks

If your mall has a grocery store within it, this hack is a godsend. I can’t remember where I picked up this hack, but it’s made my day grocery shopping go a lot smoother. I used to be the type of shopper who looked at my list, then traversed down every aisle to look for the item. Every single time. Until I made a difference in how I shop.
What you do first is write out your grocery list. Next, write down these letters at the top of the page: N, C, B, F. They stand for the following:

• Nearest entrance
• Center of store
• Back of the store
• Far end of the store (not quite the back, not quite the center)

Once you have those letters written out, put a letter next to each item on your grocery list. If milk and eggs are towards the back of the store, write B next to both of them. Grouping items together this way will make shopping a lot easier.

2. Shop In One Place

How often do you struggle, in one store, to find everything you’re looking for? The same headaches apply to situations where you’re traveling from store to store. In the futile hopes that you’ll find everything, you’re looking for. That’s why shopping at outlet malls and one-stop shopping centers, which have over dozens of stores, cut down on your search time. Locations like Grossmont Center or other shopping centers in your area tend to make it super convenient for you to buy everything you need in one go.

3. What’s On Sale?

By planning around what’s on sale, you can plan next week’s meals in advance. Stockpiling in this fashion-aside from taking advantage of when prices are the most gentle on your wallet-helps you cut down on food waste, as you’ll be buying only what you need. Grocery stores tend to have a rotating selection of meats, poultry, and vegetables on sale.

4. Shop Online

When possible, shop online when you can. This is because items you search for typically have reviews from verified customers. Whereas products you find in shopping malls and grocery stores do not. However, know that prices for items you find online can (and often are) considerably be more expensive than what you find out at outlet and retail stores.

5. Mailing List

Did you know that most outlet malls have mailing lists? A majority of malls’ inventories are comprised of “factory seconds” – that is, products and items from manufacturers made with lesser-quality materials or fabric (but still functional). As such, malls offer these products on sale far more times than you’d know about. That’s why joining the mailing list at the mall is beneficial for staying in the loop.

Conclusion

Shopping at malls don’t have to be an overwhelming burden. With these tips and tricks for maximizing the time-investment ratio, you now have several principles for making the most of your time spent come shopping day. Part of the attraction of these centers comes from experiencing society and the many different individuals that make life worth interacting with. That is a quality of life that will never diminish.