Travel News

The Future Of Shopping: Suzy Gershman’s Year-End Postcard On Shopping Trends Beyond 2010

Locations in this article:  Beijing, China Berlin, Germany Buenos Aires, Argentina Hong Kong Paris, France San Francisco, CA Santa Barbara, CA Seoul, South Korea

Global Shopper Suzy Gershman In BeijingDear Peter,
As we move to the reflective part of the year and I look back at the year I sold my house in Provence, moved back to the USA and visited my usual handful of destinations, I remember a TV show I did in San Francisco when I moved to California.

I was asked to report on European retail trends and then told not to return to the show, since the audience survey showed that viewers did not like my predictions.

I’m hoping you are more tolerant, as I see a variety of consumer/shopping/retail-related trends that I am certain will touch all our lives…

Plastic shopping bags will become illegal; you will not be given free bags at the grocery store. In fact, the only stores that will provide shopping bags in the near future are luxury brands—their bags will become bigger status symbols;

Shopping Predictions: Suzy Will Continue To Wear Festive HatsStores will open at 11 a.m. instead of 10 a.m.; maybe noon;

Many stores will be closed totally on Mondays and Tuesdays;

The essential European method of dressing in core items that are worn often and over a period of years will become an international philosophy—people will buy better, but buy less;

Shoppers will choose clothing that requires little care—dry cleaning is out!

Souvenir shopping and novelty items will be considered stupid and a waste of $$$;

Travelers will be more interested in buying experiences rather than merchandise, i.e. cooking lessons in the South of France; a multi-star meal;

Travelers will stop bringing home gifts to loved ones; all people will cut back on gift-giving for birthdays and holidays and will try to re-train their children to new values;

See this selection of Suzy’s shopping hotspots around the globe:

Chip-based technology will come to all bank cards and debit shopping will be more popular in the U.S. as a way to cut back on debt;

Suzy Gershman Shops - Will Continue To Delight In 2011Travelers will purchase more art for emotional reasons as well as financial reasons—they no longer want to buy items they will sell at a yard sale in a year or two;

Small luxuries will be the new gift items and currency of caring—a mani-pedi gift card; wine club membership; gourmet foodstuffs; gift certificates for services that make life easier, etc.

Food and eating experiences will be the souvenirs of tomorrow;

Branding and status ranking in food, experiences and goods or services will be even more important and the search for new brands, on an international basis, will become fierce;

Green is good.

Happy New Year, dear friend; no birthday gift will be forthcoming in the new year…

Greedy Kisses,
SuzyKG

By Suzy Gershman for PeterGreenberg.com. Suzy Gershman’s Born to Shop California Wine Country by Suzy Gershman & Sarah Lahey is now available on Amazon.com and in book stores near you!

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