When
I think about the reasons that I visit the city center or in particular the
commercial zone the first thing that comes to mind is shopping….and
shopping for clothes that is. The somewhat
stressful joy of searching through a plethora of stores, trying on hundreds and
hundreds of outfits just to find that “one perfect fit” , a fit that could tell the world exactly who I am and what I stand for in
life.
The
frustration of never being able to find something you want in the perfect size
or colour after spending hours walking up and down the never ending streets.
Yet, at the end of the day discovering some sort of solace when you do find
exactly what you’re looking for. “Ah yes!”, I say to myself, “I have finally
conquered this journey, that once seemed
so very far from my reach. This concrete jungle is now my playing ground.”
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Illustrated in the
image is one of the main shopping streets located in the heart of the
commercial zone in Arima, Broadway Street. A wide plethora of clothing options
are seen at the front of the stores and acts as a means to encourage persons to
buy their stuff.
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Shopping
is the process whereby persons purchase not only items that they need but items
that they may want. It is a process that involves varying inputs, outputs and
stores. In this case the input is the time persons spend looking for what they
want as well as money they spend for their purchase, the output is the items
they gain in return and the store is the self-esteem and self-worth that a
person gains from feeling good after having bought something they really
wanted.
Not
only is shopping a means by which persons invest in themselves,
it also plays a major role in the functioning of urban city centers.
This is as stores are seen to be one of the most visited places in commercial
zones and in particular clothing stores.
Clothing
stores have various major advantages to the
city center or to the commercial zone itself. One such advantage is the provision
of a social facility that is need by the citizens. The right to
clothing is one of the needs of human being and it is seen that one of the only
ways to access this is with the aid of clothing stores in the city centers.
This allows persons to be comfortable in their everyday routines and as a
result can lead to their raised self-esteems which in turn allow them to feel
better about themselves and thus be more productive in their workplaces.
Likewise,
another advantage is the profits that are made by
the stores from the sales of their clothing items to the wider public. It has
been stated that clothing, shoes and accessories are items that have a high markup
value that is the profit made over the initial cost. This allows store owners
to buy these products in bulk and then sell them to the public in a timely fashion.
As stores are continuously making profits they are able to pay the taxes and
expenses that they have incurred such as rent and utilities and sales tax
permits and this can then be re-invested into the city to allow for further development
of the city center.
Similarly,
it is seen that clothing stores in general have a high convenience tag
attached to them. Persons are able to purchase what items they what and when
they want without the hassle of making appointments and waiting in long lines
just to get one item they may need.
The following link explores the advantages and disadvantages
of clothing stores to the business owner in more depth:
However,
it should be noted that although clothing stores have many positive outcomes to
the city as well as to individuals themselves, several problems persists. One
major disadvantage is its negative influence on persons in society to spend
unnecessary money on clothing that they may not need. Clothing
stores are designed in certain ways with big glass windows that displace their pieces
to catch people’s eyes as they are passing by. This encourages them to stop by
and then spend their money on thing that they may not need or may not be able
to afford.
Moreover, these stores utilize advertising techniques
that also adapt to persons need “to fit in” in society. They explore methods
that allow persons to think that if they don’t wear a specific clothing style
or brand then they are not part of society. This allows persons to feel left
out when they cannot afford them and it also allows persons who have these
items to marginalize others from mainstream society.
Correspondingly,
these stores are set up in a specific location that allows them to attract customers
easily. This location allows for the continuous success of the store as it encompasses
a high accessibility to the population of customers, the appropriate
infrastructure needed for the store and its development as well as allows for a
specific store status to be gained that would all attract customers and thus
increase income generation (Bhatia 2008 ). Although, this can be seen to be a
positive outcome, it can also encourage persons to squander their money. This
is as the stores are located in commercial zones that allow persons to have a
high access to them and coupled with the window designs and advertising persons
are encouraged to buy the products that they may not need.
In
addition, it should be noted that store owners of clothing shops have a timely
factor attached to their products. This is as products just like
perishable items only last for a short period of time that it is in style for.
Therefore, sales persons try their best to sell as much of the products that
they have while persons still want them. After this period these items are
removed from persons’ wants list and are then an expense to store owner.
However, owners have utilized “Sales” or “Discounts on items” as a means to
reduce this expense and encourage persons to still purchase the items.
In Trinidad and Tobago, clothing
stores act as a means of diversifying the economy. Instead of only
being dependent on oil and gas as a means of revenue generation stores such as
clothing stores can be developed across the country as a means to create income
and employment. (Moore 2010). These in turn can them raise the standard of
living as ore persons would be able to afford these “comfort items” that were
explored in the previous post.
For more information on its influence in diversifying
the economy as well as the role that women have in this process, please click
the link below to be re-directed to a newspaper article:
Conclusion:
It
can be seen that clothing stores are a major participant in the functioning in commercial
zones and the city center on a whole. This is as they act as a form a revenue generation
that can be reinvested into the city to aid its development; they attract persons
to the city center by providing a social service as well as being very
convenience to the everyday customer or passerby.
However,
there are many drawbacks to having the stores located in the commercial zones.
One such drawback is its role in encouraging persons to waste money and
allowing some person to marginalize others that cannot afford certain products.
Another drawback is the fact that these
items can be wasted as they are only sold for the period of time that they are
in style for and then sold on discounted prices and then the remainder left in
storage or thrown away.
Likewise,
there are many key factors that allow for the success of clothing stores. These
include the appropriate advertising strategies, the ideal location as well the
use of the store window to attract customers.
Click the link below to read about that
Caribbean Fashion Industry with major reference to Trinidad and Tobago:
References
Answers.com. 2014. "What are the advantages and
disadvantages of a department store?."http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_a_department_store?#slide=14
(accessed 1 Apr 2014).
Balle, Lousie. 2014 "Advantages & Disadvantages of
Having a Clothes & Shoes Store.",
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-having-clothes-shoes-store-10345.html
(accessed 1 Apr 2014).
Bhatia, S.C. 2010.Retail Management.
Atlantic Publishers & Dist., 2008.
Moore, Stacy.2010."Women major
player in economy." Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, 8th August,
2010.
Very interesting take on the relationship between consumerism and the urban area. Also relatable to my blog on the process of urbanisation.
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