After the lapse of a couple of years, the streets seem to be bustling with shoppers, malls are full of people, shops are alit, public places dazzle with Christmas lights and festivity is definitely in the air. Since we may be a bit out of practice and rusty in our etiquette as shoppers, I thought I would pen down some thoughts before embarking on a spree myself.
01.Get Going
If there used to be ten people who had to put up with your absent minded dawdle on a regular day, take note that hundreds of them would have to do so these days if you choose to dawdle. For goodness sake, people have stuff to get done, forward, sideways, up or down, does not matter – just get going.
02.Keep Entrances, Exits and Aisles Clear
If you need to text someone, fetch your phone out of the bag or simply stop to gather your wits, there is nothing on earth stopping you from doing so – please do go ahead. However, make sure that you know exactly where you are pausing. Look around to see whether you could unintentionally block another’s path. If so, move up a few yards and get to a corner that does not bother people.
The same theory applies to your cart – it need not sit smack bang in the middle of other people’s strides. Get it to a side if you need time at a shelf.
03.Don’t Hog the Fit On Queues
Having someone fetch the next size of an item once you go into the fit on room is not a crime, but some people seem to have a side kick who carries another cart full of clothes and hands them in one by one. Each fit on room has a designated number of pieces for multiple reasons; one being the duration taken inside the fit on room. Please don’t try to try on everything that is in store – save some styles for another day.
04.Return Items to Shelves
After picking an item up from a shelf or a rack, return it to the same shelf or rack unless it is going in to your cart. Don’t leave things dropping around on other shelves and sections.
05.Leave Your Bags at the Parcel Counter
There is hardly enough room for the people in each shop without everyone bringing in a bag of their own or worse, multiple bags. If there are other groceries or parcels with you, leave them at the luggage counter and pick them up on your way out.
06.Don’t Snatch
Hold your cool and greed amidst the bargains and deals that send you berserk. Let others see and take; if you miss the last item, well, you miss the last item. If you really need it badly for some genuine reason, you could try politely asking the person who picked the last item whether you could have it. Do understand that the first mover advantage is a law of the world and if you came too late, it is a part of life and you need to let it go.
07.Stay Out if You are Not Shopping
Help everyone and sit still in the lobby or foyer if you are only there for moral support. There is no room for lazy window shoppers these days. If your opinion is needed for a purchasing decision, go to the shopping floor only when the decision is to be made. Also. please don’t hasten the shopper just because you are getting bored – you are old enough to keep yourself entertained with a book or your phone.
08.Address Your Issues Quietly
If you have a complaint or suggestion, speak to the manager or an employee one to one on a side. Don’t hold up queues, don’t create a commotion that is unpleasant for others and be done with it as soon as possible. Your concern is valid and important, get it due attention without drawing everyone’s attention away from everything else that is going on in this world.
If you see or hear of any other misdeeds while shopping this season, be sure to report them to fullofetiquette@gmail.com. Mind your own etiquette as Santa is making his list and checking it twice these days.
Full of Etiquette 
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