A shopaholic with fond memories

I have to admit that I am a bit of a shopaholic. When I was a teenager, stores such as Tammy Girl, Top Shop, Miss Selfridge and C&A were the go-to shops for me and my friends.

We would spend hours in the town center, gossiping and spending our money from our part-time gigs, buying the latest accessories such as clothes, shoes and a new outfit for a party.

Even through university and beyond, I visited brands such as Top Shop, Oasis, Warehouse and department stores such as House of Fraser and Debenhams. They were prominent on the high street and in shopping centers.

The years went by, Amazon came along and so did a lot of other e-commerce stores such as ASOS, which became big names in the world of online shopping.

The likes of online retailers Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing dominated the clothing market with discounted prices, attracting younger shoppers in the e-commerce boom. Some industry experts feel that is the reason many brick and mortar stores failed to keep up.

Although I embrace online shopping, I still love the idea of going into a physical store with my friends, touching items, trying on clothes, and seeing a product in person because it is quite different from what you see online.

It’s quite sad to hear that shops I grew up with are closing and will no longer exist in town and city centers. E-commerce will go from strength to strength as more people become comfortable with digital technology.

Going out shopping with my friends was part of my growing up years. I still get a kick out of it, so I hope the high street is not gone forever and stores will be able to survive.