Mom Stops Shopping

My mother is a great shopper.

Of course, she has many other qualities I appreciate, qualities that are more important in this life. But, over the years I have been a close observer and sometimes benefactress of this particular expertise and I can tell you with confidence: she’s got a gift.

So it was jarring when I received this email from her the other day:

SUBJECT: CHRISTMAS GIFTS

I’ve been thinking that perhaps we should exchange names among ourselves this year…I’m trying to pay attention to my consumption and cut down on unnecessary purchases, reuse bags and save the earth. (Dad says maybe I’m just cheap). I’d like to commit to buying nothing new for a year, except for food and hygiene, but I’m not there mentally yet! Santa would still have stockings for everyone…but there would only be one present for each of us. How do you feel about it???

What’s most striking to me about this email is that it is proof positive that the change in consumerism we have been talking about in marketing meetings and in the media is at hand. Possibly, it’s even bigger than we imagined.

For my mother (and me) shopping has never been solely about consumption. It’s been a cultural event: we’ve found beauty in the most unlikely of places, and then bought it. It’s been an act of love: bonding on shopping trips, comforting each other with gifts. For us, the act of shopping incorporates the thrill of the hunt, the ecstasy of a bargain, the sensual pleasures of sound, touch, smell, and sight…taste reserved for the lunch break. Shopping is a near biological imperative for my mom and me; we are most certainly descended from a mighty strong line of “gatherers.”

Reading this email, I felt a deep sense of pride and admiration. It’s hard to give up something that feeds a need in you, something that–let’s face it–is just plain fun. Of course, I agreed to the proposition wholeheartedly. And I intend to do whatever I can to help her find the strength to achieve her ultimate goal. Though I think that’s something she’s going to have to find within herself. You go, Mom.

The process my mother is going through should be a wake-up call to brands. The message: Make yourself indispensable. It’s going to get tougher to survive the screening process. Consumers are considering their purchases, and it’s not just closet space they’re worried about.

For my mother to make a decision so counter to her DNA, means business. This is about walking away from a personal passion for the greater good. And for every woman out there reassessing her love of shopping against the bigger issues–the economy, the state of the planet, a nagging sense (or absolute certainty) that happiness is not to be found in objects–there are many more who never really liked shopping that much in the first place. They’ve probably already walked away from your 2-for-1s and gifts-with-purchase.