With forty malls and an average of forty shops per mall, shopping has become a regional pastime in Gurgaon. During the time of SALE, it becomes an adventure sport fraught with tension, anxiety, calling for speed, agility and lightning reflexes. Since we are in the hub of outsourcing, it is only natural that this activity should lead to a host of ancillary jobs that call for special skills and abilities. Having struggled through shopping without much success, I can think of a few new jobs that need to be created especially during SALE times.
Parking Scout- Parking spaces in Gurgaon are rarer than polar bears in the Thar desert. Imagine the frustration of the avid shopper who has waited in a long queue outside the MGF mall on a hot Sunday morning only to get the Parking Full sign slapped on his face just as he inched into the driveway. The Parking scout will an identify appropriate vacant parking spot in a mall, send you an Alert message on the mobile and quickly plant a ‘This spot has been Taken’ flag in the space, keeping it warm till your car arrives. If not for the scout, you might end up opting for the ‘Buy 1 mop, get 3 Brooms Free’ offer at the Big Bazaar in Sahara Mall instead of landing up at the Debenhams upto 50% off Sale.
Sale Spotter- With a huge variety of Sales at every mall- Happiness Sales, Depression Sales, Spring Sale, Summer Sale, Winter Sale, Off Season Sales and No Reason Sales, the canny but busy shopper cannot possibly know where to head to get the best deals. How foolish you will look when your friend informs you that she got the ‘exact same top’ for which you paid a fortune at a 75% discount at another shop. The Sale Spotter will trawl all the malls and stand alone shops, scan the newspapers and let you know where you can those 4 Hand Knitted Ear Warmers for the price of 1 or buy a pair of nude six inch stilettos at 45% discount and then where to go to buy dress to match with them. You have to make sure that you buy at least ten things you do not need at these sales so that you can justify the fees of a highly qualified Sale Spotter who will provide you with a satisfying shopping experience.
Professional Bag Carrier
Once upon a time, they used to be known as Husbands. These days, the metrosexual men would rather dash to Ed Hardy store or sneak off to the men’s section at Shopper Stop than hang around carrying shopping bags. The dedicated shopper requires a Professional Bag carrier, preferably someone with
long arms, strong back and large reserves of patience who can tote ten shopping bags in each hand and balance the rest on the head. For a little extra fee, the professional bag carrier will make appropriate appreciative noises while he or she is shown the potential purchase and asked “How does this look?”
Trial Room Keeper
One of the biggest frustrations of shopping is rushing to try that Size 10 pair of skinny jeans and finding fifteen people holding three garments each already there at the Trial Rooms. That is when you realize the value of a Trial Room Keeper. The Trial Room Keeper will quickly insert herself into a vacant Trial Room as you enter the shop and wait there pretending to try on clothes while you gather your items. While in the chamber of Horrors, you may sadly realize that you no longer fit into a Size 10 pair of jeans. Then she will be ready with other sizes which will be sneakily passed on to you so that you don’t have to queue up endlessly again. For a little extra fee, she will say “ You have definitely lost weight.” at frequent intervals.
With such services, shopping can be a pleasant leisurely experience. These dedicated workers will ensure that you do not need counseling for post traumatic stress disorder or post purchase dissonance after some retail therapy.
Nirupama Subramanian is a long time Gurgaon resident and the author of the novel- Keep The Change.
