The Virtual Shopping Mall People buy things, items, for different reasons. They buy the products because they need them or just because they want them. People go shopping: they look around at different stores to find good deals. They 'comparison-shop.' In other words, they look at the same product in several stores or from several manufacturers. Then they choose to purchase the best products for themselves—their favorite ones or the ones with the lowest prices. However, many people shop because they enjoy shopping. They like to walk through stores looking at products. They think about the products, and sometimes they buy them. Today shoppers have many ways that they can go shopping. People used to go to the local market to do their shopping. They went from store to store to find the products that they wanted or needed. At the meat market, customers bought meat, and at the bakery, they purchased bread. At the department store, consumers looked at the attractive' displays in the windows and on the racks. They bought television sets and VCRs at the appliance store. Shoppers went from store to store comparing the products and the prices. Then they made their decisions, and they bought items. They shopped for other products in other stores, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, or flower shops. The owners of the stores advertised their products to compete for business. In small towns, shoppers may still shop this way. Now, however, shoppers have several choices when they want to purchase products. They may go to the shopping mall, where there are many stores in the same place under the same roof. They can park their cars in the large parking lot and do all their shopping in one stop. Also, they probably study newspaper advertisements in the morning before they go to the mall. The ads inform. them about special sales, or bargains. In the newspaper, sometimes these shoppers find discount coupons for special sales. They are ready to make rational decisions about their purchases. The shopping mall is very convenient for many people. On the other hand, other consumers shop by mail. They get catalogs and advertising flyers from manufacturers in their mailboxes. At home, they look at the displays of items on the pages in the catalogs. The catalogs show colorful pictures of the products. There are also written descriptions of the items. These descriptions tell the buyer about the materials in the product, the sizes, the colors, and the prices. The consumers analyze the products and make decisions. Then they mail their orders to the manufacturer, or they use the telephone to place their orders. Shopping by catalog is another convenient way for the consumer to go shopping. Modern technology has added other ways for people to shop. Shoppers can now shop for products and services from their homes. On their television sets, viewers can choose a shopping channel. These channels are like catalogs on TV. For example, shoppers see models wearing the clothes or jewelry. They can watch a salesperson demonstrate a video camera. Or they can see a salesperson cook a meal on a special kind of kitchen appliance. The products seem to come alive and be real, not just pictures on a page in a catalog. It is easy to purchase the items. The buyers order the items by calling a number on the telephone and giving their credit card numbers. Sometimes the buyer can pay for the item in several installments. The business sends the product to the consumer through the mail. Many buyers are vulnerable because it is so easy to shop this way. They use their credit cards quickly, and soon they have large bills to pay. Another way shoppers use technology is on their computers. They use ecommerce. Using a computer, they shop for products and services across the country and around the world. People use computers to help them keep track of their money. For example, they do their banking an