How does shopping in small local shops differ from shopping in large city centre shops?
To successfully tackle this essay question, you must first understand the key differences between shopping in small local shops versus large city centre shops.
Start by making a list of potential differences, such as:
- the shopping experience
- variety and selection of goods
- pricing
- personalized service
(See below for more!)
Once you have a comprehensive list, delve deeper into each point, providing specific examples and drawing upon personal experiences if possible.
Organize your thoughts clearly and logically, ensuring each point flows seamlessly into the next.
Remember, also try to analyze and explain why these differences exist.
And don’t forget to include an introduction and conclusion in your essay.
How would you answer this IELTS Writing Task 2 question?
IELTS Writing Task 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic:
Nowadays there is an increasing trend of big shopping centres opening up while small shops are closing down. What are the advantages or disadvantages of big shopping centres versus small local shops?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
IELTS Essay Sample Answer
The emergence of large out-of-town mega-malls has resulted in many smaller local neighborhood stores being forced to close as consumers become accustomed to doing nearly all their shopping in one large convenient location rather than at a selection of smaller specialist outlets in their town centre or local community. This trend offers both benefits and drawbacks.
Firstly, the opening of large supermarkets and shopping malls on the outskirts of a town or city drives consumers out of the town centre, typically to the suburbs. This has the advantage that the town centre is less congested by traffic and the need for parking spaces is reduced. High streets typically become more environmentally friendly and easier for those people who wish to stroll through such areas or visit for reasons other than shopping. Furthermore, large out-of-town shopping malls offer greater convenience for shoppers; allowing them to visit several retail outlets in one location and quite possibly satisfy all their needs for products such as food, clothes, and other consumables.
The major drawback to driving shoppers away from the town centre is that traditional local retail outlets such as butchers, bakers, and cafes are adversely impacted by this loss of foot traffic in the town centre. They also face price pressure as large-scale supermarkets and retail outlets often offer more competitive pricing based on their large-scale operations. This can lead to the closure of many small neighborhood stores and a degradation of the local community in some cases.
However, smaller specialist shops often provide a service that is more personalized and in some cases offer products not available in the larger retail outlets – in effect they cater more to niche markets than mass consumerism. Therefore, a more diverse range of smaller stores can be found within the town centre than the limited big brand names typically found in large shopping malls. Many smaller shops are also family businesses that have a long history in the community and therefore add value for residents in terms of social cohesion.
Overall, both small stores and large shopping centres offer different benefits to shoppers. Whether a shopper chooses to visit their local neighborhood retail outlets or drive out of town will very much depend on the type of products they want to buy.
Is Bigger Better?
Advantages and Disadvantages of Shopping centres Versus Local Shops
It's a trend that is happening all around the world: people are choosing to shop in big shopping centres rather than small local shops.
Some people believe that big shopping centers are better than streets shops, and the advantages of shopping at a large mall far outweigh any disadvantages they might see.
Others say that there is nothing like the experience of walking into an independently owned store and interacting with someone who knows everything about their product or service.
The debate will likely continue for years to come and include the impact online shopping is having on both big shopping centres and small local shops.
But here we'll explore some advantages and disadvantages of both types of stores so you can include them in your essay.
Reasons people like big shopping centres/malls
- They are easier to navigate and find what you're looking for
- There's more variety of stores
- It's possible to buy pretty much anything imaginable there
- You don't have to worry about parking
- The mall has everything from food courts, movie theaters, and children's play areas
- The shopping experience is more luxurious
- There's one central location where you can get everything
- You don't need to drive to different stores in your town
- There is something for everyone
Why people prefer small local shops
- You know the people who work there - they're your neighbors
- Shops are often more specialized, and you can find items that big shopping centres don't carry
- Shopping is an experience; it's a social thing to do with friends or family members
- Local shops are generally cheaper than malls
What do local shops offer that large shopping centres can't
- It depends on the person. For some, it might be that they've shopped at their local store for decades and would feel weird going to a mall instead
- For others, it's about the experience of walking through a small town or city where everything is locally owned.
What kinds of small shops are popular? And not found in malls?
- Antique stores
- Specialized clothing boutiques and vintage clothing stores
- Unique restaurants, coffeehouses, bars, pubs, and bakeries
- Specialty bookstores with rare and out-of-print volumes
- Artisanal shops for handmade goods like candles, soaps, and jewelry
- Stores specializing in locally sourced food and produce, also known as farmers markets
- Specialized tea and spice shops offering unique blends
How does shopping in small local shops differ from shopping in large city centre shops? or What is the difference between a small shop and a large shop?
- Going to a shopping mall or large shops in town is different because small local shops are often walkable. But to get to most large malls or shopping centres, you need to drive or use public transport.
- When in a mall or large shop, you're likely to be surrounded by people who are strangers.
- Going to your small store is different because it might be part of an experience like exploring or looking for something interesting.
- Large shops and malls typically offer a wider variety of products due to their size and scope.
- Small shops often provide a more personalized, intimate shopping experience, with greater emphasis on customer service.
- Shopping in a large city centre store can offer amenities like food courts, entertainment spaces, and restrooms, enhancing the overall shopping experience.
- Small shops, while often lacking in such amenities, offer unique, local, or handmade items that are not available in larger stores.
- Large shops generally have longer operational hours, catering to a broader range of shopper schedules.
- Navigating large shops can be more complex due to their size, whereas small shops are easy to navigate.
- Small shops contribute directly to the local economy and community, while large city centre shops are often part of larger corporations.
Is service better in large shops or in small shops?
Generally, smaller, local stores can offer a unique experience and friendlier service.
The shopping experience for both is very similar in many cases, but it depends on the individual people’s preference.
Shopping malls usually have more variety of shops and products than independent stores do.
However, if you are looking for a specific product that can only be found in an independent store, then visiting a mall may be disappointing.
One of the advantages of big shopping centres is that they often have a greater variety and number of products.
For example, small shops can't offer such an extensive range of clothing as large stores like H&M or Zara because they are not able to carry a wide range due to space constraints.
How do large shopping malls affect small local businesses?
Large malls have had a significant impact on small shops. Big malls are inexpensive to run due to the size of the building and don't require many staff members or employees.
However, smaller stores can be expensive if you want high-quality customer service.
Large shopping malls will probably stay open for longer than smaller local shops that have limited resources.Modern malls are also typically set up in a way where they can bring in larger numbers of customers from the surrounding areas, which means more profit for them and lower prices for consumers to buy items.
What is the biggest advantage of small shops?
A small shop owner knows their customers and therefore can provide more personalized customer service.
This in turn means that they tend to have higher loyalty rates among customers than those of larger retailers or shopping centres that do not know the individual needs of each customer.
What is the biggest disadvantage of big shopping malls?
The biggest disadvantage is the potential lack of personalized service.
With a larger store, the retailer is unable to provide as much personalized service.
However, this can be mitigated by creating departments that are more specialized.
These can serve particular customer groups better so that customers have certain sections of the store where they know how to find what they want while still being able to get help from team members at any time.
Also, shopping centres have other disadvantages as well. They are usually farther away from residential areas than small shops so they may be more difficult for some people to get to by public transport or on foot.
In the future, will e-commerce replace malls and small shops?
Mall traffic has declined in recent years as more shoppers turn to e-commerce sites for their purchases.
Shopping online has become more popular, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic has increased travel restrictions.
For consumers, online shopping is often the only way to acquire certain products (i.e., electronics) or brands (i.e., Nike). In addition, convenience stores like Amazon Prime Now offer next-day deliveries in select cities.
However, online shopping is not without disadvantages. Products are often sold at a higher price when purchased online, and individual consumers may have less control over the quality of products that they purchase (i.e., counterfeit goods).
In conclusion, shopping centres offer a wider selection of goods and services, while smaller shops are often more tailored to the tastes of individual customers.
But online shopping may be the future of retail and consumers should consider the advantages and disadvantages of shopping centres versus local shops when deciding how to spend their money.
How does online shopping affect local economies if stores close down?
In the past ten years, there has been an increase in large shopping centres and small local shops closing down.
This trend is likely caused by online shopping which makes it easier for people to purchase goods without ever leaving their home or office.
These changes affect not only the sales of businesses but also how money flows into a community's economy and local employment.
One real concern is that if the trend continues, it will make buying goods more expensive and difficult for those who cannot afford to shop online.