Expressing and defining self and relationships through everyday shopping experiences

Despite a good general understanding of retail patronage behavior, knowledge related to the deeper meanings of shopping is still uncertain. Using phenomenological depth interviews, the authors of this study examine lived shopping experiences. The findings contribute to the theory on shopping by revealing that shopping helps define participants' individual selves, both the constraining self and the liberating self. Shopping also acts as a mechanism for consumers to define and negotiate their relationships with others. These findings are important because much of who consumers are and their relationships with others depend on their shopping experiences. The findings also have significant implications for the development of theory.