1 . Do you like to shop online?     1     Maybe you like to do both these things. Smart shoppers know how to use different methods to get the best price.

One common shopper strategy is “showrooming.” This means that customers go into a store, look at the product, talk to a salesperson, and then use their smartphones or other mobile devices to find a better price. “Reverse showrooming” is another strategy.     2     One thing is for certain: shoppers are now using many strategies to get the best price.

The number of online shoppers is rising, but not as fast as retailers (零售商) first thought. People still like to go into stores. Teens especially prefer to shop at the shopping center.     3    

In order to keep customers coming into stores, managers need to train salespeople well. In-store shoppers want salespeople to give them a lot of attention, be polite, and know a lot about the product.

    4     At the top of the list are electronic products. It's easy to research these products and compare prices online.

However, online shopping doesn't work for every product. People prefer to shop for food in a store.     5     But you still need to drive the car. If you're buying a mattress (床垫), online reviews can't tell you if it will be comfortable for you. You still need to go into the store and lie on it.

5 . Italy’s cheap old homes continue to appeal to hundreds of interested buyers, among whom was Roy Patrick, a 67-year-old British who deals in antiques in Italy. Patrick bought an old school house in the mountain village of Carrega for $16,500. It’s both an adventure and a joy.

Patrick bought the property quite by accident. When told about the wonders of the village, he toured there to take a look and was instantly struck by the 1930s school building. “The house is particular and the view is unique: The way the sun goes down over the mountains, you’d say ‘wow’. It’s a fantastic wonderland,” says Patrick.

The property was offloaded by the local government to boost the populations of communities in decline. Since the purchase, he’s been visiting every two weeks and finds it has many charms. “Top of the list is the friendliness of the local residents, followed by the breathtaking views I get out of the windows looking across the valley,” he adds.

Patrick’s initial encounter with his new home was less than promising. He had to climb through a window to open up the building, which had been shut for decades and whose door was jammed, with the keys nowhere to be found.

However, a later structural disaster turned into a positive story. When an unstable chimney (烟囱) collapsed due to a heavy snow, a neighbor volunteered to climb onto his roof to make it safe. The locals are so welcoming that they are ready to help newcomers.

During the restoration needed to make the old school habitable, Patrick unexpectedly unearthed a great many treasures: dusty piles of old text books, inkwells, pupil registers and other historical items.

Patrick has some advice for those with the thought of buying a house in Carrega: There is absolutely nothing, just great views, pure air and clean surroundings. No bars, supermarkets, or restaurants. A vehicle is essential to move around. However, Carrega does spring to life in the summer when vacationers arrive to relax. “There are nights when people throw a party with loud music,” says Patrick. “Otherwise it’s just singing birds and total silence.”

6 . Our economy runs on consumption, especially during the holidays—we as consumers are overwhelmed by emails and ads about the newest holiday gifts. Buying a brand new gift for a loved one, we may feel generous and not feel the environmental impact. But with millions of people doing the same, the resources spent really add up.

Journalist Annalise Griffin recommends people rethink the value of gift-giving and shop in an effective eco-friendly way.

A gift doesn’t have to be expensive, says Griffin. In the holiday shopping rash, it’s easy to forget why we give in the first place. She thinks it’s wise to adopt a more open-minded approach. For instance, pack a gift box with homemade cookies or get the whole family in on the act of paring down by tie-dyeing（扎染）white clothes from a local secondhand store. They may not be pricey but the love behind it counts.

As for green shopping, Griffin practices her way of buying used items instead of new ones. She mentions several websites and online communities where people can buy, give away or trade secondhand items. Her go-to for shopping for clothes and housing items include the more familiar eBay and Poshmark. For vintage（复古）goods, she recommends shopgoodwill. com.

Whether we’re making a commitment to cutting out extra spending or showing concern for the environment, it’s vital to share our ideas with the loved ones. It may be hard to convince a teenager not to buy the latest iPhone, so having these conversations early on can go a long way.

7 . 2021 Holiday Shopping Guide

Many Americans say they are reading more, according to a survey from market research firm Statista. Amazon’s “Find a Gift” section makes shopping there even easier, but independent booksellers are working hard to keep up, offering sidewalk pickup and sometimes even free shipping, and they’re known for offering booklovers personalized, thoughtful recommendations. Find a store near you at indiebound.org.

Bikes were one of the hottest items of the past year, thanks in part to closed gyms around the country. In fact, for months, specialty shops were sold out of all but the priciest specialty rides, so if a two-wheeler tops your wish list, start shopping soon, before supplies come short again. If you’re not particularly handy, look to buy from a locally owned shop, where you can get a bike that’s already fixed together rather than a box full of parts.

Also in short supply this year: hand weights, kettlebells, and other popular workout items. They may still be hard to find or crazy expensive, so consider other health helpers such as exercise bands or jump ropes or shopping at less-obvious suppliers, such as T. J. Maxx, supermarkets, or even Home Depot, where we found such items in a variety of bright colors.

It’s always a good time to learn something new. You can get a virtual seat in a class with a top professional in a variety of fields, such as ballet with famous dancer Misty Copeland, fiction writing with children's novelist R. L. Stine, or scientific thinking with Neil deGrasse Tyson. Find them and other pros at masterclass.com, which charges $180 per series.

From her home in Dubai, Erica Shaw logs onto GoNabit.com, one of the     1    (new) group-buying websites in the Gulf region. “Well, first thing in the morning, I usually do check and see    2    I have any emails or texts from the night before, just     3    (see) what the deal of the day is.”

The mother of three is just one of the many people in the region     4    (take) advantage of online group-buying that’s all the rage(时尚). It’s not only a way of saving money,     5    also introducing you to a lot of the new facilities that     6    (offer)here in Dubai. Group-buying is a     7    (recent) developed shopping strategy originating in China. Several people connect over the Internet. The group then agrees to purchase    8    item or a service and benefit by paying less. The business benefits by selling multiple items     9    once. Similar group-buying sites have popped up in Europe and America. Even though these websites     10    (be) up and running for a few years, here in the Middle East it’s a fairly new phenomenon.