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shopper's block n. The inability to think of a suitable present for a particular person. Also: shoppers' block.

Example Citations:
With luck and a fake case of chicken pox, the desperate writer can finesse a deadline extension. For anyone struggling to overcome shopper's block during the holiday season, however, there can be no hope of getting Jesus Christ's birthday postponed.
—Patricia Marx, "Santa Secrets: What to get your nearest and dearest," The New Yorker, December 11, 2006

The merchants also offer a night geared toward helping some men break their last-minute holiday shopping habits. The event includes refreshments, hors d'oeuvres, music and free gift wrapping. But most important, for a month before the event, store clerks can file away wish lists, and personal shoppers will be on hand during Men's Night Out to assist those who suffer from shoppers' block.
—Leila Atassi, "Downtowns, centers vie for shoppers," Plain Dealer, November 15, 2006

Earliest Citation:
If you tend to get "shopper's block," consider a personal message, a chunk of time spent together, or a phone call as possibly "the best present."
—Carol Krucoff, "Making Sense Of Money Madness," The Washington Post, December 6, 1982

Related Words:
retail anthropology
secret shopper
shopping boyfriend
spending fast

Subject Categories:
Business - Retail
Science - Diseases and Syndromes

Posted on December 19, 2006 at 6:39 AM


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