What it means: You've seen the perfect designer dress online, at a rock-bottom price, but oh, if only you could try it on before buying, just to make sure your bum doesn't look big in it. Why not pop into your local high-street store and try the same dress on before buying it online? It's called showrooming – checking out the goods in an actual store, then trotting off home to buy the same stuff online at a fraction of the price. Some people don't even wait to get home, but whip out their smartphones in full view of the sales staff, scan the item's barcode, and order it on the spot.
Where it comes from: If retailers notice increased traffic in store, with no corresponding jump in sales, chances are the bricks-and-mortar premises are being used as a handy "showroom" for online shoppers. Recently, US retailers have been up in arms about Amazon's new Price Check app for iPhone and Android, which allows customers to compare prices by snapping a photo, scanning the barcode, or simply saying the name of the item. So next time you hear someone going "Praaaddaaa puuurrrsse" into their iPhone, you'll know they're not crazy, just mad for a bargain.
How to say it:"Jeff still hasn't grasped the showrooming concept – he spent the entire day browsing pound shops."
