The "in-convenience store" - a new retail concept.

In North America, retailers make a concerted effort to ensure that they can ensnare the greatest number of shoppers at any given time. Store hours are geared towards when people are free to shop. In fact, given the ever changing nature of the work force, more and more stores seem to be open longer and longer. The majority of stores in Vancouver's downtown core for example, are open 7 days a week. Wine can be purchased at specialty stores on Sundays and holidays untill 11pm. Grocery stores like "Urban Fare", are open from 6am till midnight, every single day.

In Olso, there appears to be a very different philosophy at work. Shop hours in general, fall between 10am and 5pm during the week, with shopping centers typically open a little longer. As I recently discovered, stores geared towards children’s wear can be found open between the hours of 11am-3pm, but not Sunday, or Monday and perhaps not Tuesday.  On Saturday stores typically close at 3pm. The majority of stores that one might find useful and/or pleasing to be in, are not open on Sundays...at all....ever. 

Now beer IS conveniently sold in grocery stores. However after 5pm one may only look at the beer. One may not actually purchase any beer. It is important to note that the beer must be paid for by 5pm.  If one is in an especially long queue and arrives at the POS (retail acronym for "Point of Sale") at 5:01pm,  one will, unfortunately be SOL¹.

One can only surmise that the inconvenience perceived by non-Norwegians is in fact, the workings of a very sophisticated marketing strategy. The fact that one cannot buy the object of one’s desires only increases one's desire for that object. I, for one, am proof of the success of this methodology. Though not a beer drinker at heart, should I happen to find myself near the front of a grocery line at 4:55pm on any given day, I feel compelled to buy beer - just in case, but mostly, because I can. 

This is truly "impulse buying" at its best.

A side benefit, to the limited shopping hours, is the potential for improving one's cardiovascular health. Running and walking are already very popular activities in Oslo. At 2:50pm on Saturdays however, many Oslovians partake in what I have named the "Vinmonopolet Sprint". From every conceivable direction, in every neighborhood, at approximately 2:50pm, Oslovians can be seen sprinting, often in groups, full out in the direction of the nearest Vinmonopolet (translation "Liquor store"). The winners are rewarded with a nice bottle of wine or other alcoholic bevvie of their choosing. 

The losers are seen sprinting towards, where else - the nearest grocery store.

1 For a definition of this acronym go to http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=S.O.L.