Contributed by Tim Brugger, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru

Like any sport, shopping has its ups, downs and points in between.

A lot of the trends we see in shopping are a result of the economy; if people don’t have disposable income it’s going to impact their shopping behavior. But there are other factors too; factors that weigh on how we shop, where we shop and what we’re buying.

So here now, for the benefit of humanity as a whole and shoppers in particular, are the best of latest shopping trends.

Making it yourself

From novice to serious artisans

There have always been those that prefer to do things by themselves, for themselves. The number of artisans/craftspeople has grown to include more people than ever; to the point it can be considered one of the latest shopping trends. And we’re not just talking scrapbooking here, but true works of art. There’s been a resurgence in a lot of areas, stained glass being one of them. This is just one of the options, but you can see why more and more people are taking to the glass arts, among other crafts.

Staying home instead

Fewer nights out

It seems more than ever folks are content with an evening in, and renting or buying the latest movies delivered to your door has become big business. Of course, part of that is a lot of people aren’t real enamored with the notion of mortgaging their home to pay for a family of four to go the theater, and who can blame them? Movies from your cable service are perfect for those who’d rather watch a movie in the comfort of their home, and some of the deals are fantastic.

Waiting for Daily Deals

Discounts for the professional shopper

Another of the latest shopping trends, similar to the discount store concept are the daily deals many stores are offering today. These aren’t just bottom end shops either; some of the latest fashions, gadgets and other assorted goodies can be had for a song if you’re in the right place at the right time. A lot of stores offer different deals depending on the day and time of year. So drop in on a regular basis, you never know what you’ll find.

Shopping online

No more malls

Strictly online, all the time. I won’t bother you with all the numbers, suffice it say the volume of shopping done online is staggering. And the billions and billions (as Carl Sagan would say) of dollars spent continues to rise. Naturally, this has led to internet only shopping easily making our list of latest shopping trends. Without a lot of the overhead these shops are able to offer some great prices on name brand goodies. Avoiding the hustle and bustle of the mall is another benefit for some. Though the pleasure shopping diehards derive from beating the blue haired lady senseless over the last bottle of fragrance will be hard to let go of.

Joining monthly clubs

Expand your horizons

The monthly shopping club has quickly become a great way to pleasantly surprise yourself, not knowing what’s coming down the pike is kind of fun. There are movie shopping clubs, books and wine among others. Let’s take wine for example; you can sign up for different wine club memberships. Each month they’ll send you a couple bottles of premium vintage directly to your door. It’s the not knowing that makes these kind of cool, plus you’re able to sample a host of different wines. You’ll find some you like, and some only so-so but that just adds to the mystique.