Aloe Blacc stated it perfectly when he said, “We live in an era of consumerism and it’s all about desire based consumerism and it has nothing to do with the things we actually need.” Consumerism is a defining characteristic of our capitalistic society. It is a driver of growing economies and the consumption of goods. To find out about how consumerism and gold are connected I took a field trip to the mall. For some, the mall is a safe haven where one can “shop till you drop.” Filled with many shops and advertisements, the mall portrays a front line for a consumerist culture. The shops are organized in a systematic way to maximize viewership and potential profits.
As part of this project, I went into different shops that sold gold. I wanted to find out how gold was sold, advertised, and secured. The fact that gold is sold in clear cases already sets it apart from many other commodities. When you walk into a jewelry shop, you can’t help but notice how well the shop is laid out. The shop is laid out to maximize the sales potential for each square footage. The aisles between the cases of gold jewelry are wide enough to fit an entire family. Furthermore, when I was at one of the jewelry shops in the mall, I engaged in an enlightening conversation with of the employees. After briefly explaining the details of my project, we discussed how gold is secured. She even told me that a Furman student came to speak with her about 6 years ago and they wanted to know more about the security components and the shop’s layout that would prevent the theft of gold. An example of some of these components are cameras, alarms, and safes. In the first shop I visited, the owner stopped me when I began to take a picture of the gold jewelry in the cases. She told me that because of insurance reasons, she could not let me take a picture of the gold while it is in the case. She did however pull a few gold necklaces out of the case and then I could take a picture of them. Because of this occurrence, I made sure to ask an employee before taking pictures in all the remaining shops I visited.
Another important aspect to consider with consumerism and gold is the role of alternate forms of payment such as credit. Long gone are the days where either debit or cash were the primary forms of payment for gold jewelry. If you look at Photo 1 above, you can see an advertisement for a credit card to buy gold. I took a picture of this advertisement as it was conveniently located on the counter near the register of one of the jewelry shops in the mall. Credit cards have transformed the consumerist culture and have allowed people to buy more commodities by deferring the payments until a later time. Photo 2 depicts the displaying of gold necklaces, but also shows a note that says that there is a 60% off sale for 14-Karat gold. Sales are one example of a marketing strategy that is used not only in the jewelry industry, but in many other commercial industries. Lastly, Photo 3 depicts an advertisement promoting the buying of gold and silver jewelry. Notice how elegant the woman is photographed in the ad, with the close shot of her head, torso and the multiple pieces of jewelry that she is wearing. Also, her clothes are neutral in color, so that the focus remains on the jewelry.
Lastly, how a commodity is sold, secured, and advertised is vital in our consumerist society. Look back to the quote in the 1st sentence of this field journal. We live in an age where our desires are often put 1st before our needs. While gold jewelry is beautiful and elegant, it is not a commodity that is necessary for survival. Gold sellers prey on consumers’ desires and sway people into buying gold jewelry through ads and marketing strategies such as the 60% off sale depicted in Photo 2. Because of the high value of gold, strict security measures are taken to protect gold from theft. Keep in mind that jewelry is just one of the roles gold has in society. Other roles of gold will be featured as well on this website.