Consumption Rituals In Historical Bazaars: Bedesten (Covered Bazaar) In Konya

The consumption activity which began with the existence of human and is increasing as production increases has become a social phenomenon, shaped by some social inducements such as pleasure, taste, fashion, advertising, and etc. rather than need. From individual characteristics of a person to his psychological state, from financial situation to the social environment, many factors have been influential in shaping the consumption habits. Changing daily life, expansion of the domain of mass media and the impact of popular culture developed accordingly have increased this process and led to a change in the consumption habits of individuals. The perceptions and values changing with the community structure have also changed the meanings that people give to the concept of consumption and led to the formation of consumption rituals differentiating between generations. The concept described as a traditional bazaar culture involves a consumption behaviour shaped by the needs and realized within the bounds of possibility. Economic and social developments especially in the last 30 years have led to changes in the consumption habits, as well. Shopping centres have become more common, brands and fashion concepts are brought to the fore and the consumption phenomenon is excluded from being a situation of meeting a need. With social impositions that have increased accordingly, desires and likes have taken precedence over need. While these factors alienating people from traditional bazaar culture turn shopping centres into cathedrals of consumption, they have also changed the consumption habits of people and have turned the consumption into a lifestyle beyond the fact of meeting a need In the study carried out in order to determine the reflections of the evolution of the consumption concept on historical bazaars, we negotiated with the shopkeepers operating in Bedesten Bazaar (Covered Bazaar) in Konya and gathered information on their customers’ old and new consumption habits and the effect of this situation on their commercial functions. Today, differentiated consumer habits are directly related to the changing social, cultural and individual structure and this situation affects the works of the shopkeepers of Bedesten (Covered Bazaar) who fail to meet the consumer expectations. However, when we take the efforts that the shopkeepers have made in order to keep up with the change and meet the consumers’ expectations into consideration, it is seen that there is a positive estimation that they will continue to keep the traditional bazaar culture alive.