One stop shop

A ‘one-stop-shop’ is a business model that has become commonplace. The theory is that, by providing many services in one place, shops can offer customers the convenience of obtaining their needs in one stop. This is especially cost-effective for grocery retailers who, by providing large supermarkets, have been able to absorb most of the custom that used to be served by specialist suppliers.

Large supermarket chains have expanded from selling food and now provide virtually all the shopping that domestic customers might want – clothes, pharmacy, music etc. This type of retailing has benefited from the increased busyness of families who have two working parents and from the diminishing availability of parking spaces in town centres, which have become a common feature of most western societies.

The term originated in the USA in the late 1920s, early 1930s. The earliest I can find is this advert for a car repairer, from The Lincoln Star, Lincoln, Nebraska, February 1930. They managed to sum up what the term was all about in their strapline – “Have it all done in one place. Save your time. Save your money “.

Of course, in modern times the one stop shop to surpass all others is www.amazon.com.

Other ‘One‘ phrases:

One-hit wonder
One fell swoop – At
One for the road
One foot in the grave
One over the eight
One sandwich short of a picnic
One small step for man
One swallow doesn’t make a summer