Offer shopping, though the term in itself is not self-explanatory but it precisely means that it is the practice of conducting numerous interviews to find the best job offer and then using that offer to demand a rise in the current job, make a switch, or bargain with prospective new employers. While we indulge more into this, there is actually a broad perspective associated with it.
When we go for shopping, it is a cognitive human behavior to actually go through a lot of options and then deciding the best one amongst them. Likewise, a candidate can try out a couple of different options before applying for any particular job. They want to take their time, figure out pros and cons of each job opportunity and then make a call according to their requirements.
Candidates typically use this opportunity to gain confidence for future interviews or to get better employment. When a recruiter spends many hours shortlisting the top candidates and scheduling interviews, it becomes a nightmare when candidates waste their time and have no intention of joining the organization.
As an ending note, when a candidate shop offers, everyone around him suffers. Time, effort, money, resources and trust – all these factors take a backseat.