The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word BUYERS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
B
U
Y
E
R
S
More clues leading to the result BUYERS
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Shoppers" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case shoppers = buyers.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BUYERS mean?
BUYERS noun- A person who makes one or more purchases.
- (retailing) A person who purchases items for resale in a retail establishment.
- A person who purchases items consumed or used as components in the manufacture of products.