What's the future of retail shops?

 

A shop near home

Often I wonder in this era of instant shopping, what would be the future of kutti shops in our locality? How will it stand against the speed and app culture! 

How can a small shop keeper still differentiate in the era of hyper competition from online stores like Swiggy Instamart, Amazon and other online stores?

Other day I was in a mid-sized grocerry store. After picking up few essentials like milk, printing paper, I stood at the checkout counter for billing. While I stood there, waiting for more than 2 minutes or so, I was thinking of this - what if I bought all these from Swiggy Instamart. I wouldn't have to wait so long, nor I had to take the effort of going to their first-floor to pick these items. Also, the time I wasted at the billing counter waiting for my turn!

Well, I'm not a busy professional, per se. However, I often consider my time more valuable than someone who goes to a office to earn their living. So, people like me, or people who in their 20's who are loosing the affinity to go to a physical store, will see all these reasons to skip a physical store. 

So, going with these trend, what special memory or experience can these shops create for a buyer? Is there's a friendly clerk who greets each one in a personal way that makes customer visit the same shop!

However, from my experience, no shop in Trivandrum has given me a sense of belonging or a feeling that I builds loyalty and connection. 


It's time all shop owners really think of some ways to build loyalty, or attachment with the shopping experience? How? 


There could be some meaningful ways to build connection:

1. Make a space where they provide a small counter to keep items made by local chefs, or local biz owners

2. Sell and promote homemade goodies. ( Keep a clear board that these items are made on this date and it will be removed by such and such date)

3. Train check-out clerks to make an eye contact and ask genuine questions to their customers. 

4. Provide free drinks or paid drinks such as curd-milk in small glasses. It could be a way of thanking customers to say that you've taken the effort to visit our shop, now it's our small gesture to thank you! And, have a nice day! 

5. Provide value added services. For example, if they are selling coconut, then provide a service where customer can get it scrapped in the shop, just by paying a small rate.