They have learned that customers will gladly pay more for products that are unique, well designed, innovative and well displayed. They have learned that their targeted customer places a high value on their time and will not allow it to be wasted. These merchants understand that there are “category killers” or “big boxes” in virtually every phase of retail that will appeal to a certain percentage of potential customers. What they also understand is that there is a healthy percentage of potential customers that are turned off by the promise of mass retailing. This customer wants to see product in a comfortable setting with correct lighting. They want to hear relaxing background music – not a public address system with frequent ads mixed into the rotation. They want to work with a sales professional that is professionally dressed and groomed – not by someone wearing an apron with a collection of service pins attached to it to prove that they are “trained”. They want to have their purchase properly handled and placed into their car for them – not be forced to use a self-service kiosk “for your convenience”! They want to feel that what they have to say matters and that their business is valued. They are getting this feeling from their other favorite stores. Would they get the same feelings from yours? As the saying goes, “when they say that one size fits all – what they really mean is that
one size fits nobody!” The mass marketers have adapted a “one size fits all” philosophy. A customer at their store must comply with their systems and policies. While this works for these retailers at their scale, don’t mistakenly think that it will work for you as well. What works well for commodity products will not work as well for fashionable ones. Remember that your potential customer doesn’t care if one size fits everyone else, their size is the only one that matters to them, and it has to fit them perfectly! The odds of them finding this level of service at a mass merchant are remote, giving independent retailers a great opportunity to prosper. Spend less time worrying about what these national stores do, and more time focusing on the things that a fashion driven customer desires that they don’t do well. Find what your customer wants and then strive to see that they get it. When you place your primary focus on making a more discriminating customer happy, their favorable reviews and continued patronage will make you happy in return!
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