Changing lifestyles, consumer tastes, preferences, and economic factors are causing major shifts in shopping and eating styles around the world. In France, for example, cafes and bistros considered an intrinsic part of French tradition and culture are gradually giving way to more elegant and upscale restaurants and pubs, leaving veterans and loyalists distraught. The French government is trying to maintain these quaint landmarks that over the years have become as much a part of French tradition and customs as roadside inns are a part of the English countryside, by providing government subsidies and tax breaks. .
The saying goes that “change is the only constant”, but in reality the human mind does not accept changes calmly for a number of reasons, it longs to maintain the old order and in most cases such attachments are only emotional. and they are not driven by any other. material benefit. People hold good memories, a sense of comfort, unity and habituation with the old order and tend to see any external influence or change as an aberration. There has been a lot of talk for quite some time that small mom-and-pop neighborhood stores would soon give way to large chain stores and supermarkets. This hasn’t gone down well with traditional buyers who see it as the end of an old experience.
Will the small grocery stores and stores be replaced by the big brands like Wal-Mart, Mark & Spencer’s, Food World, etc.? The answer is both, yes and no. It is certainly a fact that the big supermarket chains are spreading their wings like never before and entering even the small towns and countryside, and in many countries like India, the big trading houses of totally unrelated origins and foreign companies they are entering the high-profit retail business hoping to grab their piece of the pie. As in any business, size does have important advantages over the competition and these large establishments are undoubtedly giving traditional merchants moments of anxiety. Buyers, especially teenagers and young people who represent a good percentage of the business, are the main segment attracted by these modern points of sale. Large supermarket chains naturally have great deals, centralize their purchases, and get better deals with suppliers due to their high volumes. In some countries, such as India, they pass a portion of this advantage on to customers as price discounts, a business strategy that small merchants view as unfair because they cannot reduce their bottom line in this way. Large supermarkets can also offer freebies and exclusive price deals by taking advantage of their size and turnover. In many cases, small stores have moved or, in the worst case, simply closed, unable to cope with the power of these big players when they open up around the corner.
Interestingly, it is not the retailers who are worried about the imminent threat that supermarkets pose to them, but also a good part of the consumers who are upset by the phasing out of the friendly local store with which they are so familiar. They feel much more comfortable buying their stuff from the friendly local shopkeeper, having a chat with him instead of these big impersonal outlets which they feel are loud, loud and full of pageantry as well as depriving smallholders of their livelihood.
While it is commendable that the French government is coming to the aid of cafe and bistro owners, it is debatable whether the government should spend its time and resources protecting losers in what is essentially the result of market forces in action. While one may greatly miss the disappearance of the small shops and even equate them with the disappearance of a remnant of the old world, we cannot get past the fact that they are commercial entities and not national monuments and need to survive on their own strength or disappear. in the face of negative market forces working against it, and there is little the government can do about it.
Small shops don’t have a chance to stay? How serious is the threat from the big players? Will they be completely extinct before the turn of the century?
While the threat from supermarkets and chain stores is real, and there have been cases of small stores closing their doors after a neighborhood store opened, the fact remains that small stores will still be around after all. , the market is as much as the sea where small fish coexist with sharks and whales, they are gobbled up from time to time but they do not completely disappear from the scene. Small traders need to realize that if they cannot cope with the financial might of the big players, they might as well fight back with their ingenuity and imagination.
1. They could use their small size and familiarity with the local population to their advantage to extend a highly personalized and warm service.
2. Have a store instantly pick up your monthly shopping list from neighborhood homes and have your stuff delivered to your door at no cost.
3. Creating a friendly environment by reserving a small portion in the shop where locals can gather and read the paper, discuss, exchange local gossip or watch TV while being served coffee or tea and cookies at home and keeping busy. conversation. Go beyond a store: a local, friendly, family meeting point.
4. Specialize in selling local favorites like fresh cheese or local produce that the big players may not stock.
Such personalization would go a long way in creating a strong bond and affinity with the locals; retain them as loyal customers and help small retailers hold their own against the onslaught of big brand name supermarkets.