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The customer is queen
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What clicks, what doesn't? TINA GARG scours the big malls and friendly neighbourhood stores in the city to find out what keeps customers happy
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Yuppies and entire families go weekend-shopping at malls and lifestyle stores because everything's under one roof. — AFP
A FRIEND recently cribbed about how she had excitedly packed old clothes and headed off to a mega store on Hosur Road, to buy new stuff at a discount of Rs. 500 in exchange for the old clothes. Much to her chagrin, the salesperson told her she would have to make one purchase compulsorily, after which she would be entitled to use the exchange offer. And every item in the section shown to her was priced at a minimum of Rs. 2,500. She didn't make the purchase. Returning home in a huff, she fumed: "I'm never going to shop at that store again."
Just another miffed customer, you think. How many times have you come away feeling a bit cheated because the small print was either too small or was invisible? And if this frequently happens, why do people still want to shop?
"A reliable name, good selection and quality," says Ms. Sharma, a regular at Nalli Silks for the last 20 years. She swears by the assured quality of saris and their fixed prices. She doesn't fret about the colour or design if she knows a sari has been bought from there. "Even when I didn't live in the South, I would ask someone visiting here to bring me a sari from Nalli, without ever worrying about the quality of the item," she says.
Many sari stores thrive on reputation. A few others are Prasiddhi, Shantala Silks, Deepam and Mysore Silk Udyog. For most customers it's either good "value for money" or the "unparalleled range" that draws them during special occasions and festivals.
While most Bangaloreans prefer to shop at markets like Gandhi Bazaar and Chikpet, the attraction of the mall culture is undeniable. With higher disposable incomes, one now finds yuppies and entire families weekend-shopping at the large lifestyle stores and malls because "everything is under one roof". Sharan Shetty, Operations Manager, Shopper's Stop, saysL "The ambience of the store, parking facility, large number of brands and a wide selection of merchandise are very important to shoppers today."
Some malls have gone a step ahead and introduced crèches and children's play areas so that mothers can shop without hassles. Call it a boon or a bane, shopping at mega stores comes with an added factor: help from customer service executives. "It depends on what you're looking for," says Preeti, who shops only at a large store on Airport Road. She collects a number of points on each visit, which she later reimburses against other purchases. "Often I find salespersons to be a nuisance at this store, with a couple of them asking you at every stage if they can help you with something. Sometimes you know what you're looking for and don't want to be bothered at all!" she says irritably.
Specialist stores have their loyal clientele.
The store sure seems to have retained this customer because of its loyalty program. But take a second look. Each customer receives a reimbursement voucher for Rs. 50, only when s/he buys something for Rs. 1,000 or more. While some mega stores allow you to become a member on payment a small sum, others expect you to cough up at least Rs. 2,500 to join their member benefits programme.
Newer stores on the lines of K-Mart and Wal-Mart are fast becoming popular too. With small margins, these stores believe in economies of scale and are popular for their extensive range of merchandise and good value for money. Some of them also offer bargains and exchange offers and this has brought in customers by droves. Festive discounts, special offers, promotions, end-of-season-sales and exchange schemes are something that the Indian consumer will lap up.
Still, varied buying patterns exist. Some people tend to scour the market while others stick to one branded store. Women usually don't change their grocer because of the lack of personal attention in supermarkets. Ordering over telephone is not so common (the internet being even less) either. The ever-increasing competition amidst local supermarkets has only ensured that customers are happy with fabulous discounts, free home delivery, packaged vegetables and other such benefits.
At the other end of the spectrum is Namdhari's Fresh at Indiranagar, a store that offers packaged, high quality, organic fruits and vegetables at higher prices. "Bargains don't always work as the produce may not always be fresh. Customers are willing to pay one or two rupees more as long as they are assured of quality. Also, what they appreciate here is that we give them free replacement for any item that they may not be satisfied with," says Vasundhara, the store manager.
Where home appliances and furniture are concerned, exchange offers, zero-interest loans and monthly instalments still draw in customers. Customers also visit the smaller boutiques and stores for a unique and personalised selection that mega stores can't offer. Marwah, an NRI, walked into a little antiques store off Commercial Street. She loved a painting there but wasn't carrying the cash to pay for it. "I was really surprised when the owner asked me to take it home and send the cash later," she says. She was really touched by the trust that the owner had placed in a stranger, but what she did not realise is that the little shop had won a customer for life.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
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Kochi
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