Back in The States, big-name grocery stores are everywhere; Every town would at least have a Kroger, Fresh Thyme, Whole Foods, or even a big enough Walmart to accommodate different grocery needs. However, where I live in Malaysia faces an issue of having many competing grocery stores that fit very similar needs in a very concentrated area. To ease my fellow Malaysian (or even Singaporean) readers facing the same problems of deciding where to go (and stick to), here are 5 fundamental signs your neighborhood grocer is the one for your needs. (This applies to those who aren't extremely price elastic).
1: Great Customer Service.
As a consumer, feeling appreciated makes me want to visit the store again over other stores where I feel like grocery shopping is another boring part of my life. Despite another store selling some similar products for 5 cents less, I would continue visiting a store I feel appreciated because friendly staff make my life just a bit more special. Also, it would be great if I could get answers to questions or assistance to aid my shopping experience promptly which would really take a lot of weight off my lethargic mind.
2: An Effective Loyalty Program.
We've all heard of loyalty programs from almost every store we shop at. However, some stores I've been to has a loyalty program to collect points but reach a dead end when the question of "so what?" pops up. The main objective is to get consumers loyal to the brand and bring additional benefits like cooking recipes and guides to elevate their lifestyle with goods from the store. It's a really simple but important way to get more for less.
3: Cleanliness is kept.
A clean store gives one the impression of quality and how much an establishment cares about their customers. Imagine walking into someone's home and its dirty and out of place, you'll probably feel like leaving as soon as possible especially when the world is infested with this disease.
4: Wide Product Range.
When I walk into a grocery store, my aim would be to get as many thing as I can that will fulfill my household needs and come back again when I need more next time. However, a store that's not well stocked would mean I would have to drive around looking for goods elsewhere which would mean I have to spend unnecessarily more on fuel and time. Hence, when an establishment has everything I need to fulfill my grocery needs, that's where I'll be.
5: Proper shelf organization.
Shelf organization is so important, especially when a grocery store is packed with goods. Proper shelf organization would also eliminate a few key problems that seem small, but would make a huge "make or break" change. First, proper organization eliminates pricing confusion when price tags border other products next to each other. Second, it also reduces the risk of putting bad or expired goods for sale that would amount to a huge health and safety hazard and even legal action and finally, well-organized goods will sell better compared to goods stocked up with a sloppy arrangement.
These factors are very important differentiating element to me and may vary from person to person. What makes you stay loyal to your local grocer? Tiny details can make a huge difference to wether an establishment succeeds or fails in a matter of a few short months. These are 5 fundamental signs your neighborhood grocer is the one for your needs.