How Department stores changed the way we shop.

I like to think back to a time when everything was simpler.( https://rafsdarkmind.blogspot.com/2019/05/am-i-my-era.html)

For instance if one need  a face cream one went to the pharmacist and for socks one strolled  to the one shop that sold socks.. You could ask for a coffee, but it was not a store / coffee shop. The beverage was complementary. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Umbrellas_of_Cherbourg)

Suddenly convenient department stores were appearing out of nowhere in busy streets  (the so-called High Streets)  . Or perhaps as a result  of the success of the early department stores regular streets transformed into the  High streets  we know today.( https://www.timeout.com/london/shopping/london-high-street-secrets-revealed)

If Mrs. Janssen needed fresh herbs for her soup and thought of getting her son a necktie for his upcoming birthday then all of a sudden she would head to a single place instead of several different addresses.

 And while Mrs. Janssen was looking for the right necktie at the Galeria INNO, she browsed around as well, being lured by the beautiful light and wide-ranging selection of merchandise.

And sure enough she realised there where many  items  that she liked, that in fact, she needed right away. In the same way the wonderful smells led her to the pastry department.

The marketing of department stores has at its very  basis its openness and grandeur.

One walks in and sights and smells are overwhelming.

Hats, gloves, perfumes and more vie for the attention of the potential customer.

When one step is taken, suddenly colourful travel cases and umbrellas , neatly stacked, are crying out to the customer. The customer is greeted with a cheerful smile at the door and consequently  is most likely in a good and receptive mood upon entering the department store.

"Buy me". "You need me" are examples of messages subliminally implanted with every step the customer takes

The general approach of English department stores are mainly customer-centric. https://www.marketingweek.com/2019/01/15/harrods-marketing-customer-segmentation/)

Department stores like Harrods shy away from the discounting game.

Fun fact about Harrods, the department store served as background for much of the charming film “Peter Rabbit” .

 https://www.harrods.com/en-gb/peter-rabbit-at-harrods

Harrods prefers to invest in a better environment conducive to enjoyment and shopping.

I visited Harrods over ten years ago.

At that time a soprano was singing live, accompanied by an harpist.

I did not end up buying anything that day. But I must’ve told nearly everyone I know how much I enjoyed the live music . even now, ten years later  I’m still talking about it

That was probably the highlight of my trip to London.

Americans think differently and most important to the department stores there , such as , Century 21, is not first and foremost the customer experience but rather obtaining customer loyalty.( https://loyaltymethods.com/case-study/c21-marketing-analytics/)

When customers are loyal, then sales soar.

Century 21 takes marketing to the 21st century and wants to develop a phone app that would guide the customer in their stores.( https://www.retaildive.com/ex/mobilecommercedaily/century-21-prioritizes-mobile-in-significant-loyalty-program-push)

Many department stores are huge and people tend to get lost

An app could easily guide people and personalize their experiences.

Imagine researching a scarf and instantly thereafter getting a 5% discount voucher via the app. Surely a marketing tool like that would convert many sightseers into paying customers.

Research has shown that 30% of the people use their phones while shopping. So they might as well use the store’s app while they’re at it.

That way they will be both physically and digitally in the store.

To sum up ,  department stores want to make their customers happy.

Bright colours, luxury items, entertainment and at some point in time even a ladies' lavatory , are tools that serve as incentives for coming in,  staying and coming back often.