I’ve spent quite a bit of time travelling around in our campervan this summer, and one of the things I’ve come to appreciate is just how long everything takes.
Making a cup of tea, preparing breakfast or simply getting ready to head off somewhere. Things that take a few minutes at home somehow take two or three times as long. And yet, strangely enough, that’s part of the pleasure. You find yourself enjoying the process rather than simply rushing to get things done.
A friend said something to me recently that’s stuck in my mind. We spend so much of our lives trying to make everything faster, easier and more efficient that perhaps we’re losing some of the enjoyment along the way.
It got me thinking about retail, and how much emphasis we’ve placed on convenience.
The Customer Journey at Local Level.
A guide to generating more balanced and sustainable results from your marketing.
Faster transactions, frictionless journeys, self-service, automation and one-click purchasing. All good things, but have we become so good at removing the effort that we’re removing some of the enjoyment too?
There are plenty of occasions when I want to buy something as quickly as possible. But sometimes I want to browse, discover something unexpected, talk to somebody knowledgeable or simply enjoy being somewhere.
Think about a good bookshop (Waterstones and Daunt Books), farm shop (Fenfarm), garden centre (Dobbies Garden Centres) or specialist retailer (GO Outdoors or Finisterre) all brilliant retail experience I’ve had in the last month. Part of the pleasure is spending time there, and that’s just as relevant to larger retail brands as it is to independents.
Interestingly, a recent Savills report highlighted the growth of online brands opening physical stores, alongside more experience-led retail and leisure concepts. Clearly, there’s still value in creating places people actually want to visit.
It’s something we’ve talked about quite a bit through HighStreetPositives. Our high streets shouldn’t simply be places to transact. They’re places to meet, explore, socialise and spend time. And surely the same thinking applies to individual retailers?
Four takes. One email.
Get our monthly pick of local marketing insights, straight to your inbox.
Of course, nobody wants unnecessary queues, poor service or complicated processes.
Technology has an important role in removing those frustrations. But there’s a difference between making shopping easier and stripping away the things that make it enjoyable.
Perhaps, as we become increasingly focused on efficiency, we need to think a little more about making the time people spend with us worthwhile.
Maybe there’s a place for a little more Slow Retail.
Let's talk.
FREE DISCOVERY CALL
see how we can maximise your marketing.
