Did you hear that? Listen closely and pay attention, or you might miss it.
It’s faint, but distinguishable. There it is again! In case you can’t recognize it, it’s the sound of the supermarket shopping experience dying.
It’s not keeling over, in fact, it’s not even on life support. But it’s happening in much the same way summer gives way to fall, and before you know it, it’s winter. One minute you’re reaching for the suntan lotion, and the next minute, you’re tossing another log in the fireplace.
Perhaps it’s not happening where you are, but it’s happening in many markets. And sooner or later, you’ll go into your favorite store and wonder what happened. Here’s what to look for…
First, are there workers in the produce department, and do they seem to know what they’re doing? With the shift to online ordering, labor is being redeployed in today’s omnichannel environment. It takes a lot of people to fill orders and get them ready for home delivery and/or store pickup.
Stocking and rotating fresh produce takes time and skill. But a more effective use of labor is to have workers perform multiple functions within a store, and not be trained specifically to handle the various needs of fresh fruits and vegetables.
A case in point: when you see a display of apples, is there signage that describes variety, flavor characteristics, and usage? Or do you have to buy them in a bag to get that information?
I’ve been in the produce industry over 50 years and I’m not sure I can distinguish all the apple varieties on sight. Does the store really believe the average shopper knows?
Proper sign execution takes time and knowledge. It’s much easier just to put up a display with a price and let customers figure it out. The old adage, “retailing is detailing,” doesn’t seem to apply anymore.
Here’s another tipoff: how does the in-stock level at 7:00 pm compare to 7:00 am? It’s hard to find people to work in the store, and even harder to find people to work late afternoons, evenings, and weekends.
But when do you think most consumers shop? In stock items, in general, have been an “adventure” at best, due in large part to supply chain challenges.
But it becomes a nightmare as each day wears on. Once again, it’s easier to stock the store as much as possible in the morning and let it go throughout the day. And if customers do shop in the morning, good luck getting down the aisles when people are stocking shelves and filling online orders.
And has anyone noticed that aisles are getting narrower? Stores must create more linear space to accommodate their assortment. And an item’s placement is becoming more geared to maximize efficiency in picking orders as opposed to how people shop a store.
More telltale signs: at certain times of day, is the only option self-checkout? In produce merchandising, are there large displays of fresh seasonal produce? Or long shelf-life, high margin items?
It’s important to understand that omnichannel retailing is a challenging evolution, particularly in food. Margins are tighter, the average ticket (total amount spent on a shopping trip) is smaller, and it takes much more labor to select, prepare, and deliver a grocery order—so the store experience is evolving to accommodate it.
So, essentially, grocery stores are becoming less of a “shopping experience” and more of a “fulfillment center.”
For me, it’s a little sad because I’m one of those people who actually like shopping in a store, especially in the produce department. But just as I hate to see summer turn into winter, I hate to watch what the shopping experience is becoming.
I understand it, I just don’t like it. And unlike the seasons, spring is not around the corner.
This is the Retail Reflections column from the January/February 2022 issue of Produce Blueprints Magazine. Click here to read the whole issue.
