[Book Review] SuperMarketWala: Secrets to Winning Consumer India by Damodar Mall
Some highlights and notes from the book.
In India, for almost all categories of consumption, including fashion and apparels, it is not seasons but marriages and festivals that continue to be prime drivers for consumption in India. My thoughts: Now even travel has become a driver to consumption
India that is becoming increasingly confident.
People were shopping for modernity and not merely groceries at Raigad Bazaar! ‘If this is so apparent in dust Alibaug, it sounds to me like a bumper formula for Mumbai and the suburbs’, said Damani(Dmart)
Observing people keenly and endlessly in the marketplace and working hard to decode the underlying drivers of their consumer behaviour
The store gains when customers slow down and loses when they walk straight through.
Time and money spent in store follows this order from highest to lowest → 2 women shop together → woman alone → woman and man together → worst, man alone. But in electronics or home goods
Economic status holds no bar! Modern retail is designed to be inclusive and welcoming
One person and unlimited aspirations. My thoughts: This insight can be used in any field to build new things.
Shopkeeper-in-law in earlier times. Now consider this, customers value anonymity. Anonymity is not only about knowing one’s name. There are many other pieces of information that a customer would prefer not to keep in the public domain.
The argument of women empowerment is often missing in the supermarket vs kirana debate.
Sir that smart uniform of yours is like armour for my daugther. She can talk to anyone, as high a position as they may be in, when she has the uniform on. Context: being a sales associative in modern retail
Concept of copy shopping: look at trolleys of other people to find out new products or offers that you may have missed.
Having a feedback loop to tell customers in store that these things are getting bought by people. Like people finding outfit ideas in fitting rooms by referring other people around, having a rack of clothes outside fitting rooms(a company policy) helps people look for things people are trying.
E-commerce is where shoppers are loneliest. Having small feedbacks help. Check how hotels.com does it.
In grocery not taking risk for a small dispute of say ₹ 50 over lifetime value of a customer ₹25,000
Any customer grievance or service request is an opportunity to delight them and keep them interested in our store for a long time.
Shopkeepers both traditional and modern, know how to engage customer’s senses at the time of purchase. The mithaai vala giving you a sweet to taste. Who can resist after that! My thoughts: Multi-sensorial marketing as a concept
Indians are wired to believe that food is best eaten fresh.
The contents of refrigerators across middle-class India, that’s where our research began. Expanding refrigerators capacity in house leads to new consumption patterns.
There are many more consumers for an exotic samosa than there are for guacamole, and that is going to remain the case for the foreseeable future.
Indian food with a touch of sophistication and foreign food with an Indian touch. Like Pav bhaji in martini glass, pani puri shots, kahndavi canape
Indian Chinese is the only pan-Indian cuisine
If tailors are passe and readymade garments are no longer a novelty, what does the future hold for fashion retailers? ‘The Indian customer is used to customization‘
Globally, neighourhood small stores are called ‘convenience stores‘ and customers know they have to pay for the convenience. Not in India.
As incomes increase even more services—cooking, salon grooming, yoga, tuitions, massage —are being delivered — all DIFM(Do it for me) at home, not DIY!
All Dmart did was watch customer trolley and read everything about Sam Walton and Wal-mart.
Store employees or associates are first generation retail workers in India
The self-service supermarkets becoming a marketing platform for small, new brands. It acts as marketing-advertising,distribution channel. Example: Ching’s Secret
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