Whilst watching Newsnight the other night they mentioned a phrase that made me prick up my ears and shout at the screen." I do that, I do that" and I honestly believe I do. 'Retail theatre' is a way of describing a traditional type of shop-keeping with a modern twist. A kind of back to basics with a healthy dose of English eccentricity. A special experience that puts the joy back into shopping. A great dollop of old fashioned customer service served up in a creative and stimulating environment. And apparently thats what we want.
For many, shopping is a physical experience. We need to interact with what we are buying, it is part of the pleasure of the whole thing. The problem is that people don't want to feel overwhelmed by it all. A pared down, carefully curated, shop full of wonders is infinitely more appealing than a megatropolis filled with never-ending shelves of the same thing. Consumers are more discerning than they have ever been. They know whats what. And if they don't like it, they will simply turn on their heels and walk out or just not even come in.
So what do we want? Part of it is to do with the art of seduction. Yes, you want to be seduced from the moment you walk into an establishment. You want to feel that dizzy, giddy sensation of being somewhere that excites you. That is why the future of the little independent is so important because it is very often here that the magic and this retail seduction or theatre can really happen. Think of your favourite shops and see how many of those are one-offs. Traverse any small town or larger rural village now and you will see a sea change in shop keeping. Springing up are little enclaves of cool, havens of inspiration; of places that you want to while away a precious half hour, many off the beaten track.
And this is where community comes into play. To survive, these little shops need to create their own eco-system . They have to balance each other and support each other. The Americans have already embraced this celebration of community shops and Mary Portas recently tweeted about the possibility of having a 'Small Business Saturday' where locals try out shops on their doorstep, just as they do across the pond on an annual basis.
I am lucky in that my shop is nestled amongst other gems. There are not many of us but we all add something to the pot. We cross-pollinate as it were through the delights of social media and local events. It is very empowering to be part of something like this and it helps to support you in good times and bad. And that is where the 'retail theatre' comes into play. Without it our customers will choose to shop elsewhere. Keep it fresh, keep it simple and keep it fun. And above all smile!
