Firstly, you can now hire a goat herder through Amazon. That's
right, if you need a goat herder, a plumber, or almost any other service you
just contact your online retailer (Amazon) and it will be organised along with
the products you need to do the job. Pre-shopping (browsing) and actual
shopping, are increasingly being done online, and shoppers do not have to
physically "go shopping" to get what they want.
Secondly, from last month you can go to a sporting event at
Amsterdam Arena (it's in
Amsterdam) and order your drinks and eats from your
seat, on your smartphone, and have them delivered directly to you by a runner.
The point? - convenience is increasingly becoming a major ingredient in
customer choices. Customers are looking for ways to get want they want, as easy
as possible, so they can concentrate on the main game (excuse the pun).
Thirdly, Pebble Watches, one of the original Kickstarter crowd
funding concepts, recently decided to raise an extra $500,000 to finance a new
concept smartwatch. They wanted just $500,000, but small investors (crowd
funding is all about individuals putting in their money upfront) contributed a
staggering $20m. So, for the right product, consumers are prepared to spend up.
And, as much as we value our traditional relationship with consumers, in this
case, they were prepared to make a commitment, and pay-up, before the goods
were even manufactured.
These three seemingly unrelated examples tell us that we have a
lot to think about.
ONLINE - not everyone has to embrace online, but if
you are selling in a category with a strong online following you need to factor
it into your strategy.
CONVENIENCE - consumers are shouting out loud that they want
convenience. This is why we need to think about our availability to our
customers, how we can make their shopping easier, and why the trading hours
debate is so important.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH - yes, this is an advantage market traders
have over impersonal department stores but as the Kickstarter crowd funding
model shows us, there are many consumers who don't require the personal touch
to open their wallets. For them, it all comes down to the offer.
QVM is a great market with a great future. We have strong community support, the
backing of a committed city council, and the financing to make suitable changes.
QVM believes that creating an events place is the way forward. Crowds of people
coming to our market for lots of different reasons, across a wider spread of
hours, is a very attractive picture for most people. The Draft Master Plan for QVM
identifies an interesting framework for the future. For traders it raises many
questions, and the sooner we get down to the detail and start considering the
necessary changes through co-operative consultation, the better off we will all
be.
Published by the Editor - 14/04/15
Have Your Say - click here.
COMMENTS:
15/04/2015 08:31:49 ed post "Very interesting article Greg, agree with all the points raised.. with regards to these...
QVM believes that creating an events place is the way forward. Crowds of people coming to our market for lots of different reasons, across a wider spread of hours.
Unless the city council does the right thing, and stops charging exorbitant fees to park a car per hour at all hours. there is no hope.
I was across the road from the market the other week, along the park . For people to use the park, kick a ball , take their kids, take a stroll, have to pay $5.50 an hour, and this is till 8.30 at night...I call this shameful...no excuse, same as Saturday and Sunday, streets are empty around the market, yet high fees apply. simple greed.
Unless they change all these, we are all ""pissing in the wind"" - Andy
15/04/2015 08:42:45 let me add "Last couple of years the local council has send...traffic wardens to ... see story. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/east/worshippers-at-templestowe8217s-st-haralambos-greek-orthodox-church-cop-parking-fines-at-easter-midnight-mass/story-fngnvlxu-12266 I tell you this ,normally you would have to stand outside, for the amount of people....after thislast two years we could walk right in the front of the church. Hundreds of less people attending...same thing happening with the area around the market, merciless fines and fees. Andy
Thanks for your input Andy - Ed
COMMENTS:
15/04/2015 08:31:49 ed post "Very interesting article Greg, agree with all the points raised.. with regards to these...
QVM believes that creating an events place is the way forward. Crowds of people coming to our market for lots of different reasons, across a wider spread of hours.
Unless the city council does the right thing, and stops charging exorbitant fees to park a car per hour at all hours. there is no hope.
I was across the road from the market the other week, along the park . For people to use the park, kick a ball , take their kids, take a stroll, have to pay $5.50 an hour, and this is till 8.30 at night...I call this shameful...no excuse, same as Saturday and Sunday, streets are empty around the market, yet high fees apply. simple greed.
Unless they change all these, we are all ""pissing in the wind"" - Andy
15/04/2015 08:42:45 let me add "Last couple of years the local council has send...traffic wardens to ... see story. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/east/worshippers-at-templestowe8217s-st-haralambos-greek-orthodox-church-cop-parking-fines-at-easter-midnight-mass/story-fngnvlxu-12266 I tell you this ,normally you would have to stand outside, for the amount of people....after thislast two years we could walk right in the front of the church. Hundreds of less people attending...same thing happening with the area around the market, merciless fines and fees. Andy
Thanks for your input Andy - Ed