In today’s fast-paced world with little down time, consumers are looking for quick, in-and-out shopping trips that fit into their busy lifestyles, says Susan Viamari, editor of thought leadership at Information Resources Inc. (IRI), Chicago. This often results in more frequent store visits with fewer purchases at a time, she says.
Small-format stores are ideal for facilitating this type of behavior, Viamari notes. Therefore, major players in the mass-merchandise and supercenter channels are taking note of this consumer shopping trend and are working to stay competitive by offering small-scale versions of their stores for quicker shopping experiences.