“Store at your Door” is a novel initiative by Future Group’s famous departmental store Central. The needs of the customers and their newly developed fear of stepping out of the house propelled this move.
Customers who register online for the service can buy from a selection of brands and merchandize brought to their doorstep by the store staff. After registration, the customer is contacted by the store to understand what garments they need (kidswear, comfort wear, menswear etc) and their size. The customer can also select the merchandise over a video chat with the personal shopper. The store associate then curates a customized selection and brings it to the doorstep of the customer.
Commenting on the service, Vishnu Prasad, Managing Director of Future Lifestyle Fashions Limited said, “While availing the service, customers can do virtual shopping from Central stores with help of video calling along with a Service Relationship Manager and in-store Stylists for a compelling shopping experience.”“Understanding customers and servicing their needs is at the core of every initiative that is undertaken by Central. ‘Store At Your Door’ is one such initiative wherein our team is leaving no stone unturned to reach out to our customer’s doorstep. While in initial stages, acceptance for this service is very positive, we would like to continue this service and introduce more ways to reach out to our customers seamlessly on an ongoing basis,” he added.
The service is available in the cities of Mysore, Bangalore, Kochi, Trivandrum, and Kolkata. The concentration of the virus in these places is relatively less, thereby, allowing the movement of non-essential goods. “We are also taking customized trucks with merchandise to large housing societies after taking their permission,” he said. “Of course, safety and hygiene are paramount. We have trained our staff extensively on the basic procedures which have been recommended by WHO and other industrial bodies. The staff is equipped with PPE and sanitizers for themselves and customers,” he added.
The advent of the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in lifestyle changes. People are spending more time at their homes, hence, a surge in demand for leisurewear is predicted. Customers are restricted from going out and forced to celebrate their birthdays and anniversaries at home. Therefore, Central introduces this concept to make their life a little easier and keep them in touch with the shopping culture. Furthermore, it is going to help them understand the changing buying patterns and shape future strategies.
“1,000-1,500 customers are registering with us per day. The ticket sizes are much higher. Generally, the brand gets a ticket size of Rs 3,500 in-store but the ticket size for this service is Rs 5,000 and above,” he stated.
The company is also contemplating on opening stores in green and orange zones along with the cities where local regulations permit.
