Why I like buying stuff at small boutiques?

I would not lie, that I do internet shopping from time to time. I order used books from Amazon or buy rare items from Ebay and handmade items from Dawanda. Yet I love to go shopping at this store in Wolfsburg called WKS. It is located at Porschestraße and had been in Wolfsburg since 1954. Some say, the prices are higher compared to their counterparts. I also love going to the Toy Store called Spielkiste and the Stationary store called Großkopf, both in Fallersleben.

My family and I love to buy items from a small boutique. Here are my reasons why:

1.       SIZE. AMBIENCE. The toy department’s size of WKS is perfect for little kids. My daughter won’t get lost and she confidently goes from one rack to another without apprehension.  The ambience is warm, familiar yet professional. You feel welcome and not lost. You are greeted and neglected. 

2.      QUALIFIED AND COMPETENT PERSONNEL. When I go there at these stores, I always have this feeling that they serve by ‘the customer is always right’ or the ‘customer is the king/queen’ principle.  The personnel are very friendly, warm, will stop and make time for you and not so intrusive. Believe me here in Germany, there are big, too commercial stores that will make you leave them right away after you ask some personnel. You will have the feeling of ‘’Oh thank you for answering me and for your time’’ well the fact that it is their job to make me feel comfortable even I ask the silliest question. The big difference between a ‘’big, too commercial’’ store from ‘’small, familiar boutique’’ is that personnel make time for you and ask you, how s/he may help you and not  the other way around that you looking/asking for someone to help you with your dilemma. Same thing with Pharmacies who have pharmacists and not salespeople. You get out well informed and not confused.

3.       IT CREATE JOBS. Internship or Apprenticeship paves way to competence, proper qualifications and of course experience. Of course the prices are relatively slightly higher, but simply because these stores have budgets for new employees. One can always have a new employee or even replace it, but a good and the competent ones are smart enough to know where they would dedicate their time and efforts, where recognition, appreciation and further training or seminars are given. These factors reflect the values practiced in that organization. One time when we ask the sales person from WKS, which board game should I buy for my daughter, he gave us some suggestions, games they actually played--which is part of their training. They know the toys they sell, because they play the games itself.  A lot, I mean a lot of toy stores just sell-period.

4.       IT GIVES EQUAL ECONOMIC CHANCE TO SMALL/MEDIUM SIZE PLAYERS IN THE MARKET. The big players in the market have their advantages, longer time, more options etc..These facts are already given. But helping each is one of the keys to survival. Of course, in Business that is debatable. We are started taking small steps when we are still kids, don't we? In the town where I live--Fallersleben, the small shops are still therre--the people in Fallersleben patronize their shops, even loyal to them. Despite the big stores downtown, customers like buying in Fallersleben.  

Web 2.0 revolutionized the way people buy. The culture of buying changed drastically and more and more consumers buy their products online.  You can buy anything in the internet from A-Z, there are in fact, countless of providers in the E-market.  Of course, the free shipping, priority delivery within the following day and free return cost are very convenient.

Yet buying things personally is still my thing. Or maybe I am just an old soul. I love the technology but I also love the intangible part of it. 

Happy Reading! Happy Start of the week!