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Showing posts from September, 2025

Why Retail Merchandising Isn't Just Aesthetic — It's Strategic

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The next time you enter a retail store and find a well-laid-out shelf, colorful product displays, or an end-cap full of bestsellers, it's quite easy to catch yourself thinking, "This looks good." However, what's occurring is more profound than it appears on the surface. Retail merchandising , too easily confused with merely visual layout, is truly an influential strategic weapon that directly and measurably affects consumer action, velocity of sales, and brand performance. The Psychology of the Shelf Consumers decide in seconds. That's why product visibility, shelf position, and category flow aren't by chance — they're by design. Strategic merchandising employs consumer psychology to drive purchase choices. For instance: Eye-level positioning maximizes the likelihood of impulse purchases. Placing complementary items together maximizes basket size. Out-of-stock monitoring and rapid replenishment prevent brands from losing a sale. What appears to be a basic ...

What Field Staff Taught Us About India's Retail Pulse

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Uncovering insights that only on-ground experience can reveal Indian retail's heartbeat doesn't resonate with spreadsheets or strategy sessions—it beats from the shop floors, packed counters, and day-to-day interactions among salespeople and store owners. Data may predict trends, but it's the ground-level voices that give them vitality. At the heart of this living, breathing entity are the thousands of field professionals who engage with retailers and customers on a day-to-day basis. These are not only doing tasks; they are cracking consumer behavior codes, establishing credibility with shopkeepers, and signaling vital feedback in real time. Through them, we get a glimpse into India's constantly changing retail tastes—and these findings are building the next chapter in in-store success. Beyond Dashboards: Insights from the Ground Data informs you of the "what." But it's the individuals in the trenches who discover the "why." Why a product remains...

Why GT Stores are the center of India's Retail Market

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General Trade (GT) shops, or commonly referred to as kirana shops, have remained the pillars of India's retailing industry for decades now. Even with the sudden growth of Modern Trade (MT) outlets and online retailing, GT shops remain in dominance of India's retail sector with their spread touching almost 80% of India's overall retail market. Their well-established presence, personalized service, and adaptability cannot be substituted by the ever-changing dynamics of the retail sector. 1. The Unique Reach of GT Stores There is a GT store in all the nooks and corners of India, both in metropolitan and rural areas, with a wide reach even among the remotest villages. Boasting more than 12 million kirana outlets, their distribution network outflanks modern grocery stores and the internet. GT stores serve day-to-day purposes of the customer with the regular goods in metropolitan high-rise and rural homes alike. ✔ Hyper-local presence: Within walking distance for the vast majori...

Voices from the Floor: What Our Beauty Advisors Want Brands to Know

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Beauty advisors are usually the behind-the-scenes heroes of retail—standing at the frontlines, representing brands, advising customers, and ultimately converting. At Love In Store , we communicate with thousands of beauty advisors in India who do more than bring sales acumen to the floor; they bring empathy, domain knowledge, and understanding of what the consumer really needs. While they talk to hundreds of customers weekly, their voices are seldom heard by the brands they represent. Today, that's changing. We asked our beauty advisors: "If you could say one thing to brands, what would it be?" Their responses share strong insights, real-world feedback, and the personal side of retail success. 1. "Listen to the feedback we get from customers." Our BAs are the direct interfaces between brands and consumers. They listen to unvarnished feedback—be it on a product's scent, packaging, pricing, or performance on various skin types. One consultant in Mumbai said, ...