Only cheap was yesterday

Remember when discount stores were not only cheap, but also looked pretty much like it? Along aisles that were far too narrow, vast quantities of no-name products that always looked the same were piled up, most of them still packed in cardboard boxes. Even hardware stores had more atmosphere to offer. Bad air and too bright or too dark light, did not let a good mood arise, and fed only the desire to leave the loveless warehouse as soon as possible again. But that is increasingly becoming a thing of the past.

Shopping comfort and atmosphere

Germany’s discount companies want to get out of the muddy corner and away from the image of the eternal cheapsters. Can it also be more beautiful and more comfortable? Perhaps the customer has always been king, but now he should feel like one.

To make the discounter similar to the much more inviting supermarket, the large chains are coming up with a few ideas: Daylight or modern LED instead of sterile fluorescent tubes, wood paneling and luminous displays for a friendly and stimulating atmosphere. At most, pallets are still discovered when new goods are put away. As is standard in supermarkets, it is tidy and usually within easy reach on clean shelves. Fruits and vegetables are presented in the best light. With coolers, baking and coffee machines on the sales floor, the new generation of stores exceeds all expectations and makes many a supermarket look old.

The conversion of the stores will not happen overnight, but it is a done deal. The head offices of the discount grocery stores know that customers – especially in economically good times – no longer only pay attention to the price, but also to the surrounding. You want to feel good, you’re looking for some rest and relaxation before you head back into the hectic after-work traffic or into the well-planned weekend.

Uptrading and upscale ambience

In addition to recognizing the changed, i.e. increased, needs of customers, the discounters are also faced with sober realities: in the tough competition with the more attractive full-range stores, they are increasingly in danger of losing ground. And the pie is getting smaller for all providers: Surveys show a declining number of visitors in stationary retail. Shopping is increasingly perceived as a burden. Systematic upcycling with an upscale ambience and a more varied assortment should help against this.

However, marketing experts are already warning against exaggerations; after all, discounters must continue to sell primarily on price. Therefore, it is important to keep the balance between more quality appeal and comfort for the clientele and the communication of the central sales argument of being unbeatable in price.

Nevertheless – the new era has begun, and visitors can often see where the future is heading from the outside: more appealing building shapes with entrance portals and glass facades communicate a new self-confidence. Covered collection points for shopping carts and bicycle parking facilities no longer leave anyone out in the rain, and in some places there is even already a charging station for e-bikes and electric cars. Made of high-quality materials, these units make an impression of value, promising on the outside what should be kept on the inside: that only cheap was yesterday.