The markets in India never go out of season. India is a blessed land, enriched with all kinds of gloomy nature and festivals to celebrate it. Unlike other Western countries, India’s diversification reaches the market in depth. This impacts both consumers and retailers alike as the trends suddenly change with cultural festivals like Diwali and Holi.
Customers change their buying patterns, and supermarket franchise in India that fail to recognize this fail to achieve greater profits. Understanding the variations gives you an edge in the market and optimizes your inventory management. To get the maximum benefits, your store must offer the right products at the right time in the right quantities.
Catering your store to seasoned demands allows your customers to enjoy fresh products and get what they desire during the festivals. Moreover, seasons are great for creating effective marketing campaigns, improving customer retention, and driving sales.
But the most important question is how to recognize the patterns and make them work for your supermarket franchise in India. That’s all we’re going to discuss here. Be with me till the end, and you will find all your answers in detail.
Why do seasonal demands matter for supermarket franchises in India?
India’s land is filled with several festive seasons, giving you the liberty to make your business always entertaining and fresh for your customers. Whether it is the summer holiday season or the winter holiday season, your store can make humongous profits every trimester of the year if used carefully.
Here’s how the seasonal market affects your business as a franchise in India.
Sales figures automatically go up and down depending on the utilization of the festive season in offers, products, and marketing.
Shoppers change their preferences in buying throughout the year, especially in the Indian market, where the influence is higher and there is an emotional connection with the residents.
Inventory management becomes easy. The seasonal fluctuation lets you become fluid in your choice of products and keeps them in limited quantities. This setting helps you to utilize the space, ensure proper stocking, minimize wastage, and secure profits.
Indian customers change their preferences with the changing seasons. Not offering them an array of diverse products will fail to meet their expectations. Thus, you are more likely to lose their loyalty and praise.
Understanding Seasonal Retail Trends in India:
India’s rich culture has blessed this land with numerous festivals and seasons. The land itself is a subcontinent where you can witness greater diversification than any other country. Where the North is illuminated with Diwali, Durgapuja, and Holi, southern states proudly share Onam-like festivals.
Undoubtedly, the seasons and festivals greatly impact the shopping nature of its residents and seasonal consumer behavior. The summer months prioritize air conditioners, coolers, fans, light beverages and clothing, and seasonal fruits. As the monsoon comes, the trends shift to heavy clothing, raincoats, umbrellas, hot beverages, and again, seasoned fruits. Slowly, winter makes an entrance, and the whole country starts buying heaters, warm clothing, coffee and tea, and blankets. Some people love to travel during this season, so you can sell goods suitable for travelers.
Now let’s talk about the festivals in the country. Probably no other country has such a long list of major or minor festivals. I have already mentioned some of them above. With each festival comes a huge buying trend relevant to that. For example, Diwali highly impacts the sales of electronics and electrical devices. Durgapuja and Eid increase clothing demands, and Christmas highly increases tourism and beverage demand.
Identifying Consumer Trends with Data:
Someone wise once said that business is all about numbers. If that is true, all the trends can be predicted with the available data in the economic history of any specific location. A data-driven approach will help you predict trends, take calculated risks, and gain pace over competitors. But how do you do it in real-time?
- First, try to collect data as accurately as possible. Go with the sales trends, customer demographics, and local market conditions to gain supermarket industry insights.
- Use data collection methods, point-of-sale systems, online transactions, customer surveys, SEMRUSH, and other tools to look for trends.
- Once you have collected the data, use data and market demand analysis techniques to uncover the hidden patterns. Identify the shifts, peak buying periods, and demands.
- Lastly, sit with your team to create campaigns to win the market.
Engaging with local communities:
When you’re dealing with an Indian audience, it’s crucial for your brand to recognize the local community’s festivals, holidays, seasons, and beliefs. Blending your business with local colors will help you utilize the events in a positive way. Your supermarket franchise in India can become a torchbearer for the local communities as well as a friend to them.
1. Participate in Local Events:
Get your hands dirty with the local events happening. Organize or sponsor local events to gain trust and forever branding. Blending yourself into their colors will allow you to connect with the locals in depth.
2. Customize Your Products or Services:
Spray local taste into your products and services. Customizing your products accordingly will attract local people. Conduct surveys or focus groups to understand what resonates in the area.
3. Collaborate with Local Influencers:
Partner with a local influencer to win the hearts of the local people. Make sure the local influencer is authentic and has a positive image in public.
4. Support Local Causes:
Get involved in local causes. Be one of their own. Get involved in community gatherings, start a charity, and present local issues smartly with your brand.
5. Go for Multilingual:
You can’t say no to Multilingual if you’re establishing your franchise in India. Use the local languages to attract people who are rooted in the land.
6. Regular Feedback:
Use local feedback using old methods like paper or voting. Also, ask them to drop a review on your website and social media accounts. Make the necessary changes and enjoy the rest.
7. Emphasise The Culture:
Your franchise is a public place, so let it be that. Adapt to all the cultural norms of the location you’re situated at. Understand the importance of the place spiritually, historically, or by any other means. Celebrate the local culture.
8. Community Outreach Program:
Start some programs that can directly affect local society. Charity, Free educational programs, workshops, and mentorships are great to start with.
Adapting Marketing and Merchandising Strategies:
Let’s dive into practical marketing strategies now. If you’re into local marketing and want to utilise the local culture, let your whole system adapt that for the Indian retail landscape’s seasonal marketing. Roam into the local markets and understand how the marketing is shifting from one season to another. Take inspiration and colour your franchise layout, interior, and marketing campaigns for a relevant visual treatment. Also start with relevant merchandise, season-specific promotions, and packaging that will automatically grab the attention of anyone’s eyes.
Want Inspirations? Take Some Real Life Examples:
1. Amazon’s Diwali Marketing Strategy:
Amazon India started a campaign #adjustnomore and targeted Indian families. The ad was meant to show the sacrifices that Indian families make to fulfill their children’s needs. The marketing worked like magic, and people started celebrating Amazon before it hit the Great Indian Festival Sale.
2. Flipkart’s Valentine Marketing:
Flipkart started a campaign #FlipjkartGifDelivery instead of promoting any offers & discounts on Valentine’s week. They started delivering interesting GIFs of relationships (all kinds of). It resulted in heavy traffic as people started sharing on their social media sites.
3. Practo’s Healthy Breakup Campaign:
Instead of showing love, Practo decided to go for healthy breakups with its #healthybreakups campaigning. They focused on things like breaking up with French fries or breaking up with cigarettes. This results in heavy engagement on social media.
Balancing the Seasonal Demands and core Offerings:
This is what a good supermarket franchise in India always does. Balancing both the seasonal demands as well as pushing the core offerings throughout the year. Your core products create your brand image and a niche that is sustainable and long-lasting. On the other hand, utilising seasonal shopping patterns helps you secure more profits.
Here is how you can proceed with balancing:
1. Plan Ahead:
Predict the seasons coming and start planning out marketing, products, and discounts prior to 1-2 months.
2. Inventory Management:
Implement robust inventory control to prevent overstocking but also to keep the necessary stocks of core products throughout the year.
3. Customer Communication:
Inform your customers about the coming season’s offerings, and new products, and highlight their importance while also ensuring them that their favorite core products are not going anywhere.
4. Training Staff:
Give intense training to your staff about your core products as well as your seasoning products.
5. Utilise Data:
Befriend data to track sales trends, inventory management, and marketing strategies to meet demands while upholding core offerings.
Read More: Supermarket Marketing Strategies to Beat Malls & Online Sellers
Conclusion:
As we discussed, seasonal marketing can be the key to unlocking huge profits for your franchise. Especially in a country like India, where all seasons are heavy, rich, and full of cultural festivals that direct the buying nature of the customers.
One great way to use seasonal marketing is to become like one of them. Get involved with the local communities, colour your franchise vibe festive or seasoned, and get involved in social causes.
Above, we have discussed in detail how you, as a Supermarket franchise in India, can do all these things. Now it’s your time to follow the above-mentioned and boost your business. Want to get franchise opportunities in Supermarkets? Contact 7 Heven Franchise dealership customer care now.