Young businesses adapt to new shopping habits. They are abandoning shopping centers and supermarkets and opting for vacant lots in the middle of industrial parks. For these traders, it is a means of centralizing production and distribution activities.
Andrean Simard, owner of the boutique Charlotte et Charlie, first ventured into the world of retail with a boutique in the Place de la Cité shopping center.
In the company's early years, this store accounted for most of its sales.
However, in recent years, she has noticed a significant change in consumption habits.
It really is much, much more online
she suggests
This led him to move his store back to his distribution center.
This is something that scares me a little. […] But our customers really follow us. We far exceeded our goals
she said.
The rise of online shopping is forcing many businesses to reconsider the location of their stores.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Marie-Eve Trudel
According to Maries Cote-Hamel, professor of consumer sciences at Laval University, the rise of online shopping justifies this type of decision. This suggests that consumers are comparing prices more than ever before.
In order to offer competitive prices, you definitely need to keep your costs down and it's usually interesting to leave the more expensive shopping centers.
Protect the customer experience
Unlike Charlotte and Charlie, Estelle the label boutique has never had a presence in a shopping center.
Estelle The Label owner Sarah Couture's vision was clear from the start.
Its customers first make their purchases online and then collect the clothes through the store.
I didn't want to just have an online store
She explains. I like to touch the fabric.
Sarah Couture claims that the location of her boutique does not affect the customer experience.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Marie-Eve Trudel
She said she was very satisfied with the choice of location.
You can work from offices. Orders can be placed below. Actually, I wanted everything under one roof.
The entrepreneur claims that the location of his store does not affect the customer experience.
Everything is thought out to the smallest detail. It's warm, we're at home. We couldn't tell that we were in an industrial park which was a bit chilly
she suggests.
According to Professor Maries Cote Hamel, migration to an industrial park is well suited for this type of business. But she thinks it's a decision dangerous
For local businesses like hardware stores, for example.
With information from Marie-Eve Trudel
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