Making shopping convenient.

We asked the same shoppers which of the things on the list below would make food shopping more convenient. The strong response to "basic items up front" would be very interesting if most shoppers agreed on what items are basic these days. "For my daughter, the basics are specific flavors and brands of yogurt and ice cream. For my son, it's energy drinks. For me it's eggs and cheese. I don't think it's possible, but I would be delighted if they were all right there, easy to grab and go. " Put that together with "Be smaller, but still have what I want," and it sounds like the stores that Tesco is expected to open any day now, as well as stores that Wal-Mart is designing and others are considering. What 100 shoppers agree would make food shopping more Percent convenient Agree Basic items up front 73 Fewer gimmicks 71 Service depts like meat and pharmacy open 64 during all open store hours Fewer out of stocks 57 Be smaller, but still have what I want 56 Better prices on organics 56 Be friendlier 55 Eliminate or speed up checkout 54 No loyalty cards needed 53 Healthier take-out foods 46 More product tasting 45 Customer information around the store 44 Samples of new products up front 36 Easier (no line) returns 27 More organics 26 Easy prep demos for featured items 20 Convenient one-stop shopping 18 In-store tables for eating or beverages 18 Drive thru window for basics 17 Dinner items up front 14 Outdoor tables for eating or beverages 8 Special parking for prepared foods 8

As supermarkets have been getting bigger and bigger to deliver one-stop shopping and compete with mass stores and clubs, the population has gotten older and older and convenience stores and dollar stores have continued to grow. So smaller stores that have whatever shoppers in that locale consider basic might be the answer to today's consumers' wishes. Of course, sometimes, once your wish comes true, it doesn't work the way you thought it would. The small store doesn't have the brand and flavor of the yogurt your son or daughter craves, so it's back to the big store again.

There is a skeptical sadness in the high response to "fewer gimmicks" as a way of making supermarkets more convenient. Shoppers are telling us that gimmicks are like hurdles that shoppers have to watch for and jump over, and without the hurdles, shopping would be more convenient and easier.

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