Xciting Shopping

It was early morning, the grass was still wet from the mist, the family finished packing the SVU and jumped in excited about their shopping trip into Rockhampton. Mum had an appointment with the hair dresser, she had a few ideas for a new style and was eager to see the simulated looks that the hairdresser had already sent to her iPad on the salon’s big screen with the pictures of some different outfits she had sent to them. No more taking a magazine page with a celebrity head shot, she could see the style on herself and in different outfits. Dad was keen to get a new wedge. He could test them out in an actual sand trap at the sports store from which he could hit a virtual golf ball towards the huge 3D screen detailing the green at a specific hole of any major course in the world and watch the result. The 15 year old daughter was ready to hit the fashion boutiques. No more change rooms, with hand movements she would be able to see what her choices looked like on her via the life size screen then send a compressed image by instagram to her friends for their responses. The 17 year old son made his usual protest about shopping, but silently was looking forward to using his VIP pass at the electronics shop to trial the yet to be released X-box operating system.
Another aspiration, but a scenario like this needs to become a reality if bricks and mortar retail is to survive. Shopping has to become more entertaining, otherwise more shopping will be done on-line. I heard that a local business person said, “that’s typical of Gen Y, a few clicks and they order what they like. Why can’t they just pick up the phone and talk to someone to get what they want”. Centric to being in business is meeting the customers need. The need is not just the product. Its convenience, confidence they’re getting what they want and if they are going to the real shops – fun.
If Rockhampton wants to continue to be the service centre for Central Queensland, the service providers need to continually change, even better, anticipate new trends. Communities most responsive to change will be the ones that continue to thrive.