Consumers’ trends and retailer’s strategies

ooking and walking forward together. Courage for new things and for change. Consistent orientation towards changing customer needs and converting one's own business to digital before it is too late - these are the overarching messages that the Consumer Goods Digital Day gave the 3 658 participants from 93 countries.
Messe Frankfurt organised this digital event in April to at least in part replace the cancelled trade fairs Christmasworld, Paperworld, Creativeworld and Ambiente. Those in the international consumer goods industry were to be given an opportunity to communicate with each other.
Many took this opportunity. 59 per cent of the participants joined the event from abroad. Retailers from a wide range of sectors and industries were active - from interior design, Christmas and garden decoration, gifts, household appliances, kitchen, tableware and stationery to office, school and florist supplies - and made lively use of the platform's communication and exchange opportunities.
Digital business consultant Sanjay Sauldie opened the conference programme with a rousing plea to actively shape the digital transformation. "We need to act locally together, think networked with retailers in the immediate neighbourhood. Your neighbour is your friend, not your enemy," was his appeal to the consumer goods industry. Thus, he said, the retail trade must become a community trade. For this, he said, stationary trade should concentrate on its strengths and, for example, form a joint online presence of shopping streets in a city with a central shop. "Put the customer at the centre of all your considerations and don't stop constantly questioning what you are doing, just like successful start-ups do," the renowned speaker emphasised.
Edra general secretary John Herbert was also among the speakers. He spoke of the influence of Covid-19 on the DIY store industry and gave an optimistic outlook. "There will be a boom after Covid," he said.
In her presentation, Marilyn Repp pointed out that despite the online boom, brick-and-mortar retail still has important unique selling points. The project manager of the Retail Competence Centre emphasised: "Stationary retail is increasingly becoming an experience creator and thus has decisive advantages over online shops: personal advice, immediate availability of goods and the experience potential. Because digital experiences do not come close to analogue experiences. Despite their online affinity, young people also love individual advice on…