One-stop shop

Gone are the days when you had to travel from one shop to another buying various products for your household needs.
The retail revolution has brought in the concept of one-stop shopping destination. Supermarkets are fast catching up with the diverse needs of consumers. They encompass all products that a customer may require for their daily needs.
With new additions coming up in these stores, customers can take advantage of all the facilities provided there.Gurmeet Rajpal, a manager of a popular retail chain, says, ���We have recently added a laundry service section to our shopping space and our patrons are making the best use of it. If quality and timeliness of service is ensured, the segment is bound to do well.��� The store also has a chaat section at the entrance and a medical store inside.
There are three aspects that a customer generally looks for: quality, quantity and value for money. Aligning services to the needs of customers has augmented the products and services available under one roof. Nitin Sahu, a store in-charge, says, ���We recently came up with a ticket reservation counter at our supermarket and it took off from day one. The employees in the offices nearby throng the store throughout the week.���
Consumers are definitely having a much easier time. Shopping has evolved from a tedious running around exercise to a pleasurable experience. Vijay Nagle, a manager in a software company, runs errands for home every month. ���When everything is available at one place, it saves time. Moreover, shopping is like a family excursion where everybody hunts for his or her needs. The one thing that we miss at the supermarkets is a hair salon and a beauty parlour,��� he quips.
Superstores are a boon to those for whom shopping is not just an errand, but a lifestyle. Sweta Nandivada, an HR executive, says, ���Superstores have almost everything. They also have a separate section with games and toys where kids can busy themselves and women can freely rummage the store. It would be nice if a superstore also has a car-wash facility and a counter where you can pay all your bills.��� Well, it���s not too much to ask.
With these facilities and others like food-joints, tarot card reading and photo studios to name a few; super stores are changing the very definition of shopping.