Less is More-Why More Women are Shopping at Small Boutiques

Nothing has really changed – women still love to shop. What has changed, however, are their attitudes toward fashion, style, and shopping in general. While departments stores have their advantages, too, small boutiques are becoming the preferred shopping destinations of women everywhere. Why is a small boutique a better choice than a big business? Here are five great reasons why.

Cutting-Edge Style

When it comes to fashion, small boutiques are always ahead of the curve. The owners of small boutiques pride themselves on stocking their stores with things no one else has yet. With a small store, they can focus more time and effort on selecting great pieces, as compared to a department store that has a lot more to manage. Women who want the latest trends before they hit the streets know that they need to shop at small boutiques that will have them before any other store does.

One-of-a-Kind Pieces

Small boutiques hand-select their fashions, and they don’t line their clothing racks with ten of the same items. Department stores, on the other hand, stock hundreds of the exact same clothing items and in every size. When you shop at a boutique, you know you’re buying something that not everyone else has. You might be the only person in your area to be wearing those clothes. Boutiques with handmade and original clothing almost always offer pieces that are truly one-of-a-kind.

Personal Attention

To a department store, you’re just another customer who may or may not make a purchase – either way, it doesn’t matter so much. At a boutique, you’ll likely get more personal attention from store employees who genuinely want to make you happy and make you buy. Because their store is small, they’re better able to assist you without being too busy to really help. The staff members at a boutique are more likely to greet you by name and with a smile than any department store employee.

Local Business

Many small boutiques are owned by local business owners, not mega-corporations or big businesses. In today’s economy, there is certainly a much bigger push toward supporting small, local businesses rather than big chain stores. Many women prefer to have their money go to a local business rather than a department store, because they’re putting their money directly in the hands of the people who need it to support their families, not into the coffers of a rich business account or a CEO’s already fat wallet.

Excitement

Finally, shopping at a small boutique is just plain fun. It’s certainly more exciting than going to a big clothing store where you can more or less know what to expect. Boutiques have personality and originality, and they’re fun to explore and peruse. Every boutique is different, and every time you enter one it’s like discovering any entirely new world of fashion and design. It’s always more exciting to shop at a boutique rather than at a store selling clothing that’s manufactured for the masses.

Prepared by M.P Brown a marketing professional specializing in full site refresh programs for large and small retail organizations.