14 InsideOutdoor | WINTER 2023-24 If you were asked if you spoke the same language as your customer, how would you answer? I suppose most would naturally answer, “of course, English,” if we were speaking literally. Metaphorically, however, the answers vary. There is a generational shift in today’s customers. I suppose this isn’t much different than any other point in retail history. Let’s just say I’m more cognizant of this shift today than I was earlier in life. Perhaps because I have been studying retail trends for more than 50 years, I am finally able to step back from the forest and see the trees. Customers in their 20s and 30s (Gen Zers and Millennials) care about different things than we did at their age. Not surprisingly, we viewed things differently than our parents did too. This new generation of shoppers align themselves with “causes” that are important to them. As such, it is important that today’s retailers have at minimum, a basic understanding of these issues if they intend to cater to and develop this base of customers. These customers will spend more if they feel the retailers or the vendors they carry meet the criteria of the causes they support. The word sustainable seems to be the mantra or at least the buzzword for this new generation of shoppers. According to Kait Costanti, owner of Salchicha, an upscale women’s boutique in Bozeman, Mt., “Our customers are well versed in sustainability and eco-conscious brands. They love to understand the ethos behind each line. As online shopping continues to grow, our customers are interested in a dynamic and fresher take on shopping. They cling to the backstories behind each product- from where the companies source the fabric to who owns the brand and what social initiatives they are aligned with.” She goes on to say that “the language our customer speaks is typically smaller, women-owned vendors. They seek out well-crafted goods that have a story behind them versus mass-produced inexpensive products made overseas.” Many vendors understand this cultural shift and have adopted programs that support causes they feel are important to their customers. Dress vendor Farm Rio gives back to the environment by planting trees. Sako, a jewelry line from Africa, is entirely women owned. According to an online article published in an August 2023 issue of Retail Brew, Walmart is investigating ways to turn its carbon emissions into textiles. Sustainability has been at the core of Patagonia’s business model since its inception in 1973. The iconic outdoor brand makes every effort to reuse their textiles to make more products and avoid landfills. They also use recycled textiles and factory floor cuttings in their products to minimize waste. Since 1985, Patagonia has pledged 1 percent of its sales to the preservation and restoration of the environment. It is therefore easy to understand how a customer whose main concern revolves By Ritchie Sayner What Language Does Your Customer Speak?
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