As much as we can use retail techniques to fashion our markets, I think we should. However, there are times when it is clear that the techniques do not match up so well to our market world. Here are some retail techniques that we should be aware of and know how to either adapt and adopt, or just realize that sometimes the point of view from the shoppers will include a perception that we do operate in the same way.
Loss Leaders– the idea that you “give away” some products at cost or just above to entice people to buy other more expensive products. Things like newspapers and magazines are often loss leaders. Believe it or not, so is milk a lot of times…So as a result, people see those costs as actual, rather than a loss. When they come to us and see the actual cost of those same products, they are horrified, so it has to be communicated that our farmers cannot afford to offer things at a loss.
Add-ons– When you go into a coffeehouse and the barista asks if you want a muffin with your latte, they are doing that because they have been told they must offer other products. I have heard shoppers complain that the market vendors are not “friendly” often enough to watch interactions and notice that shoppers are sometimes uncomfortable when farmers stand there silently with an open bag. Add-on sales could be as simple as market managers spending time on the shopper side pointing out a newly seasonal product. Or just a smile and a nod when the shopper picks their own products!
Rotating signage-I wish more markets used seasonal signage. Farmers do, but markets rarely do. Just a thought…
Easy Shop technologyIn essence, we offer this: the chance to buy and bag each item while in the aisles, skipping the lines. Interesting that stores are coming closer to us, rather than farther away…
WiFi available an interesting idea that might be developed in a few larger flagship markets. Could be a bloggers corner or simply access to wifi during market hours under a tent. Some savvy tech-centric market could have a public computer that has the market website with a recipe database for customers to access.

There are many more techniques in the retail world to notice. Again, no question that some will never fit all markets and some may never fit any, but let’s keep our eyes open.