The Hindu Business Line : Ha! Ha! It's a fest at Shoppers' Stop

RETAIL is getting innovative and even quirky, at least as far as in-store events go. While LifeStyle recently introduced the concept of Weekends in its stores featuring performances by a band, Shoppers' Stop is launching a month-long `Ha! Ha! Ha! Fest' coinciding with the start of the festive season.

"Happy shoppers shop a lot," said Ms Sheetal Choksi, Customer Care Associate and General Manager (Marketing & Communication), Shoppers' Stop.

She told Business Line that the festival aims to provide a completely different experience to shoppers and do its bit to spread happiness and reduce stress in the world. "The festival will establish an emotional connect with the customer, taking the relationship beyond just a transactional one."

Shoppers' Stop is not restricting the fest to its stores but is extending it to the workplace. So, now all meetings will start and end with a joke and at a specific time, all employees will laugh out loud wherever they are, as a part of laughter therapy.

All employees are being provided humorous computer screen savers to foster the culture and cartoon strip posters based on office humour will decorate their workplace.

From October 14 to November 14, Shoppers' Stop outlets across the country will feature performances by clowns and mimics. Artists will be available for customers to get their caricatures drawn.

The store is also tying up with laughter clubs around the country for on-ground events and is creating masti corners where the shoppers can play games and crack jokes.

Special events such as plays, skits, JAM sessions and painting competitions to include all kinds of customers have been lined up. Visitors to the outlets will win prizes based on contests but they are not price incentives for the store's merchandise, Ms Choksi said.

Shoppers' Stop is also doing its bit for society as part of this festival. It is aiming to sell five lakh smileys for Rs 5 each during this month. The proceeds of the activity will be donated to CRY.

At the end of the festival, all the smileys from the store will be put up together in an attempt to create the world's biggest smile. Further, Shoppers' Stop managers will be visiting old age homes and orphanages to entertain the residents with jesters and jugglers on weekends, Ms Choksi said.