It’s easy to forget that when it comes to retailing, the United States is a relative newcomer. Yes, we probably have the most up-to-date technology and resources of any nation. But as for putting customers in a shopping mood, we can learn a lot from the bazaars and marketplaces that continue to thrive in ancient cultures.

That’s why I was fascinated by this article in the Hindu Business Line–a site not on my usual daily reading list. The writer, a retail designer, notes that Western design elements like sleek fixtures and flashy graphics don’t hit the mark with the average Indian customer.

Instead, that average customer prefers the hustle and bustle of the bazaar, where shelves overflow with merchandise, the aisles are crowded with shoppers and yet, “the customer…is the centrepiece of the show.”

The bazaar shopkeeper has learned over the centuries what we sometimes forget today: to make the costumer feel at home. I’ve met far too many storeowners who are so impressed with their fixtures and signage, they don’t realize they’re putting the customer second. Their stores might look great, but if they don’t feel great, they won’t keep the customers coming back for more.

I like what the Hindu writer says: “…familiar elements of celebration, warmth and family… are sure to touch a chord with the Indian consumer. In mood and in spirit, the scene evokes the feel of homecoming.”

It doesn’t take much; some tea and other refreshments, pleasant aromas, attentive salespeople. That’s how they’ve been drawing ‘em into the bazaars for hundreds of years. Maybe they’re on to something.

Make sure your customers feel at home. If you don’t, someone else in the great retail bazaar will.