It may seem like there is nothing small about big-box retailer Costco, but a recent article on forbesindia.com pointed out a psychological paradox that could be a reason behind the store's success.
At a deeper level, the customer's experience of "small" and "large" retail is not always about the scale of the store. It is possible to have a store that is physically large, yet psychologically small.
Costco is a jumbo place that sells everything in big packs. Yet, it's very simple and basic. There is no music and the flooring is grey. Conversations can be heard; the staff wear normal clothes, not uniforms and yes, its founder was a 'normal' guy like us! Costco, like its founder's story, is psychologically small and approachable. Both Costco and its customers seem to tell each other, "We just want a deal and want to live well". Physically, the store, its aisles, trolleys, packages, are all huge. Psychologically, they are small. That seems to work, somehow.
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