David Zahlan, director of Alexander's Fruit Market at Oakleigh in Melbourne, said in the March issue of Retail World that fruit and vegetable retail has remained relatively the same for decades.
"We saw them all in the markets – the guy in the leather apron and the rolled-up sleeves standing on his hustle and bustle," he says.
"For hours you will hear him call out all prices for his fruits and vegetables, usually when confused shoppers go on. It's a proven part of grocery retailing, but a big, booming voice can only carry you so far."
Mr. Zahlan and his team at Alexanders Fruit Market said there had to be a better way.
Become social
Mr. Zahlan started taking some photos and videos in his store and uploading them to Instagram.
"It gave people an insight into what we're doing before we open the doors to the public," he says. "We work hard, but we have a little bit of fun doing it."
According to Zahlan, his videos are not "sophisticated, high-quality ads". Instead, he adds, it's just him, his brother Danny, and the rest of his coworkers who were captured at work with his iPhone camera.
"I make videos while we're in the big markets, trucking around town, or interacting with our suppliers and customers," he says.
"They are funny and have a significant impact on local industry. In a few months I made dozens of calls from suppliers for features in my videos.
"It gives people a creative look behind the scenes of our work."
Advice for retailers
Mr. Zahlan advises retailers to "feel" themselves and feel good in front of the camera.
"Don't force anything," he says. “It is better to do it right than to do it right.
"Our content is authentic, OS-free, and customers love our content as much as we love creating it."
