Recently when we tried out a new bake in the La Motte Bakery, I noticed that it fell open into beautiful petals when it was cut – just ready to share. There was something very special about that generosity and sense of sharing. We celebrated a similar sentiment for Braai Day in September, when oversized sandwiches and a plankie filled with delicacies fresh from the coals, were all about sharing a meal around the fire. But there is much more to the concept of sharing than hospitality and generosity.
Sharing is an important concept and skill we are taught from a young age. But more than sharing what you physically have, sharing also applies when it comes to knowledge and experience – both in our private and business capacities. In 2019 already, my blog Sharing is Caring, touched on how the local wine tourism industry benefits from sharing best practices. Sharing is also very much at the heart of the offering at our Franschhoek estates. Sharing has to come from a place of gratitude and not entitlement or pride. For us, this means to share the blessings of natural beauty, vineyards that translate to beautiful wine and the privilege to be surrounded by talented artists when it comes to cooking, design, sculpture, etc.
There is, however, another aspect of sharing: An economy of sharing, which according to Time Magazine, “…is one of the ideas that is going to change the world”. An article called The Business of Sharing explains: “Today’s economy represents a shift where consumers buy less and share more, a restructuring on a scale that will likely change the way we do business into the future.” (Read here)
Noticed that young people manage to travel, go to restaurants and buy expensive wines but are still living with their parents? Seems that the world of consumption is changing from ownership to collaborative consumption. A simple example is in the way no one owns CDs and DVDs anymore. We rather share digital platforms like Apple Music and Netflix to have access to our favourite tunes and series. It does, however, go much further than this. Why own a car, pay instalments and insurance when you can catch a ride via an easily accessible app such as Uber or Zipcar? International travel becomes much more affordable with accommodation options such as Air B&B and you can work from anywhere in the world if you just have internet and access to shared office space and equipment. Even if you have a home and some DIY to do, renting tools and using services make much more sense than buying the tools or equipment and then finding a place to store them. It is not only about being the one who rents or saves, but also about the opportunity to provide the services required. Eventually, this new economy provides access to resources in a way that is communal and more affordable, but still efficient and even more eco-friendly. It is therefore no surprise that younger generations prefer “access over ownership, convenience over collection.”
What about those of us who want to sell something? How does this changing consumer behaviour affect the way we do business? Going digital was but the first step for brands, but to survive, any business will have to carefully consider what the sharing economy means for them and how they have to adapt to this new reality. With connectivity a given, it is also about collaboration. Perhaps when you sell wine, you still expect the consumer to buy your product, but the opportunity to differentiate yourself might lie in business-to-business innovation. Collaborations with other businesses might make it easier to get to your farm or pair your wine with ready-made meals or in some innovative way or another, have a different customer approach in which your product adds more value than just its taste or status.
Even though making your business model work might be a serious concern, there is something almost a little nostalgic about this whole sense of sharing. It reminds me of the days when you couldn’t 6060, so you borrowed a cup of sugar from the neighbour, giving you an opportunity to connect and even to give a little something back. For many of us, inviting guests into our homes seems obvious, but perhaps it is a little out of the ordinary in modern city environments and initiatives like Come Over October, actually motivate people to invite people into their houses and share a glass of wine or a cup of coffee.
Sharing might be a natural thing to do when it comes to lunch sandwiches or a bottle of wine. For older generations, however, ownership is their security and status. It used to be about positioning yourself in such a way that you could be the one to share with those in need, but for yourself to be self-sufficient rather than depend on services. It is quite the mindset to change in our personal capacity and I expect sometimes even harder when it comes to the way we see the economy and do business.
The truth is, though, that the new consumer is challenging us more than ever before and if we want to stay relevant, it is not only about accessibility, but also finding a way to address the economy of sharing and add more value to both the consumer and collaborator.