雜貨店，不簡單：苗栗縣苑裡鎮仙昌商店的社會功能與社會資本

關於雜貨店的相關研究，幾乎著重在經濟商業方面的角度，並常與超商、超級市場、量販店等批發零售業進行比較，常以一句「雜貨店很有人情味」、「雜貨店是在地居民喜歡聚集的地方」帶過，卻無相關研究探究雜貨店的人情味為何、為什麼在地居民喜歡聚集在雜貨店，成為一個研究缺口。本研究者身為「雜貨店的小孩」，欲透過苗栗縣仙昌商店作為個案研究，以參與觀察及訪談法進行資料收集，探討仙昌商店在當地的地理位置如何使其發展顧客人際網絡與社會功能，以及在地理位置、人際網絡與社會功能三方作用下，如何形成仙昌商店的社會資本，並能持續的進行累積。研究結果如下：一、仙昌商店自設店以來不斷的建立與鞏固人際關係網絡，與顧客間透過長期而重複性的消費、社交行為進行互動，保持顧客對於仙昌商店的信任與消費習慣，仙昌商店亦能給予顧客好處，如消費金額減免、資訊交流、可以賒賬等互惠行為，從而建立起其社會資本的基礎。二、因泰田里為散村的型態，民宅散布在農田間，少有房屋聚集區域，仙昌商店位於泰田里十字路口的地理位置，顧客能夠方便到達，進行消費與其他社交行為，且人群聚集於仙昌商店，可促進地方上的資訊交流、接收地方上活動宣傳；店主與顧客間的信任，使顧客放心請店主代收信件包裹與財物等社會功能的產生，且在仙昌商店人際關係網絡下的顧客能夠使用這些社會功能。三、仙昌商店透過人際關係網絡與社會功能的產生，讓顧客對加深對仙昌商店的信任程度，賒賬制度的使用得當，也可以提升仙昌商店與顧客間的信任、互惠程度，在長期且重複性的操作下，強化仙昌商店的社會資本。最後期許後續研究可從聚落位置差異、雜貨店的種類、族群文化差異等不一樣的研究角度去探討各地雜貨店是否有發展出獨特的社會功能，以及各地雜貨店的社會資與本研究是否有其相同或相異之處。

關鍵字

雜貨店；地理位置；社會功能；社會資本；人際網絡

並列摘要

Most existing research about grocery stores mainly focuses on their economical aspects by comparing them with convenience stores, supermarkets, and other retailers. A grocery store is usually being described as “full of human touch and warmth” or “the place that gathers its neighbourhood”. However, there is a research gap which is to discuss what the “human touch” is that provided by grocery stores; as well as why they are the preferred gathering spot for the neighbourhood. Hence, as a child who grew up in a grocery store, I would like to carry out a case study using the “Sian Chang Store” in Taitian Village, Miao-Li County, Taiwan. First to understand how its location affects the local social network and function. Secondly, by using the tripartition of geography, social network, and function to investigate how Sian Chang Store can create and continue to achieve a more structured social capital foundation. The research has 3 results as stated below: 1. Sian Chang Store has been establishing a good rapport with customers from the start. As its customers come regularly over the years, the store actively interacts and socialises with them, maintaining a solid sense of trust and consumption habits. The store also provides reciprocal benefits such as discounts, information exchange, and store credits which helps to build up the foundation of its social capital. 2. Due to the nature of scattered residential pattern in Taitian Village, homes are rather separated between the farms instead of being built together. Sian Chang Store is located right at the intersection of Taitian Village, customers can easily reach the store to shop and socialise at the same time. Moreover, residents exchange information while they are at the store, for example, about some local events. The trust between the store owner and customers has created other social functions such as receiving deliveries, which are being used extensively with the well-developed social network. 3. Sian Chang Store consolidates its customers’ trust via shaping its unique social network and function. With the properly used store credit system repeatedly being carried out in a long term, the store has also strengthened its social capital. I look forward to seeing further research that looks at wider aspects from village settlement differences, types of grocery stores, and culture differences, to explore whether grocery stores in each region would develop their own social function; and compare the differences and similarities of social capitals from other grocery stores.