The Science of Shopping

This was a very extensive article that covered a wide variety of important points. That being said, I believe that several of the most important points were to identify shopper behavior within a store, to distinguish between different shopping habits of men and women, and to identify how different stores rely on different design qualities to create the targeted emotion in the shopper. In regard to the first point, the article went on at great length about patterns of shopper behavior, and how stores try to manipulate and capitalize on these patterns. For example, the author described his meeting with Paco Underhill and the many things that he learned from the visit. Underhill pointed out many things, like the fact that in grocery stores, the most popular items like dairy and produce are located at the farthest ends of the store, so that customers need to walk through many rows of food before finding what they came for. By that time, the customer has likely discovered other things that he wants or needs, and has already added them to his shopping cart. Underhill also talked about the Decompression Zone: the 12 to 25 feet that it takes a pedestrian to slow down and notice a storefront display while walking on the sidewalk. Underhill advises his clients not to put prominent displays in outside-facing windows that fall in the Decompression Zone, because pedestrians will not notice it. Another trick that was brought up was the consumer's inclination to turn and look to the right after entering a store. Thus, many stores will put important sale items and displays on the right hand side after walking in through the door. In addition, "Zone Four" was brought up as a way stores try to affect shopping patterns. Zone Four is the area towards the back of the store, and many companies try to get shoppers to walk all the way back to Zone Four while shopping by placing smaller items and accessories in the front of the store and more desired items in the back. Thus, shoppers look at all of the products in the store on their way to the most important items. A second important point of the article was to differentiate between male and female shoppers. Males tend to be more easily distracted shoppers, willing to buy products other than what they came to the store to buy. Males are also generally less organized shoppers, often going shopping without lists of what they need to buy. Males also have a harder time saying no to children while shopping, so a child who puts a box of cookies in a shopping cart is more likely to get his way with his father than his mother. Grocery shopping was not the only difference that was discussed in regard to male and female shoppers. At men's clothing stores, quick purchases like socks are often placed close to the register, while most clothes are organized according to what matches and which colors go well together. Stores try to simplify choices for men, and also try to keep men's sections very confined, because male shoppers can be intimidated if they accidentally stumble into the women's section. For female shoppers, items are less pointedly organized, because women like to feel like they make their own fashion choices, and enjoy putting their own wardrobes and outfits together. Stores are well aware of the differences between male and female shoppers, and try to target these differences in the layout of their stores. One final point of the article that was discussed at length was how different stores try to create different emotions and feelings for shoppers. Two stores that were compared were Calvin Klein and Polo Ralph Lauren. The Calvin Klein store that was evaluated had white walls, high ceilings, stone floors, and a small amount of merchandise on the floor. The salesmen and saleswomen were dressed in sombre, dressy clothing and maintained very formal manners. Meanwhile, the Polo store was packed with colorful clothing, jovial salesmen, and an overall inviting atmosphere. It was not that Polo was a better store than Calvin Klein, but that the two stores were trying to create different mindsets for their customers, and trying to create a lasting impression about the respective brands of clothing.

I like to think that I am not overly affected by a store's design, because I do not want to give in to all of the tricks that I now realize are being played on me. That being said, I do not feel like I am overly affected by store design. I am a very stubborn shopper, and if I think something is overpriced, I will not consider buying it. Especially for clothing, the things I focus on are appearance and price. I also enjoy shopping in very different stores, which shows that I do not pay too much attention to store design. For example, I like Urban Outfitters, which uses a great deal of natural wood in its displays to make it look unfinished. The store is not particularly organized, with lots of wall shelves and tables in the middle of the walkways. Everywhere one looks, there are more clothes. On the other hand, I also like Express, which has shiny white walls and a very polished appearance. This store is usually more organized, with most clothing on the walls, but some racks and tables in the middle of the floor. In terms of shopping for food, I think I am much more affected by store design. I always buy more at a grocery store than I came for, because the things I need are usually placed at the back of the store. A guy has to eat, right?

When analyzing a retail store, there are many different ways to evaluate store design. One thing that I would pay attention to is the lighting of the store. Some stores, like Express (mentioned above) have very bright lighting and bright, reflective walls. Other stores, such as Hollister and Abercrombie, are so dark that shoppers can barely see the clothes. Another aspect I would include on my checklist is smell. This may seem odd, but it plays a major role in the shopping experience. Abercrombie, Hollister, and American Eagle utilize large amounts of cologne in their stores. Shoppers smell this from halfway across a mall, and it can either draw shoppers in or turn them away. I have also noticed that in other stores such as Eddie Bauer, there is a great amount of wood that actually gives the store a forest-like smell. The way that stores display their clothing is another category I would use to evaluate a retail store. Most stores utilize a combination of stacking on shelves, hanging on racks, and folding on tables. All of these different means of storing clothes creates a different response from the shopper. Displaying clothes on a table allows the shopper to feel the clothing, which can sometimes influence the purchasing decision. Stacking on shelves is a great way to display the same product in many different colors, such as sweaters or dress shirts. The shape of a store is another great way to evaluate it. Narrow, rectangular stores with the register at the back can be a great way to push shoppers all the way to Zone Four, but this layout can also be a problem for claustrophobic shoppers. It can also make the store more vulnerable to shoplifting. Large stores with vast expanses of open floor space can be effective for shoppers with a lot of time, but can be problematic for male shoppers, and those who are impatient.