Here is my observation lab presentation.

1. OBSERVATION LAB
NateWhalen
TEM 431

2. Location
■ I took a trip to my local
Outlets Mall in Colorado to
conduct this observation lab

3. Yankee Candle
• Before entering:
• Doors were open and aroma draws
customers in
• Warm, friendly feeling
• Signage is smaller than I’d like, but name
implies store’s nature
• Environment:
• Color and lighting scheme is warm,
“earthy” tan/brown colors with hard
wood floors.
• Very calm setting, warm temperature
with soft music playing, high ceilings but
convoluted aisles and product placement
• Personnel:
• Was immediately greeted by friendly and
knowledgeable associate
• Younger aged employees wearing all
black outfits
• Products:
• Products were shop-able but hard to distinguish,
arranged by color
• Prices were hard to find
• Customers:
• Customers were few and far between, not
accompanied and were elder people
• Most customers purchased items, rarely were
customers not buying

4. Insights
• This was my first time ever in aYankeeCandle store
• Overall it was a pleasant experience, and I was surprised to see a store that only sells
scented candles
• I felt as though I was welcomed into the store and while I was there I received a very
friendly and warm feeling.The aroma of conflicting scents was quite strong however.
• Would I shop again? I suppose if I were ever in the market for a scented candle

5. Under Armour
• Before entering:
• Doors closed, signage is ample and tells
the nature of the store style
• Environment:
• Very bright lighting cold temperature and
high tempo music
• Very high ceilings and open displays,
overall mimicked “gym” atmosphere
• Smelt of new shoes/sports equipment
• Personnel:
• Was never greeted by personnel
• Younger aged employees wearing darker
outfits of store branding
• Personnel fit the expected
styling/branding of the store
• Products:
• Noticed on-sale clothing display at
entrance first, everything at eye level
• All products were categorized based on
age, gender or sport
• Customers:
• Most customers were in a
group of friends or family
• Products were touched in
all cases, as the customers
browsed
• Majority of observed
customers purchased

6. Insights
• I have been to this Under Armour store many times
• Always have the same experience, the layout of the store rarely changes and there is
always a low interaction with associates unless needed
• The store felt as if it was a very high end athletic apparel store and gave off the feeling
of being at a gym.This may create a judgmental feeling in some people but I
personally felt as if I fit in
• Would I shop again?Yes

7. Levi’s
• Before entering:
• Doors closed, signage is small; would not
know what the store is unless I knew the
brand
• Environment:
• Cement floors with wooden and metal
displays; very urban design, cooler
temperature
• Lower ceilings but well lit, no music and
sound echoed throughout store
• Registers located near entrance with no
security; environment influenced value of
merchandise
• Personnel:
• Immediately greeted by two younger
associates wearing casual store branded
clothing which matches store image
• Products:
• Did not notice any specific product
• Merchandise was stacked to ceiling
• Prices were visible
• Customers:
• Customers were mostly
alone, shopping not
browsing
• Products were touched in
all cases, and fitting rooms
used frequently
• All customers observed
purchased items

8. Insights
• This was my first time shopping in a Levi’s store
• I have bought Levi’s before but at a non-Levi’s store
• I was disappointed with this experience. I was immediately greeted by two employees
and then was followed around the store by them the entire time I was there. I also
noticed this with other customers too
• This made me feel as if I had no privacy or freedom to shop the way I wanted to shop
• Merchandise was very condensed and very hard to navigate through
• Would I shop again? Probably not based on the atmosphere and layout of the store

9. GAP
• Before entering:
• Doors closed, signage was big and
prominent
• Environment:
• Hard wood floors with very basic product
shelving/racks
• Lower ceilings but warmly lit, soft music
playing
• Registers located near entrance with no
security
• Personnel:
• No interaction with any associates
• Wearing casual clothing, could not tell if it
was store brand, they were all young
females
• Products:
• Clearance rack items were noticed first
• “Supermarket” style merchandising by
size & gender
• Prices were visible on all racks
• Customers:
• Customers were in groups,
appeared to be mothers
with young children
• Did not see any customers
purchase, but a lot of
browsing took place

10. Insights
• I have never shopped at anyGAP store before this experience
• The biggest surprise was that it seemed like a Ross or JC Penny style clothing store
• Very basic merchandising layout with clothes hanging on discount racks, gave off the
impression of very cheap clothing
• Would I shop again? No

11. The North Face
• Before entering:
• Doors opened wide, signage was big,
proud and prominent, very inviting
• Environment:
• Cement floors, high ceilings and bright
lighting
• Merchandising displays were relevant to
the function of the products
• Registers located near entrance with no
security, but lots of employees circling
the store
• Personnel:
• Immediately greeted by younger
associate clothed in store branded
merchandise, matching store’s desired
image
• Products:
• Rock wall display shown to the right was
noticed first
• Premium prices were visible on all racks
• Customers:
• Mainly younger
”outdoorsy” customer types
• Customers were mainly
browsing but majority
purchased merchandise

12. Insights
• This was my first time in a North Face store
• I was very surprised at the environment of the store. I felt as if I was at a destination
store with all the unique displays of clothes and products
• There was a lot of opportunity to stop and talk to the associates who came off as
experts in the merchandise they were selling
• The experience in the store matched the premium priced high end products that were
being sold there
• Would I shop again?Yes this was hands down the best store I observed during this lab.