A Crash Course on Creativity

1. Are You Paying Attention?
Crash Course on Creativity
Melissa Chen

2. Location: Champaign, Illinois

3. 1st Store: Sephora • Opened Door
• Black, white and
red theme
throughout the
store with bright
lighting
• Fresh music
• Employees
helping individual
customers
throughout the
store
• Organized by
different brands
and products

4. Sephora: Insights and Hidden Opportunities
• Customers prefer to consult experts on specific makeup/skin-
related product choices. This includes employees testing out
products on them
• There should be more employees with sufficient knowledge on
each brand otherwise customers are overwhelmed or confused
and only wander around the store

5. 2nd Store: Express • Opened Door with
a bright entrance
• Red and white
theme throughout
the store
• Only two or three
employees
• Very spacious
• Loud music

6. Express: Insights and Hidden Opportunities
• There is not enough customer service around the store and as a
result, the store feels less welcoming
• The store environment and products are clearly differentiated. It
has a clear business casual outlook
• The models around and in front the stores are attractive and it
draws customers’ attention
• There is a whole section in the back of the store that is allocated
solely for sales. The section is divided into specific sizes which is
helpful when looking through the sale items

7. 3rd Store: Track ‘N Trail
• Cozy environment
with wood flooring
and walls
• Warm-colored
lighting
• Organized by
brands
• Main stream
music

8. Track ‘N Trail: Insights and Hidden
Opportunities
• The cozy environment is very comfortable and it makes
customers want to stay longer
• The environment ties well with the products, which are winter
boots and shoes
• The music was irrelevant to the store’s style, which is slightly
distracting
• Some products allow self-service where customers can look
through boxes to find their own sizes. This is very efficient when
employees are occupied with other customers

9. 4th Store: Track ‘N Trail
• Warm
environment with
wood flooring and
orange colored
walls
• Dark lighting
• No organization of
specific products
• Instrumental
music

10. Track ‘N Trail: Insights and Hidden
Opportunities
• There was no specific organization of the different products
throughout the store so it was difficult to find specific items. For
example, there would be a table of jewelry along with other
antique-styled toys
• Although the store has a very unique style of products, having
better organization would make it even more attractive. It’s hard
to decide where to start looking for a specific item
• The employees dressed similar to regular customers, which
made it difficult to distinguish who worked in the store

11. 5th Store: Bare Escentuals
• Same slogan and
theme throughout
the store: “Dazzle,
Shine, Gold”
• Stands and
shelves utilized to
showcase products

12. Bare Escentuals: Insights and Hidden
Opportunities
• Very attractive entrance and layout of the store. It looks similar
to a chocolate or candy store
• Having a consistent theme throughout the store allows the
customers remember it more clearly
• The stands in the middle of the store really helps display new
items and many customers are drawn to this area
• There are also signs in each section of the store that explains
the specialty of each product which is very helpful and insightful

13. 6th Store: Pandora
• White themed with
bright lights
• Every item is
showcased
professionally and
formally

14. Pandora: Insights and Hidden Opportunities
• The lightness of the store helps illuminate the store, which
draws more attention to those passing by outside
• Having all the products in cases forces customers to interact
with employees when they want to look at them more closely. This
not only provides more security for the items but it also gives the
employees an opportunity to describe them
• The employee stands in the center of the store, surrounded by
the showcase, which allows them to closely interact with
customers

15. Thank you!
Crash Course on Creativity