The document provides observations from 4 different stores in Accra, Ghana: 1. Melcom Shopping Centre - A large retail store that is noisy, crowded, and warm. Security is visible. 2. African Wear Store - A smaller store selling African clothing. It has friendly staff but is disorganized. 3. Dibsons Enterprise - Sells electronics and is very crowded and warm inside. Items are arranged by function. 4. Adwene Pa Phones - Sells phones and accessories in a small, dark store. Products are arranged by model/function.

1. CRASH COURSE ON CREATIVITY ASSIGNMENT
AKUA OBENG-DWAMENA
TOPIC: PAYING ATTENTION
OBSERVATION 1:
MELCOM SHOPPING CENTRE
Melcom Shopping Centre is a big retail store with branches in Accra and other regions in
Ghana. I visited the Accra central branch of the store.
Before you enter, the store draws you in with the doors widely open. The sign lettering is
very big and is visible 2 kilometers away. The color scheme of the store is white and brown.
The store has a high ceiling with ceiling
fans and is well lit. This makes it
possible to see the various products and
distinguish between colors of products.
The environment is loud with
individual traders outside the store,
shouting to attract pedestrians to their
wares. In addition, there is music
playing from a television on display in
another corner of the store which is loud
thus making the environment more
noisy. It is warm inside the store
because the weather is hot outside. Many people can be seen walking into the store. The store
is crowded with merchandise and people. The smell in the store is that of popcorn which can
be attributed to the fact that there is a popcorn vender in one corner of the store. At the
entrance is the cash register. The store security is very visible in that there are security men at
the entrance and inside the store, a police woman and visible security cameras. I do not want
to stay in the store for long because at this point in time I have been cautioned by the security
men not to take pictures in the store because it is not allowed though I had asked for
permission to do so. I realize after spending 10 minutes in the store that I am being observed.
The environment influences the perceived value of the merchandise. This is so in that how
visible the store security is is a measure to dissuade people from stealing the store’s valuable
merchandise.
With the sales personnel, it does not take long to initiate contact because they are many, a
ratio of 5:1 which cater for the large numbers of customers. Salespersons have uniforms and

2. this gives them a good image which matches the store’s image. They do not have a script to
follow with each customer. It is not evident that the salespersons treat different customers
differently in that they barely look up or at the face of the customers. They only check the
items, mention the total price of items and give receipts. The employees are between the ages
of twenty and fifty.
The first product I notice is powdered soap which can be found on a central display table.
There are no free samples/demonstrations and the items that are least accessible in the store
are furniture, kitchen items like plates, cutlery sets and bowls. Again the least expensive
products are found on the first floor of the
store whiles the most expensive items are
found on the second floor. Prices are easy
to find for some products and not all. Most
customers are alone.
Customers: The average age of customers
is about 25 years most of whom are female.
When customers enter, they do not walk in
the same path or direction as most appear
to be on a mission. Customers stay in the
store on an average of ten minutes.
Customers are encouraged to touch the
items and 60% of customers purchase
products in the store.

3. OBSERVATION 2
AFRICAN WEAR STORE
This store is also located in the central business district of Accra. It is a small store where
African shirts and trousers for both males and females are sold.
Before you enter the store, the store draws you in because of the various designs on the
mannequins displayed at the entrance of the store. The floor of the store has been carpeted. The
sign lettering is not as big as that of Melcom Shopping Centre because of the small size of the
store.
Environment: Inside the store is painted white with various clothing hanging on the wall in
display as well as on mannequins inside the store. The environment is noisy because of the
presence of hawkers outside shouting to attract buyers to their wares. Music can be heard in the
store from across the street making the environment noisy. It is warm in the store because the
fans are off. The cash register is located at
the entrance of the store. There is however
no store security because this is a smaller
store. I would want to stay long in this store
because the salespersons are very friendly
and are eager to take me round to see their
various designs.
Personnels: Customers are met with smile at
the entrance of the store by the salespeople.
The salespersons do not have a script to
follow with each customer. I was treated
nicely by the salespersons but since I was the only customer there as at that time I cannot tell
how a different person would be treated though I can only guess. The employees are between the
ages of twenty five and thirty. The salespeople do not use the store products and they do not have
a uniform as well. The salespeople match the store’s image in that since they sell African designs
they wear African clothes and hairstyles.
Products: The first product I notice is a mannequin in an embroided African shirt and trousers to
match. There is a case where African jewelry is displayed. The products are arranged by price.
Clothing for females are arranged outside whiles those for males are arranged inside the store.
The prices are mentioned by the salespeople, they are not attached to the clothings or jewelry.
There are no impulse items near the cash register

4. Other observations I made was that the
clothings for sale were displayed
haphazardly making the store look
disorganized. Also, there were items like
pieces of cloths or materials lying around
which in my opinion should be kept in a
store room.
Again the store was lit by daylight and not
lights inside, in other words the lights were
off as at the time I was there.

5. OBSERVATION 3
DIBSONS ENTERPRISE LIMITED
This store is also located in Accra. Electronic appliances such as refrigerators, cookers,
fans (both ceiling and standing) just to mention a few are sold in this store
Before I enter the store, the store does not draw me in because the entrance is crowded by
merchandise. This gives me a feeling that inside the store is crammed. The lettering on the sign
is big. The sign also has the brands of the merchandise sold in the store, probably a way to attract
more customers especially those with whom brands matter when buying goods.
Environment
The walls have been painted white with polished tile floors. This serves to give the store a classy
look and serves to brighten the environment with the reflection of the light on the tile surface.
The ceiling is not very high adding to the
cramming of the store. The environment is
loud from noise from hawkers busily calling
out for customers, noise made by passing
vehicles and by loud music being played
nearby. There is a high temperature inside the
store due to its low ceiling as well as
merchandise crowded inside and at the
entrance of the store. The cash register is
located in the middle of the store. Store
security is not visible. I would not want to
stay longer in this store because of high
temperatures inside the store.
Personnel: I am met outside by one salesperson inviting me to come inside to have a look at the
items inside. The salesperson does not have a script to follow and does not treat different
customers differently. Employees are mostly male between the ages of twenty years and fifty
years. Some products, specifically the fans have been used in the store. The sales persons do not
have uniforms.
Products: the first product I notice is an electric cooker. There is no central display table with
featured products. There are demonstrations of some of the electrical appliances especially to
interested customers. Items in least accessible locations in the store include blenders and irons.
The most or least expensive products are not located in a particular place. They are dispersed as
items are displayed by function and not by prices. Prices of goods inside the store are easy to
find but those displayed outside have to be quoted by the salespersons. There are no impulse
items displayed.

6. Customers: Most customers are alone. The average age of customers is about thirty years and
they are male in gender. When a customer enters the store, they tend to walk in the same path
because of the arrangement of items in the store. Customers stay in the store fifteen minutes on
average. Customers touch the products and it is encouraged by the salespeople. The customers
mainly appear to be browsing. About forty percent of customers purchase products in the store.

7. OBSERVATION 4
ADWENE PA PHONES
Adwene Pa Phones is a store located in Makola, Accra. Phones, digital cameras and
accessories are sold there.
Before you enter the store the store does not draw me in because it is a bit dark inside as the
lights are not lit though the doors are open. The sign I believe is not big because the store is not
big.
Environment: The walls of the store are painted white with tiled floors. The ceiling is not very
high which contributes to making the inside of the store dark. The lights in the store as of the
time I was there was off. The environment is noisy because of vehicles passing by on the streets.
There is also music playing
nearby. The store is warm
because the fans are off. The
store is crowded to the extent
that merchandise is being
displayed on the floor as well.
The cash register is located at
the far end of the store. There is
no visible store security. I
would want to stay longer
perhaps for twenty minutes in
this store because there are a
wide range of phones and
accessories to choose from.
Personnel: I get into contact
with a salesperson at the entrance of the store. They do not have scripts to follow with each
customer. Salespeople do not treat different customers differently. The ratio of salespeople to
customers is 2:1. All the salespeople are males who are between the ages of twenty-five to fifty
years. The salespeople do not have a uniform. They are dressed casually.
Products: the first product I notice is a phone case. The central display case has featured
products such as Android phones, Touch Pads and Laptops. The phones are arranged by model
whiles the accessories are arranged by function. At eye level are phones. The items located at the
least accessible locations are older mode of phones. The most expensive products are located in
the central display case whiles the least expensive are in the shelves. The prices are easy to find
on price stickers on the various items. The impulse items are displayed near the central display
case.

8. Customers: Customers were mostly alone. Most of the customers were male as at the time I was
in the store and were 25 years on average. Customers stay in the store on an average of fifteen
minutes. Customers who enter the store walk the same path or direction, that is to speak to the
salespersons. Customers do not touch the products because they are in glass cases. Unless they
insist on seeing it out of the glass case they do not touch the products Customers appear to be
browsing. 40% of customers purchase products in the store.
Other observations I made is the large number of the salespeople though the store is small in
size.
Unfortunately, recently, investigative journalists have been exposing certain malpractices by
some stores in Ghana and so this has made store owners reluctant in allowing people to take
photographs. In fact anyone who wants to take a picture inside the store appears suspicious and
so would stop anyone who attempts to do that. I was stopped by security men in the first shop I
entered because I wanted to take pictures. This accounts for the reason why I couldn’t take up-
close pictures of the products as well as taking just four of the six required number of shops.
Thank you.