Nataliya gives a tour of several shops in Hobart, Tasmania, providing observations about each shop's design, merchandise, customer traffic, and overall impression. She visits a bottle shop, beauty store, tea shop, clothing boutique, yoga apparel store, and tea shop. Some shops like the beauty store seem to be struggling while others like the yoga store and tea shops seem to be doing well based on customer traffic and sales. Nataliya provides suggestions for how some shops could improve their design and customer experience.

1. Inquisitive Shopper
invites you for a walk
around shops in
Hobart, Tasmania
Nataliya Katsman for Crash Course On Creativity, Stanford University, Venture-Lab.org
2012

2. Welcome to Hobart CBD!
 Hi, my name's Nataliya, and I'll take you around some popular and some deserted shops in the city center. I
like shopping and always look out for creative and thoughtful things in the shops and on the streets. I think
you need to know a few things before our trip commences.
 Till recently, when Hobart women were thinking about Shopping, they had Mainland in mind, particularly
Melbourne which is just 1 hour flight away. Although things have started to change with some nice shops
coming to town it’s still not much of a thing. But it’s getting better  The majority of all our shops (not
supermarkets) open at 9 am and close at 5:30 during the week, except Fridays when they work till late (which
is 6, sometimes 7 pm ). On Saturday everything closes at 4, Sunday’s the same but smaller shops usually do
not work at all. 90% (could be more) of the things sold in our shops come from China. And it’s very difficult to
find something made in Australia or in Europe without spending a fortune.
 So, let’s go and have a closer look…

3. Thirsty Camel – chain bottle shop
 The store is conveniently situated in the heart of business
area of Hobart right in front of the entrance of multistory
parking next to elevators and the machine were you pay for
your parking. It looks very bright because of the lights and
the color scheme – lime green with hint of orange. The sign
is in bright colors of orange and green, very well lit and
noticeable.
 It draws you in not only by its shiny look but also by visible
Sale signs with items displayed in the windows and near the
entrance, by how the floor boards, shelves and lights are
directed. Cash register is in the corner in front of the
entrance but not on your way, so I’d say the whole setting
invites you in to explore.
 It is full of merchandise that is very well organized by type
of alcohol – beers to the right, wines and sparkling in the
centre, spirits on the left and closest to the cash register.
I is only one sales person in the store, he’s also the one who
receives payments. I believe he can very well see what’s
going on inside, but there’re also security cameras on the
ceiling and on the shelves (with signs suggesting to smile in
front of the camera)
 The shop is not crowded with customers but those who
walked in while I was there (obviously adults, I’d say 25 to
50, both genders) seem to be on the mission. All 3 walked
in straight to what they needed, paid and left within
probably 5 minutes each. If you walk in and hesitate for a
second, you’re attended by the helpful and knowledgeable
sales man dressed in black with an emblem of the store on
the pocket of his shirt.

4. AVEDA
 This store is in the same building (shopping and
office centre) as Thirsty Camel near the
entrance and in front of escalator that brings
people from the supermarket. Ever since it
opened (about 3-4 months ago) I had never seen
any customers inside. I have walked in there
once to have a closer look at what they’ve got
there and left in couple of minutes without
hesitation. It is quite expensive beauty brand
with an emphasis on natural ingredients, and it is
usually sold in beauty salons and hairdressers
(that’s where I was buying their products
before).
 This store looks like a failure to me – no
customers, nothing new seems to be going on
there, no changes to the product displays, no
sales, no specials! The sign is visible from the
escalator only, the flooring is the same as in the
passage way (so it doesn’t draw you in, just
passing by), the display board on the passage way
near the store always has the same sign – “Gift
vouchers available”. I would also say that with
totally open glass entrance it is too exposed for
people to be wanting to explore the stock.
 There’s one sales person there (usually a young
lady not older than 25, dressed in black uniform)
sitting at the cashier desk with I’m-bored-to-
death expression on her face.

5. Jeffersons Tea & Coffee
 This little shop is experiencing hard times because of a recent
opening of a big tea selling chain store, although I think that a
new competitor is not the main problem here.
 The shop is tiny (show room is not more than 12 square meters)
but location is quite good – it is right in the center of the city
near everything – multistory parking, popular lunch spots,
public recreation area with tables and seats. It is actually
visible to people who decide to have their lunch at the
recreation area. You can find the sign if you look for it but it
doesn’t really draw your attention. I’ve been always having a
look, when passing by, at the windows of this shop where some
nice tea pots are displayed. The door is open the floor looks
like laminated timber-like boards.
 The shop looks better from outside then from the inside
because from outside you can not see the piles of boxes with
merchandise (tea brewing accessories) on the floor under
display shelves. Shelves with big standard tea boxes are placed
along the wall opposite entrance. You’ve got to make an effort
(ask shop attendant) to find out how much are different teas;
tea and coffee accessories have small hanging tags with
ridiculously big numbers on them. With these prices I would
place my items inside glass cabinets with locks rather than
leave them on narrow shelves and organize a museum instead of
a shop. It’s probably already some kind of a museum because I
have not seen customers who bought there something while I
was making observations, although there were 2 (3 counting
myself) people who walked in and left in couple of minutes.
 There’s always the same lady there (could be the owner) who
looks after the shop. She is ready to help as soon as you walk
in. She also offers to try the tea that she brewed as a sample
in a big pot (one for the whole day!).
 My suggestions for this shop would be to find the way to hide
all the boxes on the floor, make prices for teas clear (could be
a printed catalog with short descriptions) and to make tea
testing more personal by offering to brew the tea that
customer wants, maybe even a small tea ceremony explaining
the rules for brewing different teas.

6. Witchery
 Clothes for family (men, women, kids), shoes and
home accessories.
 Despite the fact that the shop has only been
open for a couple of weeks it already offers
discounted items. The sign is very well visible and
clear. The shop is full of light, that together
with stainless steel shelves make it look like a
magic box. So I walked in. Inside it smells really
nice with something fresh and fruity. Women to
the right, men – to the left, shoes and kids in the
middle. The floor is light colored shiny big tiles.
 I have been greeted by friendly looking, smiling
young lady who offered help when I got closer to
her. There were also other 3 store attendants –
all good looking, wearing clothes available in the
shop. Security is not really visible if you’re not
trying to find it – just couple of cameras on the
ceiling in the corners that are difficult to see
from the cash registry.
 Nothing really special there except for a piece
of carpet with rough edges in the shoe section
that looks as they were trying to solve the
problem they haven’t thought about in advance.
Tiles are not really nice to walk on barefoot in
the cool Tasmanian climate.

7. Lulemon Athletica
 High quality clothes for fitness and yoga, sports related
accessories (water bottles, yoga mats and towels, bags,
caps, healthy lifestyle DVDs). The store had a campaign
prior to opening when they were informing customers
through Facebook on what’s going on and how many days
left to opening.
 Eye catching design, bright light, well organized
merchandise, friendly staff - all ladies from 25 to 40
wearing clothes they sell here. All shelves, decorations and
flooring is natural timber. Apart from the appearance of
the store there’s another point of interest that might call
customers to go inside – it is a water fountain with paper
cups so that everyone could get inside and hydrate
him/herself.
 This is a Canadian brand with Canadian sizing which is
different from Australian. The staff had turned this
problem into opportunity to start conversation with
customers – they ask you if you are familiar with the sizing
as soon as you touch one of the items. Fitting rooms are
very spacious with mirrors all around you so that you can
see exactly how clothes fit. Something that I haven’t seen
anywhere else was small whiteboard on each fitting room
door where staff writes your name to be able to address
you while you’re inside semi-naked and might need help.
There were 5 or 6 customers browsing around, trying
things on. 3 of them, including myself ended up at the cash
register spending not less than $50 each. Items are placed
in reusable very good looking bags with clever quotes on
healthy lifestyle, brand emblems and brand name.
 I’ll definitely be back – they’ve got yoga mats that I’ve
been thinking of getting through ebay before this store
had been opened 

8. T2 (tea too)
 Another beautiful design and clever organized
merchandise. Bold colors on black shelves with
timber tables used for display of tea samples.
There is a table with small clay cups in front of
the entrance were you can smell all the teas
available in store. The store has also a small
kitchen-like area where they brew tea samples.
Tea pots with ready to drink teas are placed
near the boxes with that same tea you try. They
have 4 or 5 different teas available to taste.
They change testing blends every day. Good
looking attentive staff dressed in stylish black
uniform. There are usually 3 or 4 sales people in
the store. Security cameras are not visible.
 It gets crowded here during the lunchtime and
you can see a lot of people with bright orange
paper bags of T2 around the area. There were 3
people (myself included) in the store 15 minutes
before it had to close.
 All small highly priced accessories are near cash
register. Teas are sorted by blend – greens,
blacks, herbal, but you don’t really need to know
that because usually you ask staff about the
sample tea from the display table or you already
know what you want.

9. Thank you for your nice company!
I hope to meet you
in Tasmania one day,
but this time I’d
suggest to go
sightseeing…