Download to read offline
Module 5 observation lab
- 1. Module 5: Observation Lab ADAMYORK TEM 431 SPRING 2019
- 2. For this assignmentI visited 6 different stores, spending time observing the locations as well as taking photos. The following are my observations from these 6 stores Barnes and Noble Growers Direct Petsmart Pier 1 TJMaxx Walgreens
- 3. Barnes and Noble The entrance has books for sale right at the door There is a kiosk with new additions just as you enter Soft music plays in the background, adding a nice touch to the browsing The whole store is open with rows of books and sections broken up like a library There is a Starbucks located to the right of the entrance which allows the pleasant scent of coffee to waft throughout the store
- 4. Barnes and NobleCont. I was not approached by a rep until I neared the Customer Service kiosk, located in the middle of the store The staff wear their own clothes with name tags In the back of the store is a huge kids section with the best sellers firmly placed at the front There is a section for group readings as well as imagination time There are plenty of seats around the store for people to sit and read The checkout area forces the line to weave around stands with books, last minute items that try to entice you to buy them The store is laid out well with plenty of space to walk
- 5. Barnes and NobleCont. The average customer seemed to be in their twenties and in school or educated at least At checkout they ask if you have a rewards card and try to get you to sign up for one if you do not The staff were nice and did not push for sales The store is laid out with obvious signs pointing people in the direction they wish to go The magazines are located right by Starbucks to get people to purchase them for reading while they consume their beverages
- 6. Barnes and NobleInsights I always feel smarter after I leave this business I didn’t know that they have a computer where you can search for books and an employee will get it for you. If it is not in stock they can order it Their game section is top notch with smart games for families to play. Lots of strategy games also
- 7. Growers Direct Thisvegetable/fruit store is setup like a farmers market Open-air feel as the whole store is one big room The entrance is kind of bland The colorful fruit and vegetables make the whole place shine There was light music playing that was barely audible. Sounded like a radio station The smells of the produce filled the air making me hungry Being the afternoon there were only about 4 shoppers Only one cashier and one person stocking the shelves
- 8. Growers Direct Cont. Signage was easy to read and showed price per pound The produce was ripe and placed in a pleasing fashion There were two registers at the front, impeding anyone from running out with produce without paying first It was chilly inside the store and the front windows were tinted to keep the light/heat out The staff were very nice and wearing casual clothing My only interaction was at the register although I did say hello to the man stocking the vegetables The flow of the store has no direction and you can just wonder around searching for what you want
- 9. Growers Direct Cont. I liked the easy pricing with scales available to figure out the cost Most items were by the pound There was not a section for sales or high priced items Not much room for lines at the register but I never got the impression that there would be a mad rush at this store The cashier was good at knowing the cost for the different produce
- 10. Growers District Insights Found several fruits and vegetables I had never heard of before I wish there was someone available to ask questions about what each fruit or vegetable was. The only person available was the man stocking the shelves and he did not speak English. He was very nice but the language barrier was unbreakable This store is located right beside Trader Joes. I shop at Trader Joes but go to Growers District for all of my vegetables. They are fresher and cheaper Being as they only handle fruits and vegetables I wish they carried more exotic fruit than the limited number that they do carry
- 11. Petsmart The frontentrance has the Petsmart logo There are some fun pictures at the entrance of the store showing different pets Waking into the store you find the shopping carts and the registers right away There is some music playing that is not too loud Of course, you can hear the echo of dogs barking though out the store
- 12. Petsmart Cont. Thedoggie day camp is a fun place to stand and watch the dogs play All of the customers are happy, especially those with dogs The staff all wear Petsmart attire with name badges I was asked if I could use assistance almost as soon as I walked into the store The aisles are wide and have everything within reach and labeled correctly
- 13. Petsmart Cont. Thedifferent pet sections are broken down with easy to identify signage There is a groomer in the front of the store by the cash registers There is also a Banfield pet clinic located in the store The fish section has lots of tanks but you need assistance to get any fish There are three registers but only one open. When the line gets 3 people deep the staff rushes to open another line to keep people moving
- 14. Petsmart Insights Howcan anyone leave this store and not be happy? I could spend the day watching the dogs or looking at the cats in the adoption area. This is where I got the two cats I currently have They have an open room where they conduct dog training classes. Anyone can watch while the dogs are being trained. Lots of fun! Some of the in-house products are expensive and I cannot tell the difference between them and the usual name brands
- 15. Pier 1 Imports The entrance has the Pier 1 Imports signage The entrance is laid out nicely and inviting with plenty of windows to see the wares within Although the store feels crowded maneuvering is fairly simple When you walk around the store you feel you need to be careful to not bump into anything and break it The music was kind of loud, probably echoed more because I was the only customer inside the store at first
- 16. Pier 1 ImportsCont. Lots of pretty displays where they have items that match well together for sale There were about 4 staff working, restocking shelves or talking at the register (located in the middle of the store) No one offered me assistance even after I made eye contact with a staff member With the register in the middle of the store and towards the back, it seemed easy for anyone to simply pick something up and head out the door
- 17. Pier 1 ImportsCont. The side with the scented items was neat and orderly with all items easily reachable and marked for easy reading Products were batched together nicely to find similar items The side of the store with the pillows was almost as neat as the scented side Sale items were located towards the entrance but also throughout the store Once you are in the store for 10 minutes you understand the layout and where to find things There is no obvious signage to point out items
- 18. Pier 1 ImportsInsights The longer you look around the store the more cool stuff you find! They actually have a painting section in the back where you can buy paintings to hang on your walls This store is confusing if you have never been in it. But telling an employee what you are looking for will get you directed to the correct location, if they sell it Lots of fun stuff to decorate your space. I found stuff I never knew I wanted or needed
- 19. TJ Maxx Theentrance has the TJ Maxx signage with a stone front that is appealing The front doors are open to allow easy entrance The carts are located inside so the front of the store has a clean look The clean look is gone as soon as you step into the store
- 20. TJ Maxx Cont. The aisles are cluttered with items that are too large for the shelving they are placed on Although there are specified sections there is no signage overhead to show you the different sections The place is packed with shoppers which probably adds to all of the shelves to be so disheveled Although I saw many employees stocking shelves I did not see anyone reorganizing shelves The store felt dirty to me and in disarray The music was upbeat but all the customers were louder
- 21. TJ Maxx Cont. You really can’t beat the prices! Everything had an original price tag and then a lower price sticker Lots of weird items and brands that I had never heard of Feels like a thrift store who gets all of their products from stores that have closed There are 18 registers and at least 9 manned at any given time The lines to buy are long but move quickly There are lots of impulse items along the path you must follow to buy your goods
- 22. TJ Maxx Insights Come here for the cheap prices not the ambiance The name brands are legitimate and cheap. Just make sure it is not damaged This whole store changes inventory as new product arrives so you will find something new every visit Once the initial feeling of cheap and dirty wears off you can find some nice nick nacks I was surprised at the sheer volume of different items that they sell
- 23. Walgreens The entranceis on the corner and inviting with the Walgreens logo above the door frame Entering the store you can see the entire layout easily with the Pharmacy located in the back. A big sign lets all know where the Pharmacy is located The floors are clean and the whole business has a nice sanitized feel to it Pop music is playing overhead but is not distracting
- 24. Walgreens Cont. Thereis lots of space around the store Each aisle is wide with easy access to the items The cosmetic aisle has lots of bright colors that make it attractive Each aisle has a sign over it letting customers know what is on the aisle There is additional signage to break down each aisle further The pharmacy has a small waiting area with 4 chairs and a blood pressure machine I saw about 4 employees outside of the Pharmacy
- 25. Walgreens Cont. Thereare bright tags to show what items are on sale in each aisle Strangely, there are only two registers located at the door Although there does seem to be a flow for checking out, if both registers are open then the lines have to flow down aisles Shopping is easy here but the checkout seems like it could be a headache if the store was busy No staff approached me for help but did smile and interacted with me during my purchase I was asked if I had a Walgreens card, which I do
- 26. Walgreens Insights Theperfect place to get your prescriptions refilled and grab a quick candy bar on the way out I was surprised they had a photo processing center in the store They actually have a small food section, much like a Seven Eleven The candy section always has the best prices