Dollar Tree offers a wide variety of goods for $1 or less. It caters to budget-conscious shoppers looking for kitchenware, cleaning supplies, toys, food, and seasonal items. Maurices provides fashion-conscious clothing and accessories for women of all sizes in a relaxed atmosphere. Famous Footwear aims to offer a personalized shopping experience compared to larger chains while remaining competitively priced. Nordstrom Rack sells Nordstrom brand items at discounted prices to recoup costs and attract more budget-minded customers. Buy Buy Baby is a one-stop shop for all baby needs with knowledgeable staff and a clean environment catering to both casual and hurried parents.

1. Week 5
Observation Lab
By Anthony Stock
TEM 431
Professor Jason Bronowitz

2. Dollar Tree

3. Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree is just what the name implies. Everything on the premises for the
price of $1 or below. Catering to the budget conscious and frugal minded
individual. At Dollar Tree one can find kitchenware, cleaning supplies, toys,
frozen foods, canned goods and candies as well as seasonal knick knacks.

4. 3 new things I learned about Dollar Tree
1 Frozen food section
Chicken Pot Pies
Burritos
Hot Dogs
Bacon (yep you can the same
package of bacon that runs
you $3 at the grocery store
for $1)
2
Seasonal items
up front
Seasonal items are kept up
front along with knick knacks
and impulse buy goods
because it is done as a
convenience to customers. It
is already known that keeping
these things in back will not
impact sales of items such
as cleaning supplies.
3
Three main types
of clients
1. Seasonal shopper
looking for the
inexpensive holiday
item
2. Frugal shopper looking
to purchase item at
great cost
3. Budget minded shopper

5. 3 other facts I learned about Dollar Tree
1.Customers stay in store an average of 10-15 minutes
2.Dollar Tree, at least this one, does not play background music
3.There is a design to how merchandise is placed starting up front
with seasonal and impulse purchase products and going counter
clockwise ending with the kitchenware and household items.
Confirmed by the store manager on duty at the time.

6. Additional pictures

7. Maurices

8. Maurices
Maurices cators to the fashion-conscious, budget-minded female shopper. The
products are geared toward casual to upper casual clothing for everyday living.

9. 3 new things I learned about Maurices
1
Clothes for all
sizes
The store’s product line
caters to women of all
shapes and sizes and aims to
provide a no pressure
atmosphere where
customers can feel relaxed to
shop for clothing and
accessories.
2
The store is fairly
new in the area
Maurices is fairly new in this
area having come online
within the last few years but
the store model is very
successful with its pricing
model and diverse line of
clothing and accessories
3
Statewide not just
a single location
Maurices is statewide with
locations in:
Gilbert
Chandler
Phoenix
Tucson

10. 3 other facts I learned about Maurices
1.I really liked how their doors were open. The store manager said
that during the cooler months their policy was open door
2.Successful with plus size women but clientele was diverse
3.Store was bright and clean and had background music playing.
Environment was open and relaxed with extremely friendly,
helpful personnel.

11. Additional Pictures

12. Famous
Footwear

13. Famous Footwear
Nationwide chain competitive with other national chains such as DSW. Famous
Footwear stores tend to be smaller and more personable stores as compared to
their DSW counterparts offering a more personable footwear shopping
experience. The chain caters to male and female clients as well as adolescents.

14. 3 new things I learned about Famous Footwear
1
Used to be known
for their athletic
footwear
Used to be known for their
athletic footwear and
competed more with Big 5 on
that level and they still do but
have changed their business
model to also be more
aggressive with their casual
footwear line to maintain
their market presence
against DSW.
2
Is competitively
priced
Having just made a trip to
DSW recently to purchase
shoes I was surprised to find
that Famous Footwear’s
prices were very competitive
with DSW’s if not cheaper
regarding some of the
brands.
3
Stores designed to
have smaller
footprint
Stores are designed to be
smaller to facilitate more
locations and offer a more
convenience and personable
shoe buying experience.

15. 3 other facts I learned about Famous Footwear
1.Employees were extremely helpful and knowledgeable
2.Store was clean and well organized and casual footwear
seemed to have the slight edge regarding display and visibility
especially at eye level
3.Store also had background music

16. Additional Pictures

17. Pier 1 Imports

18. Pier 1 Imports
Pier 1 imports offers crafts and many items for home decoration. Its products
are both seasonal and annual. Competing with national chains like Michaels, Pier
1 Imports offers a heightened consumer experience for your craft and home
decorating buying needs.

19. 3 new things I learned about Pier 1 Imports
1
Employees
extremely helpful
Employees were extremely
happy, helpful and
knowledgeable
2 They sell Furniture
Did not know that Pier 1
Imports sold furniture and
home furnishings. Their
merchandise displays at
least at eye level resembles
more of a Michaels geared
more toward the seasonal
and craft minded shopper
3
The Sell
Dinnerware
They have unique collections
of dinnerware and table
settings.

20. 3 other facts I learned about Pier 1 Imports
1.Have an extensive and amazing fake flower department that
cater to all of life's events
2.Stores are designed to be packed from wall to wall with
products. It lends to the impulse buying experience.
3.In addition to music the candle fragrances all contributed to the
shopping experience.

21. Additional Pictures

22. Nordstrom Rack

23. Nordstrom Rack
Nordstrom Rack offers Nordstrom products at discounted prices. Nordstrom
Rack outlets are the vehicle for Nordstrom to sell quality products that are not
doing as well or being phased out of their Nordstrom stores to customers who
are more budget minded and enjoy Nordstrom products at discounted prices.

24. 3 new things I learned about Nordstrom Rack
1
Additional vehicle
for product sales
Nordstrom Rack is designed
to be that last stop shop for
Nordstrom to be able to
recoup some of their product
investment before the
liquidation phase.
2 Clean stores
Nordstrom Rack aims to
provide the Nordstrom
shopper with the same level
of shopping experience as
their Nordstrom stores to
maintain brand integrity.
3 The Sell Toys
Not sure why this was a
shocker to me. I guess
because I went in only
expecting to find clothing and
shoes and accessories and in
addition found a toys section.

25. 3 other facts I learned about Nordstrom Rack
1.Customers stay an average of 30 - 40 minutes looking for
bargains
2.Store was very compartmentalized but had a nice flow
3.Front of store designed to funnel people into store to start them
out a certain point and at the end there was no way to avoid the
cash register/checkout experience and an employee always made
sure they greeted you or thanked you for coming to the store.

26. Additional Pictures

27. Buy Buy Baby

28. Buy Buy Baby
The ultimate shopping experience for all things related to having a baby.

29. 3 new things I learned about Buy Buy Baby
1 They do photos
They have an extensive photo
department with
knowledgeable staff to help
capture this special, exciting
moment in life.
2 Store is very clean
Even though this store
seemed to have as much
volume as Pier 1 Imports and
then some it was very clean
and well organized and
efficient. The feel seemed to
cater to the casual as well as
the rushed shopper.
3 Extensive Staff
There was a staff member at
every station. If you were
shopping for strollers there
was a staff member there,
photos, clothing, high chairs.
And all staff members were
very friendly and
knowledgeable.

30. 3 other facts I learned about Buy Buy Baby
1.They sell nutritional supplements like power bars, etc. In fact, had
an extensive nutrition section for expecting moms.
2.You can custom order cribs there or buy the ones off the shelf but
they will help you find exactly what you want.
3.The staff will help install your car seat correctly.

31. Additional Pictures