The document summarizes observations from contrasting retailers in shoes, toiletries, and technology. It finds that retailers are united more by their customer approach - whether focusing on product experience and design to command premium prices, or selling large quantities of lower priced stock while driving basket value. Stores highlight different merchandising like product displays, staff roles, and promotions to appeal to their target customers.

1. Assignment: Are you paying attention?
Approach:
To drive greater observations I thought an
interesting approach would be to look at
starkly contrasting retailers in 3 different
categories- shoes, toiletries & technology!

2. Shoes!
Vs.

3. Van Haren- the shoe
supermarket!
Huge windows
display a huge array
of shoes
Wide open doors to
see inside
Piled high & sold cheap!
Store staff does not spend time in
back searching for sizes- customer
does the work for themselves!

4. Helping the customer
serve themselves
• Guide to sizes,
materials
•Shoe horn
•Socks for trying on
•Special XXL section
(many Dutch are very
tall!)
But, staff willing to help
out- to upsell to the
consumer
•Lots of treatment
products near try on area
used highlighted by staff
•Another opportunity at
the till point- socks,
insoles, more treatment
products

5. United Nude- Edgy unique designs- art gallery feel
Windows showcase a
small number of
products
With their unique
design, passers-by stop
in their tracks

6. Showcasing of products in colour
changing wall
Very trendy
sales
assistant
models one of
the newest
designs (and
shows a
customer how
the ‘no heel’
design allows
her to stand
normally

7. Shoe summary
Contrast of both stores best exemplified by the different
brochures they produce
Low prices vs unique design (at minimum x4 price also)
Clearly a very different product positioning aimed at a
different consumer

8. Technology!
Vs.

9. Landmark building with
huge open windows.
High ceilings, glass spiral
staircase
Staff member at store to
greet and direct
customers

10. Product is heroed on the
walls & tables;
multiple samples of a
small range for customers
to play and engage with.
Emphasis on staff helping
customers to discover
technology. Workshops &
‘one on one’ care
advertised & taking place.

11. A brochure stand meets
customers as they enter
the store
Product is locked away in
a glass case

12. A huge variety of
products on display.
Some areas for customers
to interact with products
But staff all the way at
the back of the store and
stay behind the cash disk
busy on their computers

13. Toiletries!
Vs.

14. Cosmetics! Headline offers
heavily promoted
in the window of a
busy street
•More signage hints
at more bargains in-
store
• Focus on driving
footfall
•Customers steered
through store
•More bins of offers
through the store
•Customers channelled
through to more
expensive brands at the
back of the store
•Some staff here to
assist customers

15. Every opportunity used
en route to the exit (&
the tills) to tempt
customers with more
bargains

16. Halloween
themed products
feature in the
window and just
inside the store
- “Green slime
“bath products
-hard to resist
touching them!
•The fragrance of the
products is what really
hits you
•Look of the store is
more like a deli-
•Blackboards and
packaging focus on USP
of products – FRESH!

17. Focus on the
experiential-
Lots of stations around
the store where very
knowledgeable and
helpful sales assistants
help customers trial
products
Very generous sample
sized products given to
trial the product at
home
Store ‘credo’ displayed at
exit
Feel good feeling- buying
into more than toiletries!

18. Summary of Insights
Despite looking at pairs of stores in three different
categories, what actually united stores was their
approach to their target customer rather than the
category of products they were selling
– One group of stores- focus on product, design, in-store
experience. And this commands a premium price!
– Other group of stores focus on selling large quantities of
lower priced stock. Although some shared evidence of
focus on driving basket value of shoppers