1. OBSERVATION
LAB
by Tina Dang
for Crash Course on Creativity
Thu Nov 1st, 2012
2. INTRODUCTION
Interesting insights and opportunities through observations of six
different retail stores through my eyes as regular consumer.
The six stores are comprised of:
Coach
Wal-Mart
Sephora
Forever 21
Hollister Co.
Aerie by American Eagle
5. COACH
Before entering the store
Has glass doors open to welcome customers in
See through glass to allow customers to peek in and/or window
shop
Store draws you in with neat window displays and a greeter
Easy to recognize logo and brightly lit up
6. COACH
Store Environment
Floors are covered in granite and carpet = customer feels
comfortable
White walls, brightly lit store = highlights the products
Distinctive smell of leather and light sprits the brand’s perfume
Cash register is located in the back but viewable at all angles of
store = easy to locate
Wanted to stay for about 20-30 minutes
7. COACH
Personnel and Sales Associates
Greeted as I entered within 60 seconds
Uniform: fashioned a white dress shirt, dark blue jeans, navy
blazer and/or black sweater and khaki shoes
They encouraged me to “try it on, try it out” and pick up the
product
They demonstrated products and functionality of the hang bags
Had four lines, one cash register = one employee to each section
Matched the brand fashionably and with their happy personality
8. COACH
Products
Picked up a hang bag in the front center display table with several
other accessories initially
“For sale” items were located in the back by the cash register =
gives current product spotlight
Hand bags are arranged by lines: Legacy, Madison, Poppy, etc.
Price tags are hidden in the hang bag’s zippers or pockets
Small key chains, wristlets, scarves located near cash
9. COACH
Customers
Seem friendly with one another. Some are shopping alone, couple
or with family
Average age in the store would be one in their 20’s
Are purchasing products more than browsing
Encouraged to put products on, with personal items inside and
stand in front of a mirror
Walk around in circle (purchasers), some follow a path through
the 4 sections (browsers)
11. WAL-MART
Before entering the store
Sign is very large and visible for drivers coming from a distance
Has the “superstore” sign = Full access store with groceries and
pharmacy
Spent 5-10 minutes looking for an appropriate parking spot
Store carts are somewhat scattered around parking lot
Has automatic sliding doors for in and out customer traffic
Allowed me to feel that I was going to find everything I needed or
more
12. WAL-MART
Store Environment
Color scheme fits with the brand with blue, white and yellow
Store has many storage and shelves and price tags are printed
largely
There is background music but the traffic in the store muffles it
Has a high ceiling and portrays to customers it’s a really big store
Cash register is located by the entrance for easy exits
I would want to stay in the store however long it takes to find
things
13. WAL-MART
Personnel/ Sales Associates
An associate by the entrance designated to greet and tag
customers who are returning items
Another who gives me a shopping cart
20 customers to 1 associate per department
Uniform: blue vest and name tag
They know where generally everything is but doesn’t locate
exactly
Had to search and wait to ask for help
Always heard or saw sometime addressing/ resolving an issue
14. WAL-MART
Products
First product I noticed were Halloween candies = assuming
spotlight or seasonal items at the front
Products at eye level and below were groceries = least expensive
Prices are easy to find and labeled clearly with a discount
Aisle signs are clear but I often tilt my head to read
Most expensive products are in the Electronics department locked
with a glass with security tags
15. WAL-MART
Customers
Mainly families with a shopping cart – mother with children
Customers walk in their own separate paths and directions
Seemed like they are more on a mission than to browse
Not encouraged to touch products unless they’re groceries
Customers read back of products if necessary
Average length of stay = at least 30 minutes to an hour
Finding parking
Finding products
Lining up and to pay
17. SEPHORA
Before entering the store
The store draws me immediately because the promotional posters
and visual displays
The black exterior frames the store and narrows my focus inside
Sign/logo is large and easily recognizable in the shopping center
among other competitors and stores
Makes me feel like I’m going to find something new
Gives me a need to explore the different lines of make up
Sephora carries
18. SEPHORA
Store Environment
Walls are painted white, black and red display cases with plenty of
light and mirrors
Every line of make up has their own section = 15-20 sections =
neat and easy to locate
Cash register is located at the back of the store
I wanted to stay in the store as long as I played and looked at
everything
Total time stayed = 1 hour
Environment does perceived value of the merchandise = appears
state of the art and high end as compared to Wal-Mart beauty
section
19. SEPHORA
Personnel/ Sales Associate
Approached me within 2-5 minutes and asked me what I was
looking for
Told me a range of products based on my conversation cues and
gave samples
Uniform: a long black coat and make up
Knowledgeable by brand and section, separate associate for skin
care
Usually recommends what they have and are currently wearing
Total of five associates in store, wouldn’t say that’s enough to
serve customers in the store who may want make up tutorials
20. SEPHORA
Products
Products are separated by make up lines like Lancome, Benefit,
Make Up Forever, Stila, Yve Saint Laurent, etc.
All make up are at eye level, don’t have to reach
Able to try on and wash off make up at beauty stations and
equipped with cotton pads, disposable wands, facial tissue,
removers, etc.
Gave these samples and demonstrations at beauty stations
Most expensive items were hair products and curling irons
totaled up to $300
Least expensive were in the middle by the cash in the Sephora
line
21. SEPHORA
Customer
Usually a pair of girls trying on make up together or separately
then meet up to pay for products
Found customers putting on Sephora make up or perfume prior
going to work in the same shopping center
Everyone is browsing until they find at least two units to purchase
Personal relationship between associate and customer
Customer to customer recommendations
23. FOREVER 21
Before entering the store
Noticed several customers walking around with their shopping
bag
Manikins in the window fashioning new arrivals
Feels new because it was recently introduced to Canada a few
years ago
You can tell that pricing will be less expensive but several to
choose from
Sign/ logo is brightly lit up and easily recognizable in the shopping
center
Has upper and lower level entrances
By a major exit / parking lot of the shopping center
24. FOREVER 21
Store Environment
Music is always playing and it’s moderately loud compared to
previous observed stores
You hear plastic clothes racks hitting each other as sales
associate try to organize and clean during its down time
Somewhat crowded with clothes racks but still able to navigate
through the store
Has upper and lower level cash registers but only used the upper
level today
Several items and styles = less expensive, more choices
25. FOREVER 21
Personnel/ Sales Associate
Difficult to locate as they are running around helping customers or
cleaning up
Uniform: looking fashionable, a yellow lanyard with a Forever 21
tag
Both women and men employees for a women’s store
Has a supervisor to process returns/ store credit
Didn’t notice any customer having a problem or address a
concern
Didn’t follow any script but helped you locate items or ideals
Ages 17 to 25
26. FOREVER 21
Products
Clothes/ accessories are at eye level
Top were hung above racks and associate used a hook stick to
fetch my size
Tops were separated by style/ color
Bottoms were laid on display tables by color, sizes varied
Prices are printed on yellow tags and are tucked into the clothes
Plenty of impulse items ranging from make up bags to shoes, no
more than $10
27. FOREVER 21
Customers
Most are shopping by themselves, often saw a teenager shopping
with her boyfriend (he sits or carries clothes)
Average age = 21
Encouraged to try on clothes and shoes in front of mirrors and
fitting rooms
Walk in separate directions, upper level carries a better line of
clothes
Like myself, they are browsing until something is found
Seemed like everyone invested at least 30 minutes to an hour in
store
28. INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Through this recent observation, it allowed me to see
the functionality behind the environments
target markets of these retail stores
The insights were beneficial and afforded me with
more awareness of space and customer behaviors
The problems of the stores allowed me to
see opportunities for improvement and
what the company can do to make their company better for
consumers.
