During the last couple of days I stopped by to observe various types of stores. I focused on women’s products at the beginning and ended with stores that featured items for all of the public. I visited Sephora, Aveda, Athleta, Walgreens, QFC and Frans. I stayed at each store for approximately 15min.

Sephora is a beauty store specializing in makeup and essential items for women. The front door was open and there sign was very visible. The black back walls made the vibrant colors more visual and intense. The pictures let you know it was a beauty shop. The ceiling was about 15 feet high. The store was well lit, pointing to the most important items. Music was too loud and hip. The merchandise covered every spot on the shelves. The store’s perfume aroma was pungent. It gave me a headache. When I entered I thought it was a warm and inviting environment but after 10 min I couldn’t stand being there. The value of the merchandise was definitely influenced by the store and their consumers. The staff had uniforms and it was visible they used the store’s products. They said hello right away. They used the same greeting with every person (men and women). There was about 1 staff member for every 5 customers. The staff was between early 20’s to late 30’s and they match the advertisements at the front door. The first thing I noticed was the lip-gloss right on the front door in small display table with a 2 foot tall picture with women on it applying the gloss. There were no sale items but the house brand was promoted for bargains and the staff talked about it. All products were arranged by function and brand. The most expensive items (perfume and creams) were inside a glass case. All prices were easily seen. The register was in the middle of the store and it had impulse items for customers to look at before they paid. About 80% of costumers were alone and between 20 to 60 years old. All customers were allowed to touch and try products and about 60% made purchases.

Aveda is a hair product store that specializes in natural hair care products. The front door was closed but inviting. By the door was a small sign about three feet tall with a promotion and their name brand on it. The pictures in the window displayed were of pretty young women and their beautiful hair. The interior walls were tan and at the back of the store, they had a photograph covering the wall with vibrant tropical green leaves. Underneath the picture was the register. The wood floors complemented the color on the walls and made you feel relaxed. The ceiling was about 15 feet high. The music was pleasant and serene. All together the environment made the store seem warm and relaxed. Most merchandise was at eye level there were a few items on low shelving. The store smelled like lavender, eucalyptus and herbal tea. I stayed about 20 min and the merchandise seemed expensive but worth it. The sales person welcomed customers within a minute. The staff had a black neat uniform. There were a couple of display tables and as you entered, to the right the first product I noticed was a hair relaxer. There were no sales but by the register there were less expensive items such as travel kit items. The most expensive products were to the left and the right of the register and prices were easy to find. And yes all travel kit items and lip gloss all around the register were tempting. Most of the costumers were alone and they seemed to walk the same path as they entered. They were between ages 20 to 60. They all looked like they had a mission and the 1 to 3 staff to customer ratio made sure they helped everyone right away. They all stayed about 15 minutes and about 80% bought something.

Athleta is a woman’s sports clothing store that carries a variety of items for physical activities. The entrance catches your eye because many people were walking in and out of the store carrying packages. Their sign was about 2 feet tall and it was at the top of the front door. The door was open and the store seemed hip and made you feel energized. There were wood floors and some wood paneling on the walls but there was no bright color contrast. The ceilings were high about 20 feet. The music was loud and hip. The store was warm and the merchandise was sparsely displayed. The store smelled clean. The cash register was on the middle-left side of the store. I would like to stay about 30 minutes. The merchandise looked expensive and it was according to the price. The sales person took more than a few minutes to greet me probably because it was very busy. They were about 5 costumers for each staff member. The employees were between 25 to 50 yrs old. They didn’t have uniforms but were required to wear some athletic clothing without the company logo. Pants were the first product I noticed. The central table featured products for the next season. No sales items at the store and the high priced items were high and out of reach. Most products were at eye level and arranged by function and color. Prices were difficult to find. Too many tags on the items and made difficult to find the price. The impulse items were by the register and they were water bottles and winter hats. About 40% of the customers were alone and the other 60% were with another person. The average customer was about 40yrs old.

The customer stayed about 25 minutes but only about 25% purchased something. Most or the people were just browsing.

Walgreens is a pharmacy and personal care products store. There was no name at the door. Their sign was on the side of the building and it had big red letters. The door was closed and the entrance looked crowded and the flowers by the door looked dead. I’m not sure I want to go in. The walls had a muted color and the lighting was low. The ceilings are about 13feet tall in the middle of the store and they slant on the sides to about 9 feet. The store is cold and it makes you feel depressed. The store is quiet and the background music is minimal and smells like tonic. Their merchandise is crowded and the sales rack is in the back of the store and unorganized. The register is by the entrance and there is a camera by the exit doors plus they have an id item checker when you exit. I only want to stay at this store for 10 min maximum. The store looks cheap and their prices reflect that. No sales person, no real uniforms but staff had name tags. There is one sales person for every five or six costumers. The staff is half female and half male and they are between 25 to 55 years old .The first product you notice are the sun glasses displayed by the entrance door. The central table has nail products.. All products are arranged by function. Most eye level items are beauty products. The least accessible items are kid’s toys and they are stored on the top shelves. Prices are easy to find. The impulses items are by the register; they are chocolate, gum and candy. The checker makes sure to mention all impulse items before you leave. The most expensive items are behind the register and behind the pharmacy counter. About 90% of the customer’s walkout with a purchase.

Frans is a high end chocolate store. Their door was closed. But the window display invites you in as it shows pretty gold boxes with ribbons. The store’s aromas make you feel hungry. The sign is small about a square foot with their logo on delicate letters. The sign makes me think the store will be small and calm. The store has wood flooring and counters with a little bit of cream walls for contrast. The 20 foot tall ceilings make the place seems bigger. The light is dim and customers are quiet. No music is playing. Everyone speaks softly. The merchandise is sparse throughout the store and it’s very minimal. I want to stay about 2 hours. The pretty store reflects the value of their merchandise. About two minutes passed before someone says hello and offers you a taste. The sales person wear uniforms and they look put together. They all use the same greeting with each costumer. There is 1 sales person for every 7 to 10 people. All the staff appears to be in their 20’s. First product I notice is a bottle of port. The display table includes pre packed chocolate boxes. No sale items. All products are neatly arranged by flavor. They all are at eye level. No impulse items by the register. Most customers are with someone. Customers’ ages vary between 4 yrs old to 70. No touching at this store but costumers stayed about 15 minutes and about 90% of them purchased something.

QFC is a grocery store. The front door is closed but inviting, a variety of flowers outside their doors welcomes you in. There sign is big and located outside in the parking lot. The interior walls are beige with blue accents from the advertisement, the floor has tile and it seems clean. The ceiling is about 20 feet high and the lighting is bright. You notice back ground music, customers’ voices, the register and the shopping cart noises. The store feels warm and smells like food. The register is by the entrance and there is a video camera by the door. I want to stay for awhile maybe an hour. The central neighborhood influences the store prices. The staff ratio is 1 to 10 per customers and there are not any sales people just store helpers. The staff have uniforms and name tags. The staff ages vary between 20 to 50 years old. Half are male and half are female. The first products I noticed are the flowers. They have a couple of display tables as you enter by the deli full of different kinds of cheese. They offer a taste of certain food items. There are sales items in every aisle. The least expensive items are bulk items and they are located on the bottom shelves. The most expensive items are at eye level. All products are arranged by function and food category. All prices are visible. Most of impulse items are across from the register. About 80% people are alone and on a mission. Almost every person purchased an item.

I was thinking on my way out to check all the stores about the lecture I watched a couple days before “think like a traveler”, so I did. Most of the stores had their door closed but the entrance had either flowers, smaller board signs, displays on their windows or big pictures that caught your eye as you passed by. They all had display tables as you entered those encouraged customers to walk a certain path through the store. Woman’s stores had mostly female staff. The stores that market to both male and females had a mix of male and female staff. All workers had uniforms that showed the image of each store. A few of the stores required name tags for their employees. All store staff seemed to use store products. Each customer was greeted the same way in each store.

Each store environment was well thought out to match the store image and their merchandize. The use of lighting, music and smell definitely influence the customer idea of each store. The colors on the walls were mostly dark and many stores used wood throughout the store. Most of the stores were warm and had a good feeling about them. If there was security it was discrete. All stores had their sales items in the back of their facility. Most registers were in the middle of the stores. All high priced items were behind glass or out of reach.

The tables with knick knacks were at each store with catchy merchandize as well they all had impulse items by all the registers. Most people shopped alone and they stayed at the stores that targeted them about 15 minutes and about 25% to 50% made a purchase. The people that walked in to a store that marketed to everyone stayed in that store about 20 to 30 minutes and about 90% of costumers made a purchase.

So with my traveler’s eyes for now on I definitely will pay more attention to all the stuff around me and think about who and how they came up with that idea.