Retail Shoppability: A Measure Of The World's Best Stores Export

@incollection{citeulike:819271, author = {Burke, Raymond R.}, booktitle = {Future Retail Now: 40 Of The World's Best Stores}, citeulike-article-id = {819271}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://www.kelley.indiana.edu/retail/research/shoppability.pdf#search=%22Future%20Retail%20Now%3A%2040%20of%20the%20World%E2%80%99s%20Best%20Stores%22}, comment = {When customers enjoy the shopping experience, they will spend more time browsing in the store and are more likely to make discretionary purchases. p. 8 ...How can retailers make people feel good? The first priority is to engage customers in the experience by stimulating shopping-related needs and goals. The store should present an attractive selection of merchandise, including new and fashionable items to keep the experience fresh and interesting. The environment should stimulate consumers' senses with appealing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch. These stimuli can evoke powerful emotions by connecting with consumers' past experiences and memories. The store can heighten consumer involvement by creating a sense of adventure and discovery. For some retail formats, this may take the form of bargain hunting. In others, it can involve special displays, product demonstrations, events and/or entertainment. In any case, these new and surprising experiences must be consistent with the retailer's brand image. p. 9 ---=note-separator=--- Retailers also need to consider the social aspects of the shopping experience. Employees who are friendly and attractive, who can identify with customers, and who are enthusiastic about their job and the products they sell, can significantly enhance shopping enjoyment. p. 9 ---=note-separator=--- Special events are another tool for managing a store's social atmosphere. They can attract groups of customers with common interests and lifestyles, creating social opportunities for patrons and economic opportunities for merchants. Retailers among 40 Of The World's Best Stores conduct a variety of outstanding events. Roots One Hundred Bloor, a Canadian outfitter, throws star-studded parties at its in-store bar to attract adoring fans. ...The Forum Shops at Caesars attracts visitors with mega-entertainment such as boxing matches in the adjacent casino or spectacular animatronics in the retail space. * Examples of the 'extreme', theatrical "customer experience" notion. ---=note-separator=--- A well-designed store should address consumers' needs throughout the shopping journey. If people will be visiting for an extended period of time, the retailer should provide refreshments, clean restrooms, and a place to sit and relax. ...by providing changing facilities with rocking chairs and free diapers. When shoppers' arms are full with merchandise, the store should have shopping carts, baskets, and counter space available to set things down. Play areas can help parents entertain children and gain a few extra minutes of shopping time. Merchants should make a special effort to enhance shopping enjoyment when selling products that offer positive benefits such as sensory stimulation, intellectual stimulation, self-enhancement, and social approval. If consumers like a store, they will be inclined to like its products. That is why Canada's Couche-Tard convenience stores encourage loitering in comfortably furnished lounge areas decorated with local artwork, equipped with high-speed internet access, and stocked with reading materials. ---=note-separator=--- During the last 30 years, retailers have made considerable progress on the supply side, developing sophisticated logistical systems to streamline product distribution, manage inventory, allocate shelf space efficiently, and replenish stocks on a just-in-time basis. Stores can now do a much better job of providing consumers with the right product at the right place at the right time. The news is not as good on the demand side. Retailers continue to have difficulty creating shopping environments that engage consumers' needs and convert these desires to purchases. p. 1 ---=note-separator=--- But what defines a great store? One of the most striking features of many of these stores is their attractive appearance. The visual appeal goes beyond the unique design and aesthetic beauty of the retail space. They have the ability to engage shoppers by making a connection with the salient and latent needs that drive purchase. Each retailer understands his or her customers and presents an appropriate and appealing selection of merchandise. The store layouts, fixtures, lighting, and merchandising all call the customer's attention to the products and their benefits, while reinforcing the retailer's brand identity. And the stores keep the experience fresh by providing a steady stream of innovations — new goods and services, promotions, and special events — to entertain and delight shoppers. A second distinguishing trait of many of the stores is their visual simplicity and transparency. A transparent store is one that is easy to navigate. When you walk into the store and through the aisles, you see what there is to see. You immediately know if the store has what you want and where it's located. Visual clutter is minimized. A transparent store is also one that consumers can understand. It feels familiar and comfortable. Products are organized in ways that make sense. The store layout and product presentation are consistent with expectations. Transparency must be balanced with a sense of discovery to hold shoppers' interest, especially in stores that sell high-ticket, infrequently purchased items (e.g., home furnishings) or unexpected, constantly changing merchandise (e.g., dollar stores). A third and related theme is that the best stores provide a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience. Shoppers can enter the store, pick up what they need, and check out in a reasonable amount of time. Destination categories and promoted items are easily accessible and complementary products are located nearby. There are no physical obstructions and no long lines. Products are in stock and priced competitively so customers don't need to comparison shop. The stores deliver an acceptable level of comfort even during the busiest shopping days. The aisles are wide enough to accommodate the traffic flow, the fitting rooms stay clean, and there are places to sit and relax when shoppers are tired.}, edition = {First}, keywords = {customer\_experience, methods, retail}, month = {March}, posted-at = {2006-08-27 16:34:04}, priority = {0}, publisher = {the Retail Industry Leaders Association}, title = {Retail Shoppability: A Measure Of The World's Best Stores}, url = {http://www.kelley.indiana.edu/retail/research/shoppability.pdf#search=%22Future%20Retail%20Now%3A%2040%20of%20the%20World%E2%80%99s%20Best%20Stores%22}, year = {2005} }

TY - CHAP ID - citeulike:819271 L3 - citeulike-article-id:819271 TI - Retail Shoppability: A Measure Of The World's Best Stores PB - the Retail Industry Leaders Association T2 - Future Retail Now: 40 Of The World’s Best Stores KW - customer_experience KW - methods KW - retail N1 - When customers enjoy the shopping experience, they will spend more time browsing in the store and are more likely to make discretionary purchases. p. 8 ...How can retailers make people feel good? The first priority is to engage customers in the experience by stimulating shopping-related needs and goals. The store should present an attractive selection of merchandise, including new and fashionable items to keep the experience fresh and interesting. The environment should stimulate consumers’ senses with appealing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch. These stimuli can evoke powerful emotions by connecting with consumers’ past experiences and memories. The store can heighten consumer involvement by creating a sense of adventure and discovery. For some retail formats, this may take the form of bargain hunting. In others, it can involve special displays, product demonstrations, events and/or entertainment. In any case, these new and surprising experiences must be consistent with the retailer’s brand image. p. 9 N1 - Retailers also need to consider the social aspects of the shopping experience. Employees who are friendly and attractive, who can identify with customers, and who are enthusiastic about their job and the products they sell, can significantly enhance shopping enjoyment. p. 9 N1 - Special events are another tool for managing a store’s social atmosphere. They can attract groups of customers with common interests and lifestyles, creating social opportunities for patrons and economic opportunities for merchants. Retailers among 40 Of The World’s Best Stores conduct a variety of outstanding events. Roots One Hundred Bloor, a Canadian outfitter, throws star-studded parties at its in-store bar to attract adoring fans. ...The Forum Shops at Caesars attracts visitors with mega-entertainment such as boxing matches in the adjacent casino or spectacular animatronics in the retail space. * Examples of the 'extreme', theatrical "customer experience" notion. N1 - A well-designed store should address consumers’ needs throughout the shopping journey. If people will be visiting for an extended period of time, the retailer should provide refreshments, clean restrooms, and a place to sit and relax. ...by providing changing facilities with rocking chairs and free diapers. When shoppers’ arms are full with merchandise, the store should have shopping carts, baskets, and counter space available to set things down. Play areas can help parents entertain children and gain a few extra minutes of shopping time. Merchants should make a special effort to enhance shopping enjoyment when selling products that offer positive benefits such as sensory stimulation, intellectual stimulation, self-enhancement, and social approval. If consumers like a store, they will be inclined to like its products. That is why Canada’s Couche-Tard convenience stores encourage loitering in comfortably furnished lounge areas decorated with local artwork, equipped with high-speed internet access, and stocked with reading materials. N1 - During the last 30 years, retailers have made considerable progress on the supply side, developing sophisticated logistical systems to streamline product distribution, manage inventory, allocate shelf space efficiently, and replenish stocks on a just-in-time basis. Stores can now do a much better job of providing consumers with the right product at the right place at the right time. The news is not as good on the demand side. Retailers continue to have difficulty creating shopping environments that engage consumers’ needs and convert these desires to purchases. p. 1 N1 - But what defines a great store? One of the most striking features of many of these stores is their attractive appearance. The visual appeal goes beyond the unique design and aesthetic beauty of the retail space. They have the ability to engage shoppers by making a connection with the salient and latent needs that drive purchase. Each retailer understands his or her customers and presents an appropriate and appealing selection of merchandise. The store layouts, fixtures, lighting, and merchandising all call the customer’s attention to the products and their benefits, while reinforcing the retailer’s brand identity. And the stores keep the experience fresh by providing a steady stream of innovations — new goods and services, promotions, and special events — to entertain and delight shoppers. A second distinguishing trait of many of the stores is their visual simplicity and transparency. A transparent store is one that is easy to navigate. When you walk into the store and through the aisles, you see what there is to see. You immediately know if the store has what you want and where it’s located. Visual clutter is minimized. A transparent store is also one that consumers can understand. It feels familiar and comfortable. Products are organized in ways that make sense. The store layout and product presentation are consistent with expectations. Transparency must be balanced with a sense of discovery to hold shoppers’ interest, especially in stores that sell high-ticket, infrequently purchased items (e.g., home furnishings) or unexpected, constantly changing merchandise (e.g., dollar stores). A third and related theme is that the best stores provide a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience. Shoppers can enter the store, pick up what they need, and check out in a reasonable amount of time. Destination categories and promoted items are easily accessible and complementary products are located nearby. There are no physical obstructions and no long lines. Products are in stock and priced competitively so customers don’t need to comparison shop. The stores deliver an acceptable level of comfort even during the busiest shopping days. The aisles are wide enough to accommodate the traffic flow, the fitting rooms stay clean, and there are places to sit and relax when shoppers are tired. AU - Burke, Raymond PY - 2005/03// UR - http://www.kelley.indiana.edu/retail/research/shoppability.pdf#search=%22Future%20Retail%20Now%3A%2040%20of%20the%20World%E2%80%99s%20Best%20Stores%22 ER -